{{Short description|Scottish footballer (1890–1972)}} {{Other uses|Alexander Donaldson (disambiguation){{!}}Alexander Donaldson}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Alex Donaldson | image = | caption = | fullname = Alexander Pollock Donaldson<ref name="kent"/> | birth_date = {{birth date|1890|12|04|df=y}}<ref name="kent"/> | birth_place = Barrhead, Scotland<ref name="kent"/> | death_date = {{death year and age|1972|1890}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Sunderland AFC - Statistics, History and Records - from TheStatCat |url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Player.aspx?PlayerID=291 |website=www.thestatcat.co.uk |access-date=1 November 2022}}</ref> | death_place = Bolton, England<ref name=cold/> | height = {{height|ft=5|in=7+3/4}}<ref>{{cite news |title=First Division prospects. Bolton Wanderers |author=Harricus |newspaper=Athletic News |location=Manchester |date=22 August 1921 |page=5}}</ref> | position = Outside-Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Belgrave Primitive Methodists | years1 = | clubs1 = Belgrave| caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = | clubs2 = Balmoral United| caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = | clubs3 = Ripley Athletic| caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 1912–1921| clubs4 = Bolton Wanderers| caps4 = 139| goals4 = 5 | years5 = 1921–1923| clubs5 = Sunderland| caps5 = 43| goals5 = 1 | years6 = 1923–1924| clubs6 = Manchester City| caps6 = 7| goals6 = 0 | years7 = | clubs7 = Chorley| caps7 = | goals7 = | years8 = | clubs8 = Ashton National| caps8 = | goals8 = | years9 = | clubs9 = Chorley| caps9 = | goals9 = | totalcaps = 146+| totalgoals = 5+ | nationalyears1 = 1914–1922| nationalteam1 = Scotland| nationalcaps1 = 6| nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 1919 | nationalteam2 = → Scotland (wartime) | nationalcaps2 = 3| nationalgoals2 = 0 }}
'''Alexander Pollock Donaldson''' (4 December 1890 – 1972) was a Scottish footballer, who played for numerous teams in England as well as the Scotland national team. An outside-forward, he stayed with Bolton Wanderers from 1912 to 1921, and also spent time with Sunderland, Manchester City, Chorley, and Ashton National. After his football career ended, he opened a sports shop in Gorton, Manchester.
==Club career== Donaldson played for minor teams Belgrave (Leicester), Balmoral United and Ripley Athletic (Derbyshire)<ref name=cold>[https://www.scotsfootballworldwide.scot/apdonaldson A.P. – the one who came in from the cold], Scots Football Worldwide</ref> before being given his big chance with a trial at Sheffield United which was not a success. However, in 1912 he was signed by Bolton Wanderers from Ripley Athletic and made his debut against Chelsea on 7 September 1912. The ''Trotters'' finished the 1912–13 season in eighth place in the First Division. Wanderers finished in sixth position in 1913–14 and ended the 1914–15 campaign in 17th place. The Football League was suspended during World War I. Donaldson guested for Leicester Fosse and Port Vale.<ref name="kent">{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Personalities|publisher=Witan Books|page=87|year=1996|isbn=0-9529152-0-0}}</ref> He returned to Burnden Park after the war, helping the club to sixth and third-place finishes in 1919–20 and 1920–21. He made 139 league and seven FA Cup appearances for Bolton, scoring six goals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Only shown are players with surnames beginning with the letter D |url=http://bwfcstats.com/play/overall/page4.html |work=bwfcstats.com |access-date=18 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315122847/http://bwfcstats.com/play/overall/page4.html |archive-date=15 March 2012 }}</ref> He then signed with Manchester City via Sunderland. He played seven First Division games for the ''Citizens'' in 1923–24. After leaving Maine Road, he played non-League football for Chorley and Ashton National.
==International career== Donaldson very nearly played for England before being capped by Scotland. While heading for an English international trial match in Sunderland on 21 January 1914, Donaldson revealed that he was born in Scotland,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/apr/05/theknowledge.sport|title=Players who have been capped by more than one country|last=Dart|first=James|date=5 April 2006|work=The Guardian|access-date=15 May 2009}}</ref> having moved to Central England in his teens after the death of his father.<ref name=cold/>
He earned his first Scotland cap against Wales on 28 February 1914, in a goalless draw at Celtic Park.<ref>{{cite web|title=28 Feb 1914|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=1921&matchID=57756|work=scottishfa.co.uk|access-date=18 December 2012}}</ref> On 14 March, he played in a 1–1 draw with Ireland at Windsor Park.<ref>{{cite web|title=14 Mar 1914|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=1921&matchID=57755|work=scottishfa.co.uk|access-date=18 December 2012}}</ref> On 4 April, he played in a 3–1 victory over England at Hampden Park;<ref>{{cite web|title=04 Apr 1914|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=1921&matchID=57754|work=scottishfa.co.uk|access-date=18 December 2012}}</ref> the game secured Scotland a second-place finish in the 1914 British Home Championship. No official matches occurred for six years because of World War I. However, Donaldson did take part in three unofficial wartime internationals.<ref name = "mar 1919">{{cite web |url=https://www.londonhearts.com/scotlandunoff/games/19190322.html |title=Sat 22 Mar 1919 Scotland 2 Ireland 1 |work=londonhearts.com |publisher=London Hearts Supporters' Club |access-date=1 April 2017}}</ref> He returned to international football in the 1920 British Home Championship, playing in the 3–0 home victory over Ireland on 13 March.<ref>{{cite web|title=13 Mar 1920|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=1921&matchID=57752|work=scottishfa.co.uk|access-date=18 December 2012}}</ref> On 10 April, he scored in a 5–4 defeat to England at Hillsborough.<ref>{{cite web|title=10 Apr 1920|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=1921&matchID=57751|work=scottishfa.co.uk|access-date=18 December 2012}}</ref> He won his sixth and final cap on 4 March 1922, in a 2–1 home win over Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|title=04 Mar 1922|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=1921&matchID=57746|work=scottishfa.co.uk|access-date=18 December 2012}}</ref>
==Statistics== ===Club statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{ENFA}}</ref> |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="7"|Bolton Wanderers |1912–13 |First Division |27||3||0||0||27||3 |- |1913–14 |First Division |33||2||3||1||36||3 |- |1914–15 |First Division |15||0||0||0||15||0 |- |1919–20 |First Division |30||0||1||0||31||0 |- |1920–21 |First Division |26||0||1||0||27||0 |- |1921–22 |First Division |8||0||2||0||10||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !139!!5!!7!!1!!146!!6 |- |rowspan="3"|Sunderland |1921–22 |First Division |8||0||0||0||8||0 |- |1922–23 |First Division |35||1||2||0||37||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !43!!1!!2!!0!!45!!1 |- |Manchester City |1923–24 |First Division |7||0||0||0||7||0 |}
===International statistics=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 | Scotland national team |- !Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |1914||3||0 |- |1920||2||0 |- |1922||1||0 |- !Total<ref>{{cite web|title=Alex Donaldson|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/45828/Alex_Donaldson.html|website=national-football-teams.com|access-date=7 August 2015}}</ref>||6||0 |}
==Honours== '''Scotland''' *British Home Championship: 1922
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donaldson, Alex}} Category:1890 births Category:1972 deaths Category:Footballers from Barrhead Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Scotland men's international footballers Category:Scotland men's wartime international footballers Category:Men's association football wingers Category:Men's association football outside forwards Category:Bolton Wanderers F.C. players Category:Leicester City F.C. wartime guest players Category:Port Vale F.C. wartime guest players Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players Category:Manchester City F.C. players Category:Chorley F.C. players Category:Ashton National F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Date of death missing Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen