Scott Douglas McDonald (born 21 August 1983) is an Australian former professional footballer and is the current head coach for National Premier Leagues club Gold Coast Knights. Originally a striker, McDonald could also play as an attacking midfielder.
Born in Dandenong, McDonald commenced his senior footballing career with Gippsland Falcons in the National Soccer League before moving to Great Britain in 2001. He subsequently played for a wide range of clubs, including representing Southampton in the Premier League and Celtic and Motherwell in the Scottish top flight.
McDonald represented Australia 26 times between 2006 and 2012. He was a member of the squad for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, where Australia finished second, as well as the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship and 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Club career
Early career
McDonald began his career at Doveton, before joining Casey Comets. He made three appearances on loan from his Victorian State League club, Cranbourne Comets, with Gippsland Falcons in the ANSL, where he became the club's youngest ever NSL player, replacing Jason Marsh, when making his first-team debut aged just fifteen.
McDonald started off as a trainee with Southampton in 2001 where he managed only three appearances (one first-team start and two as a substitute), being loaned to Huddersfield Town where again he had chances to play first team football. McDonald scored just once for Huddersfield, in a 2–1 defeat to Tranmere Rovers and AFC Bournemouth (scoring once against Shrewsbury). Upon reaching the end of his contract with Southampton he signed for Wimbledon on a rolling monthly contract.
He had talks with Drogheda United in 2003 but failed to agree terms.
Motherwell
McDonald went on trial with Scottish Premier League club Dundee United, but failed to win a contract and instead signed for league rivals Motherwell in January 2004. 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 against Celtic at the end of the 2004–05 season to deny them the Scottish Premier League title which was instead won by their arch-rivals Rangers. In the 2005–06 season, McDonald scored 11 goals in 35 appearances, and in the following season, scored 15 goals in 32 appearances. His goal against Falkirk on 25 November 2006, was the 5000th goal in the SPL since its formation in 1998. In his successful stint with Well, he scored 45 goals in 108 appearances.
In December 2007, McDonald was named BBC Sportsound Player of the Year for his eight man-of-the-match performances throughout the 2006–07 season.
Celtic
In March 2007, after a £400,000 bid from Rangers had been rejected in January, Motherwell accepted an offer of £700,000 from McDonald's boyhood favourites Celtic, with McDonald moving to Celtic Park at the start of the 2007–08 season.