# Alex Donaldson

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{{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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Forward_(association_football))
| 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](/source/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.)| caps4          = 139| goals4         = 5
| years5         = 1921–1923| clubs5         = [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.)| caps5          = 43| goals5         = 1
| years6         = 1923–1924| clubs6         = [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.)| caps6          = 7| goals6         = 0
| years7         = | clubs7         = [Chorley](/source/Chorley_F.C.)| caps7          = | goals7         = 
| years8         = | clubs8         = [Ashton National](/source/Ashton_National_F.C.)| caps8          = | goals8         = 
| years9         = | clubs9         = [Chorley](/source/Chorley_F.C.)| caps9          = | goals9         = 
| totalcaps      = 146+| totalgoals     = 5+
| nationalyears1 = 1914–1922| nationalteam1  = [Scotland](/source/Scotland_national_football_team)| nationalcaps1  = 6| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 1919
| nationalteam2 = → [Scotland](/source/1918%E2%80%9319_in_Scottish_football) (wartime)
| nationalcaps2  = 3| nationalgoals2 = 0
}}

'''Alexander Pollock Donaldson''' (4 December 1890 – 1972) was a Scottish [footballer](/source/Association_football), who played for numerous teams in England as well as the [Scotland national team](/source/Scotland_national_football_team). An [outside-forward](/source/Forward_(association_football)), he stayed with [Bolton Wanderers](/source/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.) from 1912 to 1921, and also spent time with [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.), [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.), [Chorley](/source/Chorley_F.C.), and [Ashton National](/source/Ashton_National_F.C.). After his football career ended, he opened a sports shop in [Gorton](/source/Gorton), [Manchester](/source/Manchester).

==Club career==
Donaldson played for minor teams Belgrave ([Leicester](/source/Leicester)), Balmoral United and Ripley Athletic ([Derbyshire](/source/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](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.) which was not a success. However, in 1912 he was signed by [Bolton Wanderers](/source/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.) from Ripley Athletic and made his debut against [Chelsea](/source/Chelsea_F.C.) on 7 September 1912. The ''Trotters'' finished the [1912–13](/source/1912%E2%80%9313_Football_League) season in eighth place in the [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division). Wanderers finished in sixth position in [1913–14](/source/1913%E2%80%9314_Football_League) and ended the [1914–15](/source/1914%E2%80%9315_Football_League) campaign in 17th place. The [Football League](/source/English_Football_League) was suspended during [World War I](/source/World_War_I). Donaldson guested for [Leicester Fosse](/source/Leicester_City_F.C.) and [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.).<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](/source/Burnden_Park) after the war, helping the club to sixth and third-place finishes in [1919–20](/source/1919%E2%80%9320_Football_League) and [1920–21](/source/1920%E2%80%9321_Football_League). He made 139 league and seven [FA Cup](/source/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](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.) via [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.). He played seven First Division games for the ''Citizens'' in [1923–24](/source/1923%E2%80%9324_Football_League). After leaving [Maine Road](/source/Maine_Road), he played [non-League football](/source/non-League_football) for [Chorley](/source/Chorley_F.C.) and [Ashton National](/source/Ashton_National_F.C.).

==International career==
Donaldson very nearly played for [England](/source/England_national_football_team) before being [capped](/source/Cap_(sport)) by [Scotland](/source/Scotland_national_football_team). While heading for an English international trial match in [Sunderland](/source/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](/source/Cap_(sport)) against [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team) on 28 February 1914, in a goalless draw at [Celtic Park](/source/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](/source/Ireland_national_football_team_(1882%E2%80%931950)) at [Windsor Park](/source/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](/source/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](/source/1914_British_Home_Championship). No official matches occurred for six years because of [World War I](/source/World_War_I). However, Donaldson did take part in three [unofficial wartime internationals](/source/Scotland_national_football_team_results_(unofficial_matches)).<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](/source/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](/source/Hillsborough_Stadium).<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](/source/FA_Cup)
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="7"|[Bolton Wanderers](/source/Bolton_Wanderers_F.C.)
|[1912–13](/source/1912%E2%80%9313_Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._season)
|[First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division)
|27||3||0||0||27||3
|-
|[1913–14](/source/1913%E2%80%9314_Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._season)
|First Division
|33||2||3||1||36||3
|-
|[1914–15](/source/1914%E2%80%9315_Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._season)
|First Division
|15||0||0||0||15||0
|-
|[1919–20](/source/1919%E2%80%9320_Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._season)
|First Division
|30||0||1||0||31||0
|-
|[1920–21](/source/1920%E2%80%9321_Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._season)
|First Division
|26||0||1||0||27||0
|-
|[1921–22](/source/1921%E2%80%9322_Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._season)
|First Division
|8||0||2||0||10||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!139!!5!!7!!1!!146!!6
|-
|rowspan="3"|[Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.)
|[1921–22](/source/1921%E2%80%9322_Sunderland_A.F.C._season)
|First Division
|8||0||0||0||8||0
|-
|[1922–23](/source/1922%E2%80%9323_Sunderland_A.F.C._season)
|First Division
|35||1||2||0||37||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!43!!1!!2!!0!!45!!1
|-
|[Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.)
|[1923–24](/source/1923%E2%80%9324_Manchester_City_F.C._season)
|First Division
|7||0||0||0||7||0
|}

===International statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | [Scotland national team](/source/Scotland_national_football_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](/source/British_Home_Championship): [1922](/source/1922_British_Home_Championship)

==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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alex Donaldson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Donaldson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Donaldson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.