Tommy McDermott (footballer, born 2005)

Thomas Vincent McDermott (born 1 June 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Burnley.

McDermott turned professional at Port Vale in July 2022. He spent the second half of the 2022–23 season on loan at Salisbury and had loan spells at Rochdale and Curzon Ashton throughout the 2023–24 season, before being sold to Burnley in February 2024.

Port Vale
McDermott was named as Youth Player of the Year at Port Vale for the 2021–22 season after scoring six goals and providing eleven assists for the under-18s. He turned professional in July 2022, signing a three-year contract with the club retaining the option of a further 12 months; David Flitcroft, the club's director of football, said that "he is a player that will develop physically, technically and tactically over time". He made his professional debut in the English Football League at the age of 17 when he started the opening game of the 2022–23 season on 30 July, a 2–1 victory over Fleetwood Town at Vale Park. Having been played out of position as a forward due to the club being short of strikers, he played his first game in midfield against Stockport County in the EFL Trophy. His strike in Vale's 3–1 win against Chesterfield in the FA Youth Cup in November was nominated for the LFE Goal of the Month award. On 31 January 2023, he joined Southern League Premier Division South club Salisbury on a youth loan, alongside James Plant. He scored two goals in a 3–0 victory at Metropolitan Police on 4 March. On 30 March, it was announced that the loan deal had been extended until the end of the 2022–23 season.

On 10 August 2023, he joined National League club Rochdale on loan for the first half of the 2023–24 season; manager Jimmy McNulty said that McDermott was signed to replace recalled loanee Cody Johnson. He failed to start a league fixture at Spotland and was recalled early from his loan spell on 7 November. Ten days later, he joined National League North club Curzon Ashton on loan. He played four games for Curzon.

Burnley
On 1 February 2024, McDermott joined Premier League club Burnley for an undisclosed fee after Vale's director of football, David Flitcroft, concluded that the under-21 side at Burnley would give him the playing time needed at that age.

Style of play
McDermott is an attack-minded ball-playing midfielder.