As a player Alan McDonald spent most of his career with Queens Park Rangers and was capped by Northern Ireland. A 6’ 2”, 180 lbs defender, ‘Macca’ joined QPR in the early 1980s as a youth and spent 17 years with the club. He got his first league experience while on loan at Charlton Athletic.

Alan McDonald got to play in Europe with QPR in the UEFA cup in 1984. Rangers had to play their home matches at Highbury due to the plastic pitch but the experience gained in these matches helped Macca two years later in one of his finest moments. McDonald and QPR reached the final of the League Cup in 1986. By the late 1980s McDonald was playing as a stopper in QPR’s sweeper system. He played his part in one of the most entertaining QPR teams in the 90s under Don Howe. During his time the club’s best finish came in 1993 when they ended in fifth place in the Premiership. QPR also got to the FA Cup Quarter finals before losing to Liverpool but the standard of football was excellent.

McDonald then went to Swindon Town on a free transfer in 1997, making 36 appearances and scoring once in his last season as player, 1997-98.

International career

A first team regular with QPR, McDonald became a Northern Ireland international and was in the team, which was trying to qualify for the 1986 World Cup. Northern Ireland were in the same group as England and the last match was at Wembley between the two teams. Macca’s Northern Ireland needed a point to qualify along with England. A dull 0-0 draw followed as many people felt the game was “a fiddle” to put it mildly. Both teams qualified for Mexico ‘86 and Macca spoke out about the controversy. “If anyone thinks that game was a fix, they can come and see me outside”. Alan McDonald went on to play 52 games scoring 3 times for Northern Ireland.

Coaching and Managing

He went on to success as a manager and coach in local football with Glentoran and Internationally he has been assistant coach of the Under 21 and was an integral part of the full international setup under Sammy McIlroy.

Senior Career:

Years Team App Goals

1981–97 Queens Park Rangers 402 13

1983 Charlton Athletic (loan) 9 0

1997–98 Swindon Town 33 1

444 (14)

International Career:

1986–96 Northern Ireland 52 3

Teams Managed

2007–10 Glentoran