Following his team's League success in 1983, Dundee United made their debut in the European Cup. McLean's counter-attacking tactics paired with a pressuring style brought some memorable results in that year's European campaign. United reached the semi-finals of the competition, which they lost 3–2 on aggregate to Roma. Three years later McLean took the team to a European final in the UEFA Cup, defeating Barcelona and Borussia Mönchengladbach en route. United lost 2–1 on aggregate to Swedish club IFK Gothenburg in the final. He won the inaugural Scottish Football Writers' Association Manager of the year award in 1987.