HE was no stranger to having a big say in title races during his time in Scottish football.
But now this former Celtic striker’s trophy success as a manager has ended up landing him a completely DIFFERENT role.
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Born and brought up in Australia, it was in Scottish football Scott McDonald made his name.
After a spell at Southampton and a brief one at Wimbledon, he tried his luck north of the border and landed a deal with Motherwell as a 20-year old in 2004.
And it proved to be the making of him.
Before joining Celtic in 2007, he famously DENIED the Hoops the SPL title in 2005.
That’s after his dramatic late double saw Well beat Celtic 2-1 at Fir Park on the final day of the season.
Coupled with Rangers’ 1-0 win over Hibs, McDonald’s goals meant it was the Light Blues who became champions.
Two years after that last day drama, McDonald joined Celtic and went on to spent three years at Parkhead.
His Motherwell exploits were quickly forgotten as he became a prolific frontman for the Hoops, scoring 25 league goals in his first campaign as Celtic won the title.
McDonald also won the League Cup in 2009 before heading back to England with Middlesbrough the following year.
After five years in England, at Boro and then Millwall, McDonald returned to Scottish football in 2015 with an emotional return to Motherwell.
Spells at Dundee United and Partick Thistle followed before he returned to Australia in 2019 before retiring from playing in 2021.
McDonald swiftly landed his first coaching role.
He was appointed manager of Gold Coast Knights, a club playing in the National Premier Leagues – the level below Australia’s top A-League tier.
And he rapidly found success.
Like the A-League, the NPL has a regular season followed by a finals series – essentially play-offs – where an overall champion is crowned.
In McDonald’s first season as boss, Gold Coast finished second in NPL Queensland before winning the finals series to become champions.
And last season proved even better for McDonald in the club.
The finished first in the regular season, being crowned premiers, before going on to retain their championship by once again winning the finals series.
A Kappa Cup triumph saw McDonald land a stunning TREBLE in his just his second season in charge.
And that success has ultimately led to McDonald landing a brand NEW role.
Gold Coast Knights have confirmed McDonald, 40, has been appointed as the club’s football director.
It means the former Hoops star will have overall responsibility for the club’s entire operation.
Despite that big increase in workload, McDonald will also CONTINUE in his role as the club’s manager.
The former striker, capped 26 for his country, said: “I’m really really proud to have been given the opportunity as Football Director of this Football Club. With the club being in such a good space as well through 2024, we will look to build on all facets of the football club.
“The future is bright and positive and brim for us. But we’ve really got to hit the ground running for 2025, and all I see is improvement. I don’t stand still as an individual or for us as a club.”
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He continued: “I’m very passionate about seeing others succeed here, you know! And that’s where now I get the opportunity to do that more so… I think that it’s really, really important that we now nail down who we are and what we are, and we’ll certainly see that in 2025.”
In what’s sure to be a busy time for McDonald, he’s also revealed he will be making a return to Scotland.
That’s in order to secure his Uefa Pro License.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
McDonald revealed: “20 years of playing professionally, now accredited Uefa A license onto my Uefa Pro License – pending now just one more meeting over in Scotland.
“I have to go over tothat and it’s not too long away so I’ll be a fully accredited as a Uefa Pro license coach as well.”
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