McCullough is a left-back who can also play centre back and he’s a native of Portadown. He came through the ranks of his local club Portadown FC from the age of four and he went on to become the youngest player in the Ports’ history when he debuted for their first team in April 2019, aged 15 years and 121 days old. Dane’s father (Neil), grandfather (Barry), uncle (Gary) all played for Portadown, too. He has represented Northern Ireland up to Under-21 level.

In the summer of 2020 he went on trial for a week with Burnley FC – who were a Premier League club at the time – and guested in a 2-1 win over Barnsley FC which earned him a two-year scholarship deal which he signed in August 2020.

McCullough spent his first two seasons at Burnley in the U18s before moving up to the U21s in his third season, and in his last season he made nine appearances on loan at Hyde United in the seventh tier of English football before leaving Burnley in the summer of 2023.

McCullough was initially on trial with Linfield in July 2023 and was involved in a pre-season friendly against H&W Welders at Blanchflower Stadium, however it wasn’t until October 10, 2023, that he signed for the Blues, agreeing a deal until the end of the 2023-24 season. He made his Linfield debut as a late sub in a 4-0 home league win over Ballymena United on 25 November, 2023. The defender was limited to mostly sub appearances in his first season, coming off the bench four times and making two starts – against Larne in the League Cup and Dungannon Swifts in the league.

When his contract was due to expire in the summer of 2024, McCullough agreed a two-year extension to keep him at Windsor Park until the summer of 2026.