McDonald: Robert Wood (Bobby)

1987-1988 (Player Details)

Left Back

Born: Aberdeen: 13-04-1955

Debut: v Sheffield United (a): 07-02-1987

5’10” 12st 1lb (1987)

McDonald was a defender of great control and positional sense who also had a happy knack of scoring goals. He played for King Street Sports club in Aberdeen before joining Aston Villa in 1971, turning professional in September 1972. A Scottish Youth International he played in the 1972 Little World Cup when Frank Gray and Kenny Burns were among his contemporaries. After helping Villa to promotion to Division One in 1974-75 and picking up a 1975 League Cup Winners’ medal, a £40,000 transfer took him to Coventry City. He played thirty-three starting games and six substitute appearances in the League while at Villa Park, scoring once. At Coventry he made one hundred and sixty-one consecutive appearances in the League, scoring fourteen goals. Manchester City signed him for £270,000 in October 1980. Again he was a consistant regular amassing ninety-six League appearances and netting eleven times. He went to Oxford United in September 1983 and won a Third Division medal in his first season, followed by a Second Division medal in 1984-85. In League fixtures with Oxford he made ninety-four appearances and scored fourteen goals. He went to Leeds on a month’s loan in February 1987, before joining them in a £25,000 deal to help United’s push towards the Play-offs, but took no part in their progress to the FA Cup Semi-Final as he was Cup-tied. Injury cost him his place the following season and he was loaned to Wolverhampton Wanderers for six matches in February 1988. Granted a free-transfer in May 1988, he joined VS Rugby in the close season. He later played for Burton Albion, joining the Brewers in the summer of 1989, and moved around the Non-League scene with some regularity, joining Nuneaton Borough in September 1989, Worcester City in October 1989, Sutton Coalfield in January 1991, Armitage Town in 1991 and Redditch United in 1992. He went back to Aberdeen after leaving football and worked for the Ambulance Service. He then worked as a TV Rigger in Mansfield. He also coached for a number of football clubs on a self employed basis.