 McDonald withAustralia in 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Scott Douglas McDonald[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1983-08-21)21 August 1983 (age 42)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dandenong, Victoria, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker,attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Gold Coast Knights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Gippsland Falcons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Gippsland Falcons | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Casey Comets | 10 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Southampton | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | →Huddersfield Town (loan) | 13 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | →AFC Bournemouth (loan) | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Wimbledon | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Motherwell | 108 | (42) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Celtic | 88 | (51) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Middlesbrough | 116 | (37) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Millwall | 55 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Motherwell | 83 | (24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Dundee United | 34 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Partick Thistle | 12 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Western United | 9 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Brisbane Roar | 23 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Gold Coast Knights | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 574 | (196) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Australia U17 | 17 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Australia U20 | 24 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Australia U23 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2012 | Australia | 26 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021– | Gold Coast Knights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21 September 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scott Douglas McDonald (born 21 August 1983) is an Australian former professionalfootballer and is the current head coach forNational Premier Leagues clubGold Coast Knights. Originally astriker, McDonald could also play as anattacking midfielder.
Born inDandenong, McDonald commenced his senior footballing career withGippsland Falcons in theNational Soccer League before moving to Great Britain in 2001. He subsequently played for a wide range of clubs, including representingSouthampton in thePremier League andCeltic andMotherwell in the Scottish top flight.
McDonald represented Australia 26 times between 2006 and 2012. He was a member of the squad for the2011 AFC Asian Cup, where Australia finished second, as well as the1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship,2001 FIFA World Youth Championship and2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.
McDonald was born inDandenong,[2] and began his career at Doveton, before joiningCasey Comets. He made three appearances on loan from hisVictorian State League club, Cranbourne Comets, withGippsland Falcons in theANSL, where he became the club's youngest everNSL player, replacing Jason Marsh, when making his first-team debut aged just fifteen.
McDonald started off as a trainee withSouthampton in 2001 where he managed only three appearances (one first-team start and two as a substitute),[3] being loaned toHuddersfield Town[4] where again he had chances to play first team football. McDonald scored just once for Huddersfield, in a 2–1 defeat toTranmere Rovers[5] andAFC Bournemouth (scoring once against Shrewsbury).[6] Upon reaching the end of his contract withSouthampton he signed forWimbledon on a rolling monthly contract.[7]
He had talks withDrogheda United in 2003 but failed to agree terms.
McDonald went on trial withScottish Premier League clubDundee United, but failed to win a contract and instead signed for league rivalsMotherwell in January 2004.[8] After signing for Motherwell, McDonald had a slow start, scoring only one goal during the second half of the 2003–04 season despite impressive performances. The following season he scored 15 goals. McDonald famously scored two late goals againstCeltic at the end of the2004–05 season to deny them theScottish Premier League title which was instead won by their arch-rivalsRangers.[9] In the2005–06 season, McDonald scored 11 goals in 35 appearances, and in the following season, scored 15 goals in 32 appearances. His goal againstFalkirk on 25 November 2006, was the 5000th goal in theSPL since its formation in 1998.[10] In total, McDonald scored 45 goals in 125 appearances for Motherwell.
In December 2007, McDonald was namedBBCSportsound Player of the Year for his eightman-of-the-match performances throughout the2006–07 season.[11]
_and_Graeme_Smith_(Motherwell).jpg)
In March 2007, after a £400,000 bid fromRangers had been rejected in January,[12] Motherwell accepted an offer of £700,000 from McDonald's boyhood favourites Celtic,[13] with McDonald moving toCeltic Park at the start of the2007–08 season.[14]
McDonald made his competitive debut forCeltic in the first leg of theUEFA Champions League third qualifying-round match againstSpartak Moscow atLuzhniki Stadium, assistingPaul Hartley for Celtic's goal as the game finished 1–1.[15] His first goal for the club came in the second leg of the tie atCeltic Park. A mistake by Spartak defenderRoman Shishkin allowed McDonald to slip in and hit the ball first time pastStipe Pletikosa. This match also ended 1–1, but Celtic won 4–3 on penalties.[16] Just days later in an away league match againstSt Mirren, McDonald latched onto a longGary Caldwell pass to lobChris Smith from a tight angle and score his firstSPL goal for the club.[17] He followed that up with the winning goal in the final minute of their 2–1UEFA Champions League group-stage win againstA.C. Milan on 3 October[18] and anotherlast minute winner just days later atGretna. In a pulsating clash withOld Firm rivalsRangers on 16 April 2008, McDonald set up his Dutch strike partnerJan Vennegoor of Hesselink for a last minute goal that kept Celtic in the 2007–08 SPL title race,[19] before scoring a double and winning a penalty scored byBarry Robson in another vital 3–2 Old Firm victory eleven days later.[20] At the end of the season, McDonald was rewarded with a new five-year deal at Parkhead[21] and was nominated for SPL Player of the Year. He scored 25 goals in 36 league appearances in his first season at Celtic and was the top goalscorer during the2007–08 season, beating the next highest goalscorer and strike partner Vennegoor of Hesselink by 10 goals. This breakthrough season included two hat-tricks; againstDundee United and former clubMotherwell. In total, McDonald scored 31 times in his first season atParkhead.
McDonald wore the number 27 shirt in his first season with Celtic, but in July 2008 he was given number 7, which he also wore at Motherwell. After a sluggish start to the2008–09 season, not scoring in any of the first four games, he opened his account against Motherwell, scoring Celtic's third goal in a 4–2 win atFir Park. On 5 November 2008 McDonald scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw withManchester United atCeltic Park in the Champions League with a well executed lob overBen Foster. Only three days later, McDonald continued to haunt his former club Motherwell with a low strike from outside the penalty area. Celtic won this match 2–0. On 27 December 2008, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory atIbrox during theOld Firm derby, helping his team bring the three points home. On 27 January 2009, McDonald scored twice in the dramatic 11–10penalty shoot-out victory againstDundee United[22] to send Celtic through to theLeague Cup final, which they won 2–0 against archrivals Rangers. This win gave McDonald his first domestic cup trophy at Celtic.
McDonald scored his 49th and 50th Celtic goals atPittodrie against Aberdeen on 2 May as Celtic ran out 3–1 winners. On 3 July, McDonald was handed the Celtic captaincy for a pre-season game againstBrisbane Roar, due to the injury toStephen McManus and the departure of vice-captainJan Vennegoor of Hesselink. On 5 August, he scored the opening goal againstDynamo Moscow in Russia, a game which Celtic went on to win 2–0, to progress to the final qualifying round of the Champions League. On 5 December, McDonald scored his 50th league goal for Celtic against Aberdeen. McDonald scored a total of 64 goals for Celtic.
In early January 2010, Celtic rejected a transfer bid fromPremier League sideWigan Athletic for the Australian striker,[23] but on 1 February – transfer deadline day – Celtic sold McDonald toMiddlesbrough for a reported £3.5 million.[24] He joined up withGordon Strachan, whom he played under at Celtic and Southampton, and also rejoined four of his former teammates,Willo Flood,Barry Robson,Chris Killen andStephen McManus. On 16 February 2010, he missed a penalty against Blackpool in a 2–0 loss.[25] McDonald scored his first Middlesbrough goal in theTyne-Tees derby againstNewcastle on 13 March.[26] After a return from injury, McDonald scored three times in four games against Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry City.[27][28]
McDonald made a bright start to the2010–11 season scoring twice in his first two games against Ipswich[29] and Chesterfield in theLeague Cup.[30] On 9 November 2010, he scored the second in Middlesbrough's 2–0 win overScunthorpe.[31] On 1 March 2011, McDonald scored the opener in his team's 1–1 draw with Nottingham Forest, he followed this by scoring the leveller in his team's 2–1 victory at home to Watford on 19 March 2011.[32][33] McDonald followed this by scoring twice in two games, in two draws againstIpswich Town[34] andBarnsley.[35] On 23 April 2011, McDonald scored a hat-trick in Middlesbrough's 2–4 away win at Hull.[36]
McDonald scored his first goal of the 2011–12 season in a 3–1 victory over Barnsley on 16 August 2011.[37] On 5 November 2011, he got his first in 12 matches, scoring the only goal in Middlesbrough's 1–0 victory overWatford at the Riverside.[38] He scored a brace in Middlesbrough's 2–2 draw with Blackpool. On 10 December, McDonald scored the only goal of the game against Brighton, after a defensive error fromCasper Ankergren. McDonald continued his impressive form, as he scored Boro's second in a 3–2 victory, over Welsh side Cardiff City. McDonald then scored in the New Year's Eve clash against Peterborough at the Riverside, the game finished 1–1.
On 6 October 2012, McDonald made his first appearance of the season againstWatford, as a first half sub, coming on for teammateJustin Hoyte, in which McDonald scored the winner in a 2–1 victory. Continuing from the Watford game, McDonald came off the bench to score a brace in Middlesbrough's 2–1 win against Bolton.[39] His form continued as he scored the winning goal in a Tees – Wear derby against Sunderland resulting in a 1–0 victory to the Boro.[40]
On 23 July 2013, McDonald signed a two-year contract withMillwall. He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 victory overCharlton.[41] McDonald left Millwall on 24 January 2015, with the club cancelling his contract.[42]
On 26 February 2015, McDonald signed forMotherwell for a second time, agreeing a contract until the end of the2014–15 season.[43] He made his second debut on 28 February 2015, in a 2–1 win againstInverness CT.[44] He scored his first goal since returning to the club on 7 March 2015, scoring with a free-kick in a 1–1 draw againstKilmarnock.[45]
On 21 July 2015, McDonald signed a new one-year contract, with the option of a second.[46] On 1 July 2016, McDonald signed a new one-year contract to stay atMotherwell.[47] Later that month, Motherwell rejected an offer from an unnamedA-League side, later revealed to be theWestern Sydney Wanderers,[48] for McDonald.[49]
In May 2017, Motherwell announced that McDonald would be leaving the club after he had decided not to take up the option of another year on his contract.[50]
Following his departure from Motherwell, McDonald was expected to return to Australia. However it was announced in July 2017 that he had signed forScottish Championship clubDundee United on a one-year deal.[51] After one season with United, McDonald was released at the end of his contract.[52]
On 15 February 2019, McDonald came out of retirement to sign forPartick Thistle until the end of the season.[53][54] McDonald scored on his debut for Thistle after coming off the bench in a 2–0 away win over Alloa.[55] McDonald went on to play a massive role in helpingPartick Thistle avoid relegation from theScottish Championship, scoring 7 goals in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Jags.[56] McDonald left the club at the end of the season to return to Australia.[57]
On 8 May 2019, McDonald returned home to Melbourne and signed for newA-League clubWestern United ahead of the2019–20 A-League season.[58] His first goal for the new club came against Melbourne Victory in Round 4, scoring the winner in a come-from-behind 3–2 triumph.[59]
On 16 January 2020, McDonald joinedBrisbane Roar underRobbie Fowler, signing an 18-month contract.[60] He left on 24 April 2021 after a two-week absence from Roar fixtures.
On 28 April 2021, McDonald signed to theWestern Sydney Wanderers for the remainder of the2020–21 A-League season.[61]
Having represented Australia atunder-17,under-20 andunder-23 levels, McDonald made his international debut forAustralia againstBahrain on 22 February 2006 in anAsian Cup qualifier. He played in the2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. McDonald was a starter in the Australia squad that started off qualification for the2010 World Cup with a 3–0 win over Qatar in February, setting up a goal forMark Bresciano. On 11 May 2010 McDonald was named by Australian coachPim Verbeek in a provisional 31-man squad for the2010 World Cup. On 25 May it was announced that he had been omitted from the final 23-man squad for the finals.[62]
McDonald's most recent appearance came on 15 August 2012 againstScotland coming on as a substitute in the second half, playing alongside fellow Middlesbrough teammateRhys Williams. Australia went on to lose 3–1. He never scored for Australia during his international career.
Shortly after turning 38 years old, McDonald started his coaching career withNational Premier Leagues clubGold Coast Knights (the same team his son played for at the time), after being named their head coach on 26 August 2021.[63][64]
On 30 December 2021, during theFFA Cup round-of-16 match againstMelbourne Victory, McDonald played as an emergency substitute, due to an injury toCai Tipaldo; after extra-time, Victory gained a 2–1 win.[65]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Gippsland Falcons | 1998–99 | National Soccer League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Southampton | 2001–02[67] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Huddersfield Town (loan) | 2002–03[68] | Second Division | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| AFC Bournemouth (loan) | 2002–03[68] | First Division | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| Wimbledon | 2003–04[69] | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Motherwell | 2003–04[69] | Scottish Premier League | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05[70] | Scottish Premier League | 27 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 32 | 15 | |||
| 2005–06[71] | Scottish Premier League | 34 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 38 | 12 | |||
| 2006–07[72] | Scottish Premier League | 32 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 37 | 16 | |||
| Total | 108 | 42 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 45 | |||
| Celtic | 2007–08[73] | Scottish Premier League | 36 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10[a] | 2 | 52 | 31 | |
| 2008–09[74] | Scottish Premier League | 34 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6[a] | 1 | 47 | 19 | ||
| 2009–10[75] | Scottish Premier League | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9[b] | 2 | 29 | 14 | ||
| Total | 88 | 51 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 25 | 5 | 128 | 64 | |||
| Middlesbrough | 2009–10[75] | Championship | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11[76] | Championship | 38 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 40 | 14 | |||
| 2011–12[77] | Championship | 33 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 9 | |||
| 2012–13[78] | Championship | 32 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 35 | 13 | |||
| Total | 116 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 40 | |||
| Millwall | 2013–14[79] | Championship | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15[80] | Championship | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | |||
| Total | 55 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 6 | |||
| Motherwell | 2014–15[80] | Scottish Premiership | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2015–16[81] | Scottish Premiership | 37 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 41 | 14 | |||
| 2016–17[82] | Scottish Premiership | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 40 | 11 | |||
| Total | 83 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 94 | 30 | |||
| Dundee United | 2017–18[83] | Scottish Championship | 34 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 16 | |
| Partick Thistle | 2018–19[84] | Scottish Championship | 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | |
| Career total | 522 | 180 | 24 | 10 | 36 | 12 | 29 | 6 | 613 | 210 | |||
AFC Bournemouth
Motherwell
Celtic
Australia
Australia U-20
Australia U17
Individual
