He made his debut on the opening day of the 2008–09 season, starting in a 1–2 loss to Preston North End. He made 39 appearances in all competitions during his first season at the club. McAuley further enhanced his international credentials whilst with the Suffolk team. He continued to be a regular starter in the team during the 2009–10 season. He scored his first goal for the club on 29 September 2009, in a 3–3 away draw with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. McAuley scored 5 goals in 43 games over the course of the season. On 6 November 2010, McAuley played his 100th game for Ipswich Town, in which he scored the winner in a 2–1 win against Sheffield United. He made 127 appearance during his time at Portman Road, scoring 8 goals, while also captianing the club during the 2008–09 season. On 23 May 2011, West Bromwich Albion officially announced McAuley would be signing a three-year contract (pending a medical) beginning 1 July; he scored his first goal for the team in a 3–2 win away at Newcastle in December 2011. McAuley scored his second West Bromwich Albion goal, helping them beat Chelsea after 33 years without a point against the Blues. He scored in the 82nd minute of the game which finished 1–0. On 28 April 2013, McAuley was voted Players' Player of the Year and Supporters' Player of the Year after an impressive 2012–2013 season. On 21 March 2015, McAuley was sent off in the second minute against Manchester City by referee Neil Swarbrick in a Premier League match, due to mistaken identity with Craig Dawson. On 20 June 2018, it was announced that McAuley would leave West Brom upon the expiration of his contract. McAuley signed for Rangers on 3 September 2018, on a deal until the end of the 2018–19 season. He made his debut as an injury-time substitute on 8 November in a 4–3 defeat away to Spartak Moscow in the Europa League. McAuley announced his retirement as a player on 30 September 2019, aged 39. In May 2003, McAuley received his first senior international call when he was one of five Irish League players named in the squad for the Northern Ireland B team fixture with Scotland B on 20 May 2003. Selected in the starting eleven, the team fell to a 2–1 defeat in front of just 1,502 spectators at Firhill Stadium.