McHale started his career with
Rangers, but failed to play a senior game for them. He was loaned out to
St Mirren in 2003. He joined
Sauchie Juniors in December 2003, With the club, the team reached the last eight of the
Scottish Junior Cup, finished runners up in the Lothian First Division and won the Lothians & Fife Cup (4–0 v
Linlithgow Rose). He scored five times (out of 5) from the penalty spot for the team. McHale spent the
2004–05 season at
Cowdenbeath. He became
Graham Roberts' first signing for Clyde in the summer of 2005. Paul was handed the captain's armband, and has proved to be an influential leader. McHale missed most of
season 2005–06 with a stomach injury, including the shock
Scottish Cup victory over
Celtic. McHale hoped to lift Clyde's first major trophy in 48 years in November 2006, the
Scottish Challenge Cup, but Clyde lost out on a penalty shoot out. In January 2006, he joined
Dundee for a fee of £5,000. He was made redundant by the club in October 2010 when they entered administration.{{cite news == Honours ==