Kevin McDonald (footballer, Born 1988)

Kevin David McDonald (born 4 November 1988) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Exeter City.

He began his career with Dundee before moving to England to sign for Burnley, for whom he played one season in the Premier League. He spent two full seasons with Sheffield United before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013 where he spent three seasons. McDonald signed for Fulham in 2016 and made his full international debut for Scotland in March 2018. His career was disrupted by illness, which resulted in him needing a kidney transplant. He left Fulham in 2021 and, after recovering from the operation, he signed for Dundee United.

Club career

Dundee

Born in Carnoustie, McDonald was initially signed as a youngster by Dundee and worked his way into the first team for the Scottish Championship side. He had been the subject of a £75,000 bid from Celtic in June 2006 which was rejected by Dundee.

By May 2008, Dundee manager Alex Rae told the media that he would let McDonald leave the club if a suitable offer was received. On the same day it was revealed that Dundee had rejected an offer of £250,000 from English Championship side Burnley.

Burnley

Burnley eventually had a second offer of £500,000 accepted, and McDonald was signed on a three-year deal, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3–0 win over Derby County at the end of November 2008.

In Burnley's 2008–09 League Cup campaign McDonald scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Arsenal at Turf Moor. His second strike against the Gunners was particularly precise, an outside of the right foot strike from the edge of the area.

His career with Burnley suffered after he left the stadium without permission (after being substituted) during a 6–1 defeat against Manchester City in April 2010. Out of the Burnley first team, he signed for Championship rivals Scunthorpe United on a one-month loan in October 2010. This was followed by another loan to League One side Notts County in February 2011, running until the end of the 2010/11 season.

Sheffield United

At the end of the 2010–11 season McDonald was released by Burnley and undertook a trial with League One Sheffield United leading to a one-year contract with the South Yorkshire club. McDonald made his debut for the Blades against Brentford on 13 August 2011. Initially used as a substitute he gradually became the focus of the team's midfield and a regular starter as the season progressed and the team contested for a promotion place. An injury during the play–off semi-final victory against Stevenage meant that McDonald missed the play-off final, which was lost on penalties to Huddersfield. Out of contract, it was initially uncertain whether he would return to the club, but following negotiations he signed a new two-year contract with Sheffield United at the end of July 2012 whilst in Malta on their pre-season tour.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 14 August 2013 McDonald moved to fellow League One club Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee (reported to be £750,000). After making his Wolves debut as a substitute in a 2–1 win at Bristol City on 17 August 2013, he scored his first goal two weeks later in a 3–1 win at Port Vale on 31 August.

McDonald became a regular starting player in the Wolves' side that set a new League One points record (103) as it won the division. At the conclusion of the campaign, he won both the Fans' as well as the Players' Player of the Season Awards, having been already also named in the PFA's League One Team of the Year.

At Championship level, he remained a regular member of Wolves' team, featuring in every league game as the club missed out on the play-off on goal difference. Over the summer he attracted interest from fellow Championship club Fulham, who reportedly bid for the midfielder after failing to agree a new contract at Wolves. He admitted to being aware of the interest and said "it is obviously a bit unsettling not knowing where you are going to be". He subsequently agreed a new three-year deal at Wolves that was due to run until summer 2018.

Fulham

Despite his new contract agreement with Wolves, McDonald eventually moved to Fulham after the 2015–16 season, signing for the London club on 22 July 2016 for an undisclosed fee in a three-year deal (with the option of an additional year). He scored his first goal for Fulham in a 2–2 draw with Cardiff City on 20 August 2016.

In March 2021, McDonald stated that he will receive a kidney transplant in April 2021 which may end his playing career prematurely. McDonald was unable to play for Fulham during the 2020–21 season due to his illness. He said in July 2021 that he had undergone the operation, having received a kidney from his brother Fraser. In August 2021 McDonald revealed that his kidney disease was IgA nephropathy, a chronic disease characterised by the gradual build-up of an antibody in the kidneys' filtration system that causes a gradual deterioration in kidney performance.

Dundee United and afterwards

After leaving Fulham at the end of the 2020–21 season upon the expiry of his contract, McDonald went six months without a club. During January 2022, he trained with Dundee United, and signed a short-term contract with them on 1 February 2022. Released by United at the end of the season, he went on trial with Derby County, playing for them in a pre-season friendly but missing out on a contract due to injury. He subsequently trained with Fulham's under-21 team and planned to do some coaching.

Exeter City

On 31 January 2023, McDonald signed for League One club Exeter City on a short-term contract until the end of the season having been training with the club for a short period. McDonald scored his first goal for Exeter on 25 February, in a 2–0 win against Cambridge United. It was also his first goal since he received a kidney transplant in 2021, and came eight days after his daughter was born.

Bradford City

On 20 June 2023, McDonald signed for Bradford City on a free transfer on a two-year deal. He became player-caretaker manager on 4 October 2023. On 30 August 2024, McDonald's contract with Bradford City was terminated by mutual consent.

Return to Exeter City

On 13 November 2024, McDonald re-signed with Exeter City on a short-term contract until January, having been training with the League One side after his departure from Bradford City. On 16 January 2025, McDonald signed a contract extension until the end of the season.

International career

McDonald received his first call up to the senior Scotland team when Gordon Strachan called him up for a match against Germany in August 2014. On 29 September 2015 he was called up again for games against Poland and Gibraltar. McDonald was selected again in March 2018, this time by Alex McLeish, for friendlies with Costa Rica and Hungary. He made his international debut in a 1–0 home defeat against Costa Rica.

Career statistics

Honours

Burnley
*Football League Championship play-offs: 2009

Wolverhampton Wanderers
*Football League One: 2013–14

Fulham
*EFL Championship play-offs: 2018, 2020

Individual
*PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 League One
* Football League One Team of the Season: 2013–14

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Kevin
1988 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Carnoustie
Footballers from Angus, Scotland
Scottish men's footballers
Scotland men's youth international footballers
Scotland men's under-21 international footballers
Scotland men's international footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Dundee F.C. players
Burnley F.C. players
Scunthorpe United F.C. players
Notts County F.C. players
Sheffield United F.C. players
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Fulham F.C. players
Dundee United F.C. players
Exeter City F.C. players
Bradford City A.F.C. players
Scottish Football League players
English Football League players
Premier League players
Kidney transplant recipients
Scottish football managers
Bradford City A.F.C. managers
21st-century Scottish sportsmen