Portadown 'reluctantly accept' transfer request following 'change in personal circumstances'
Portadown have “reluctantly accepted” a transfer request from defender Steven McCullough, who has expressed a “wish to be closer to home”.
McCullough has been one of the Ports’ top performers since arriving from Ballymena United in 2024, making 67 Premiership appearances across the past two seasons at Shamrock Park, scoring six goals.
The 31-year-old was entrusted with captaincy duties at times during the most recent campaign in the absence of club skipper Gary Thompson.
McCullough missed the final seven league matches of the season through injury and is now set to leave the Co Armagh side this summer.
He has one year remaining on his current contract but Portadown have accepted his request following “a change in personal circumstances”.
McCullough, who has previously spent time with Glentoran and Carrick Rangers, becomes the latest player set to depart the Ports after the club confirmed Shay McCartan, Jordan Gibson and Ben Quinn will be leaving this summer.
Portadown posted: “Portadown Football Club can confirm that it has very reluctantly accepted a transfer request from defender, Steven McCullough, this evening.
“Steven, who is contracted to the club until the summer of 2027, had raised the issues of a change in personal circumstances, along with work commitments and a wish to be closer to home, with the club several weeks ago.
“Following further discussions with the club this week, Steven asked to be placed on the transfer list. Any enquiries should be made directly to our manager, David Jeffrey.”
While the quartet will be moving on this summer, new manager David Jeffrey has moved to tie down experienced trio Gary Thompson, Aaron McCarey and Lee Chapman to new contracts.
“I’m delighted to have secured the future of three senior pros, such as Gary, Aaron and Lee,” said Jeffrey. "I’ve admired them all from afar and have been impressed with what I’ve seen at close hand since I came into the club a week ago.”