 McLaren gave a positive drugs test in 2000 during his time at Reading and was immediately banned from football.After receiving treatment for drug addiction and alcoholism, McLaren returned to football with Kilmarnock, continuing to receive treatment upon returning to first club Dundee United in 2004.Upon signing for Morton permanently in 2005, McLaren admitted to then manager Jim McInally he had suffered from abuse as a child, which had led to his drug and alcohol problems.