Clayton Andrew Donaldson (born 7 February 1984) is a former professional footballer and manager who played as a striker. He is Head of Development at York City.
He has played in the English Football League and Scottish Premier League for Hull City, Hibernian, Crewe Alexandra, Brentford, Birmingham City, Sheffield United, Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City, and at senior international level for the Jamaica national team.
Donaldson started his career with Hull City in 2002, scoring on his first-team debut in the Football League Trophy later that year. He was sent out on loan to non-League clubs on four occasions, and with chances in the first team at Hull limited, he was released in 2005 and subsequently joined York City. In his first season at the club, he was voted as their Clubman of the Year and his second season saw him finish as the team's highest scorer and third highest scorer in the league.
He joined Scottish Premier League club Hibernian in July 2007, after signing a pre-contract agreement with them in January whilst with York. After a season at the club he left to return to England with Crewe Alexandra. After three years with Crewe, being the top goalscorer in League Two in his last season, he joined Brentford in 2011. He spent three years with the club, helping them gain promotion into the Championship in 2013–14, before signing for Birmingham City at the end of that season when his contract expired. After three seasons with Birmingham, he signed for another Championship club, Sheffield United, in August 2017. Spending just a year with the club, he moved to Bolton Wanderers in June 2018. He has since played in the lower league divisions of English football, with the likes of York, Gainsborough Trinity, and most recently, Farsley Celtic
Donaldson played internationally for the England National Game XI, who represent England at non-League level, with whom he earned two caps, before accepting an invitation to represent Jamaica in 2015.
Early life Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, Donaldson grew up in Manningham and attended Manningham Middle School and Rhodesway School. He played football for his school team before joining his hometown club Bradford City, who he supported as a child. Donaldson was released by the club aged 16, with only one player, Lewis Emanuel, being retained from his age group. He was soon signed by Hull City, having been spotted by their youth-team coach Billy Russell.
Club career Hull City and loan spells Donaldson was a trainee with Hull's youth system when scoring from close range on his first-team debut in Hull's Football League Trophy 3–1 away defeat to Port Vale on 22 October 2002, having replaced Gary Alexander as a 60th-minute substitute. He was sent out on loan to Northern Premier League Premier Division club Harrogate Town in November 2002, and scored in the 68th minute of his debut, a 3–1 away win over Gateshead on 12 November. He stayed with Harrogate for three months, in that time scoring 5 goals in 10 appearances before returning to Hull. He made his Football League debut for Hull on 8 February 2003, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Damien Delaney in a 1–0 defeat at home to Lincoln City. Two days later, he signed a two-year professional contract with Hull. He made one further appearance in the 2002–03 season, as a 69th-minute substitute in a 1–0 away win against Boston United.
In August 2003, Donaldson joined Football Conference club Scarborough on a one-month loan. His debut came in a 2–1 home defeat to Burton Albion on 23 August 2003, and made only one more appearance before his loan expired. On his return to Hull he made two further appearances, both as a substitute in the Football League Trophy, before joining Football Conference club Halifax Town in February 2004 on a one-month loan. Having made his debut as a 58th-minute substitute for Jake Sagare in a 2–0 away defeat to Margate on 8 February 2004, Donaldson finished his spell at Halifax with four appearances. With little prospect of a first-team place at Hull, he rejoined Harrogate in September 2004 on a one-month loan, and scored in the 18th minute of his second debut for the club, a 3–0 home win over Lancaster City on 18 September. He was voted the Conference North Player of the Month for October 2004, having scored three goals from five appearances in that period. His second loan spell with Harrogate ended having scored 4 goals from 11 appearances. At the end of 2004–05, Donaldson was released by Hull, as manager Peter Taylor was unable to guarantee him first-team football.
York City After his release by Hull, Donaldson was spoken to by Barrow, but was signed by Conference National club York City on 23 June 2005, with manager Billy McEwan saying: "He's a young player who is very hungry for his chance and he'll bring competition up front". He made his debut in a 0–0 home draw with Crawley Town on 13 August 2005. His first goal came in a 1–0 win against Cambridge United on 2 September 2005. Picking the ball up on the half-way line, he ran past two opposition defenders on the left wing before shooting the ball into the bottom-right corner from outside the penalty area. During 2005–06, Donaldson scored 18 goals for York and was awarded the Clubman of the Year award, voted for by the club's supporters, before the final match of the season against Hereford United on 29 April 2006. He agreed a contract extension with York for 2006–07 in July 2006.
York manager McEwan compared Donaldson to Paulo Wanchope in September 2006, but following York's 2–0 away defeat against Oxford United later that month, McEwan criticised Donaldson's selfishness in attack, saying it cost them the match. In late 2006, Donaldson became subject of much transfer speculation. Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy watched him in York's 1–0 home victory over Altrincham, in which he scored his 12th goal of the season, on 5 November 2006. He was also watched by Scottish Premier League club Hibernian. In response to this speculation, Donaldson said: "I don't read too much into the speculation. I've heard it before and nothing has happened so I will just keep my head down and enjoy my football until a point comes when the manager or board come and tell me they have had an offer they want to consider".
On 18 December 2006, he rejected the offer of a new contract at York, meaning he would be out of contact at the end of the season. Scunthorpe United and Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry both watched him in December 2006. Fry tabled a £100,000 bid for Donaldson, but this failed to meet York's valuation and they halted their bid at this amount. He was reportedly given a £500,000 transfer valuation by York in January 2007. A cash-plus-player offer from League Two club Accrington Stanley for Donaldson was rejected in January 2007, which according to York was £25,000 and was termed as an "embarrassment" by York manager McEwan, and Accrington then upped their bid to a six-figure fee, but were told that Donaldson was not for sale.
Donaldson was suspended for three matches following his 51st-minute red card for using his elbow in York's 2–1 defeat away to Kidderminster Harriers on 20 January 2007. York rejected a bid from Scunthorpe for Donaldson, with their approach falling short of York's valuation, after which Scunthorpe manager Nigel Adkins said he would not pay "stupid money" for Donaldson. On 29 January 2007, Hibernian announced that Donaldson had signed a pre-contract agreement with them for a three-year contract, effective in the summer. As he was 23 years old a month later, York were not entitled to any compensation under FIFA regulations. York later turned down a £50,000 offer from Hibernian, which would have allowed them to bring Donaldson to the club immediately. York manager McEwan wanted Donaldson to give his complete commitment for York for the rest of the season, who also revealed that the club intended to fight against the "international loophole" that meant Donaldson could join Hibernian for free. Donaldson's agent, Andy Sprott, said suggestions he deliberately found Donaldson a transfer in Scotland so York would not receive any compensation were "not the case".
Donaldson returned from his suspension for York's reserves against Sheffield United on 6 February 2007, but the match was frozen off, and he eventually returned in a 4–0 away win over Altrincham on 10 February 2007. His first goals since his suspension came against Cambridge United, with a hat-trick on 13 March 2007. Donaldson insisted he remained fully committed to York, after speculation concerning his commitment grew in April 2007. In the play-off semi-final second leg away to Morecambe on 7 May 2007, Donaldson collided with the onrushing opposition goalkeeper Steven Drench in the penalty area while trying to collect the ball. With Donaldson still groggy, York's penalty was taken by Steve Bowey, who successfully converted in the 20th minute. However, York lost the match 2–1 and were eliminated on aggregate. Donaldson finished 2006–07 with 26 goals for York from 48 appearances, including 24 goals in the Conference National, meaning he was the division's third top scorer.
Hibernian Donaldson made his Scottish Premier League debut for Hibernian in a 1–0 away win over their rivals Hearts on 6 August 2007, his first league goal coming against Falkirk on 15 September, after winning and scoring a penalty. Donaldson was sent off in this match, resulting in a one-match suspension. His first match back was his home debut against Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup on 26 September 2007, starting in place of the injured Steven Fletcher. Donaldson scored in the 11th minute after a solo run, beating two defenders and shooting under goalkeeper Graeme Smith, although Hibs lost the match 4–2. He scored his first hat-trick for Hibs in a 4–1 home win Kilmarnock on 29 September 2007.
He was linked with a move to League One club Crewe Alexandra in February 2008, having been unable to figure in Mixu Paatelainen's plans at Hibs, meaning he was frozen out of the first team. Donaldson finished 2007–08 with 21 appearances and 6 goals, his last goal of the season coming against Falkirk in December 2007. In the summer of 2008, he was told that he was available for transfer by Hibs. Crewe were believed to be lining up a bid for him in July 2008, who had money available after selling striker Nicky Maynard to Bristol City for £2.25 million and held negotiations with Donaldson. The move stalled after a six-figure fee had been agreed but Donaldson later agreed personal terms.
Crewe Alexandra
Donaldson's move to League One club Crewe Alexandra was completed on 18 August 2008 on a three-year contract for an undisclosed six-figure fee. The contract could not be signed until international clearance was given from the Scottish Football Association, which was received on 22 August 2008. He made his debut as an 81st-minute substitute in a 2–1 home victory against Walsall on 23 August 2008. Donaldson's former club York made an attempt to re-sign him on loan in October 2008, but were told to make an inquiry four weeks later as he was injured. Despite this, he came on as a substitute in Crewe's 3–0 away defeat to Scunthorpe on 11 October 2008, which was followed a week later by his first start in a 2–2 home draw with Milton Keynes Dons. He scored his first Crewe goals against Huddersfield Town on 1 November 2008 in a match that eventually finished as a 3–2 away defeat. He displayed the ability of long throw-ins, which he initially developed while in the Hull youth team, on several occasions, including a 3–2 home victory over Scunthorpe on 17 January 2009, a match in which he also scored. He scored three goals in four matches later in the season, with the final goal, against Carlisle United, proving to be his last of 2008–09. Donaldson finished the season with 43 appearances and 7 goals.