He also played on loan for the Portland Timbers in the summer of 1975, helping the club to the North American Soccer League championship final.
Given a free transfer to Telford United in May 1977, he went on to commit suicide in July 1978, having never come to terms with leaving Port Vale.
He posted thirteen appearances in 1967–68, making his debut against Swansea Town on 25 November and scoring his first senior goal against Exeter City in a 1–0 win on 25 March.
However, new manager Roy Sproson cracked his head on the team dugout after celebrating McLaren's winning goal against Shrewsbury Town on 19 January.
He played twenty games that summer in the North American Soccer League, and scored a goal against the St. Louis Stars on 19 July.
The Timbers made it to the league championship final on 24 August, where they lost 2–0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California.