O'Neill Donaldson
Encyclopedia
O'Neill McKay Donaldson (born 24 November 1969 in Birmingham
) is an English
former footballer
.
where his form attracted the attention of Football League scouts, leading to him ultimately signing for Shrewsbury Town F.C.
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 F.C.
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 F.C.
and it was his form at that club which convinced Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
to sign him for £50,000.
Donaldson made his debut for the Owls as a sub against Manchester City F.C.
on 18 March 1995. 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 imprssed during a loan spell at Oxford United F.C.
, 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. 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.
Ultimately Donaldson was released by Wednesday in March 1998 for a frustrating two month spell at Stoke City F.C.
, before he spent a further three years at Torquay United F.C.
where injury and a lack of form conce again denied him a regular first team place. He left the league in 2001 for a brief spell at Halesowen Town F.C.
in the Western Division of the Southern Football League
before retiring from football.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
.
Career
Donaldson began his career at non-league Hinckley United F.C.Hinckley United F.C.
Hinckley United Football Club are an English football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire currently playing in the Conference North. Formed only in 1997, the club has risen from the Southern League Midland/West Division to the Conference North in those 14 years...
where his form attracted the attention of Football League scouts, leading to him ultimately signing for Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
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 F.C.
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
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 F.C.
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
and it was his form at that club which convinced Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
to sign him for £50,000.
Donaldson made his debut for the Owls as a sub against Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 18 March 1995. However he quickly faded from the first team picture at a time when Wednesday boasted the likes of Mark Bright
Mark Bright
Mark Abraham Bright is a former English footballer who is now a sports pundit and BBC London's sport presenter, as well as a coach at Crystal Palace....
and David Hirst
David Hirst (footballer)
David Eric Hirst is an English former professional footballer, an exciting but injury prone striker who played for Sheffield Wednesday for much of his career.-Playing career:...
up front and Donaldson was forced to settle for a reserve role at the Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
club. He largely imprssed during a loan spell at Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
, although then manager Malcolm Shotton
Malcolm Shotton
Malcolm Shotton is an English former professional footballer and manager. He was on the books of Leicester City as an apprentice but failed to make the break into senior football there. He played for Atherstone United and Nuneaton Borough in non-league football before signing for Oxford United in...
blamed the player's agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
for blocking a deal that would have brought Donaldson to the Manor Ground on a permanent basis. 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.
Ultimately Donaldson was released by Wednesday in March 1998 for a frustrating two month spell at Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, before he spent a further three years at Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
where injury and a lack of form conce again denied him a regular first team place. He left the league in 2001 for a brief spell at Halesowen Town F.C.
Halesowen Town F.C.
Halesowen Town is an English association football club formed in 1873, since 2011 playing in the Southern League Division One South & West]]. The team is nicknamed "The Yeltz".-History:...
in the Western Division of the Southern Football League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
before retiring from football.