Nicknamed 'The Magic Man', McHale is a wide midfielder who is capable of wonderful moments of flair with the ball at his feet, having joined the Pitmen in June 2024 from Vanarama National League North side Scarborough Athletic
A much-travelled individual at many steps of league and non-league football, McHale started life as a junior at Manchester City, playing for the U18 side before being released in February 2014 where he joined Barnsley. He was to make one solitary first-team appearance in eighteen months at Oakwell, starting a League Cup game against Crewe Alexandra in December 2014. Later in the month, McHale joined North West Counties League side Northwich Flixton Villa for a short spell on dual registration to gain much-needed first-team experience
After leaving Barnsley in the summer of 2015, McHale joined Ramsbottom United for a short spell, making six appearances in the Northern Premier League before joining step four Northwich Victoria for a spell in October 2015
In January 2016, McHale headed to Cyprus to join third-tier Achyronas Liopetriou, spending eighteen months in the Med before returning to his native Manchester with a move to ambitious Salford City in July 2017, earning a short-term deal after a successful trial spell. He made three appearances for the Ammies in National League North before falling out of favour and was loaned out to local side Trafford in February 2018. Further loans at Hyde United and Southport followed before the end of the campaign
In December 2018, Stockport-based McHale's tour of the Greater Manchester area continued with a move to Northern Premier League side Ashton United. His form at Hurst Cross prompted National League North neighbours FC United of Manchester to sign the player just before the registration deadline in March 2019, where he made four appearances
A move to League Two strugglers Oldham Athletic in August 2018 saw McHale given another chance at the professional game, with the winger making a handful of appearances at Boundary Park before electing to make a very left-field move to London to sign for Isthmian League Division One North side Romford
McHale's travels continued in February 2020 with a move to the North East and a move to ambitious South Shields in the Northern Premier League, making a couple of appearances before returning to Ashton in March 2020. However, the COVID pandemic put paid to the remainder of the campaign and saw the 2019-2020 season voided
A trial at National League North side AFC Telford United proved successful for the player in August 2020, with McHale signing for the Bucks on a year-long deal. However, the season was again to be affected by the pandemic, with McHale agreeing an extension to his deal to move into the 2021-2022 campaign. He enjoyed a good season for Telford, scoring twice in eighteen starts. Towards the end of the season, McHale was loaned to league rivals Darlington for the remainder of the season in March 2022, making a couple of starts for the Quakers
A return to Greater Manchester saw McHale sign for Radcliffe in August 2022, making a handful of appearances before joining fellow Northern Premier League side Matlock Town on a month's loan. It was to be his next loan move that was to prove to be key for the player the following month, as McHale linked up with Steve King at Gloucester City; his form at Gloucester was superb in seven games, scoring twice and thriving under King's tactics, so much so that the player made the move permanent in November 2022. He continued his rich vein of form, scoring ten times in twenty-one starts as the Tigers qualified for the National League North play-offs with a seventh-placed finish
His form had attracted interest from other sides at step two, with Brackley Town signing the player on a free transfer in the summer of 2023. A strong first half of the season saw McHale make eighteen starts for Brckley before making the move North to join league rivals Scarborough Athletic in January 2024. Fourteen appearances later, McHale was loaned to divisional rivals Hereford for the remainder of the season in March 2024, making three appearances for the Bulls
After leaving Scarborough in May 2024, McHale made the two-division drop to join the Pitmen, reuniting him with King once more after his former Gloucester gaffer had been named as the new Hednesford manager a day earlier. The 2024-2025 season was to prove to be most productve of McHale's career as he finished as the club's top scorer with twenty goals and scores of assists, helping the Pitmen to promotion to the Northern Prrmier League via the play-offs
In May 2025, McHale joined the majority of his team-mates in agreeing to remain at Keys Park for the forthcoming 2025-2026 season at step three