Statement from Old Scotch FC President Tim Shearer

The Old Scotch Football Club is delighted to announce that Donald McDonald has been appointed as the club’s Football Director. Donald will oversee our Men’s and Women’s football programs, with 8 teams expected to be playing in 2020.

Donald comes to our club with a wealth of playing, coaching and administrative football experience at AFL, VFL and community level. Donald played AFL/VFL for North Melbourne from 1982-92, playing 155 games. McDonald became captain-coach of Werribee in the VFL, taking the club to a premiership in 1993, coaching them from 1993-99. From 2000-02 he was non-playing coach of the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL, taking the club to a premiership in 2001, defeating his former club Werribee in the grand final.

In 2004, Donald took over as senior coach at the Hawthorn Football Club late in the season, being succeeded by Alastair Clarkson in 2005. Donald became assistant coach at North Melbourne in 2005 and has since worked in a number of key roles at the club, including as the Football Manager. He has recently been the senior coach of the Avondale Heights Football Club who compete in the premier division of the Essendon Football League.

Donald will lead a strong football department which we are progressively building into something special for our football club. Donald says “It is a fantastic opportunity to support our newly appointed Senior Coach Mark Gnatt and help support all of the teams who represent the Old Scotch Football Club. I have been very fortunate to have been involved with some great people over my football journey and it was a tough decision to leave Avondale Heights where my family made so many lasting friendships, however my role at North Melbourne Football Club limits my capacity to coach senior football at the Premier League level. The opportunity to come to Old Scotch in the role of Football Director is very compelling and it is a terrific challenge to help guide our football teams in a very competitive environment.”

Further coaching appointments for both the Men’s and Women’s teams will be announced in due course.