O'Neill Donaldson

O'Neill McKay Donaldson (born 24 November 1969) is an English former footballer.

O'Neill Donaldson
Personal information
Full name O'Neill McKay Donaldson
Date of birth (1969-11-24) 24 November 1969
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1991 Hinckley United
1991–1994 Shrewsbury Town 28 (4)
1994–1995 Doncaster Rovers 9 (2)
1994Mansfield Town (loan) 4 (6)
1995–1998 Sheffield Wednesday 14 (3)
1998Oxford United (loan) 6 (2)
1998 Stoke City 2 (0)
1998–2001 Torquay United 27 (1)
2001 Halesowen Town
Total 90 (18)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Donaldson began his career at non-league Hinckley United where his form attracted the attention of Football League scouts, leading to him ultimately signing for Shrewsbury Town in November 1991. Donaldson did not gain a regular first team spot at the club, most often appearing as a substitute and was given a free transfer to Doncaster Rovers in 1994. Although he did not gain a regular first team place at Rovers either, Donaldson's reputation grew from a brief but goal-heavy spell on loan at Mansfield Town and it was his form at that club which convinced Sheffield Wednesday to sign him for £50,000.[1]

Donaldson made his debut for the Owls as a sub against Manchester City on 18 March 1995.[2] However, he quickly faded from the first team picture at a time when Wednesday boasted the likes of Mark Bright and David Hirst up front and Donaldson was forced to settle for a reserve role at the Hillsborough club. He largely impressed during a loan spell at Oxford United, although then manager Malcolm Shotton blamed the player's agent for blocking a deal that would have brought Donaldson to the Manor Ground on a permanent basis.[3] Indeed, such was the desire to see Donaldson remain at the club full-time that a local fanzine editor even wrote to the player in an attempt to convince him to reconsider.[4]

Ultimately Donaldson was released by Wednesday in March 1998 for a frustrating two-month spell at Stoke City, before he spent a further three years at Torquay United where injury and a lack of form once again denied him a regular first team place. He left the league in 2001 for a brief spell at Halesowen Town in the Western Division of the Southern Football League before retiring from football.

Career statistics

Source:[5]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Shrewsbury Town 1991–92 Third Division 192000010202
1992–93 Fourth Division 0000000000
1993–94 Third Division 9200000092
Doncaster Rovers 1994–95 Third Division 92002010122
Mansfield Town (loan) 1994–95 Third Division 4611000057
Sheffield Wednesday 1994–95 Premier League 1000000010
1995–96 Premier League 3100000031
1996–97 Premier League 5200000052
1997–98 Premier League 5000000050
Oxford United (loan) 1997–98 First Division 6200000062
Stoke City 1997–98 First Division 2000000020
Torquay United 1998–99 Third Division 121000000121
1999–2000 Third Division 150310021202
Career Total 901842204110021
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy.

References

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