Sunderland star James McClean could easily have been running around for Lincoln City this season.

McClean was all set to sign for Lincoln before getting a call from Stephen Kenny.

"He went over and he wasn't happy," recalled his old Derry boss Kenny to the Irish Independent. "It didn't feel right for him. I rang and said I was making the decision to stay with Derry and start from scratch (with a reformed club) and he said, 'Well, if you're staying on, I want to come home and give it a go.' His father rang Chris Sutton (then Lincoln boss) and, to be fair to them, they were understanding, and ripped his contract up."