Western United Football Club signs former Celtic and Socceroo striker Scott McDonald
Western United Football Club (WUFC) is pleased to announce it has secured the signature of experienced striker Scott McDonald, who will return home to Melbourne to add to the stellar line up of player signings so far for the new Hyundai A-League expansion club.
McDonald (b. 21 August 1983) started his career with Gippsland Falcons – formally Morwell Fal- cons – under the watch of long time Rangers defender Stuart Munro.
At just 16-years of age, he made the move to Southampton FC in the English Premier League before first making his mark with Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League. It was a breakout season here under Terry Butcher which saw him soon snapped up by the famous Glaswegian giants, Celtic FC.
Once at Celtic, McDonald enjoyed tremendous success in both the Scottish Premier League and against European heavyweights such as Manchester United and AC Milan during key UEFA Champions League matches.
McDonald’s experience at the top flight of European football will see him play a pivotal role at WUFC when he joins forces with one of the club’s other key European signings, Greek interna- tional and former Serie A striker, Panagiotis Kone.
McDonald has scored 180 goals in over 500 first team games. Most recently, he opted for one more stint in the Scottish Championship with Partick Thistle where he helped the club avoid rel- egation.
On his appointment, McDonald admitted that the lure of a Hyundai A-League debut has always been in the back of his mind and it was the opportunity to also build success at a new club that eventually brought him home.
“In the last few years my mind has always been about returning home. I flirted with a few offers from Hyundai A-League clubs and came close in the past, but the circumstances were not right,” McDonald said.
“The opportunity to come home to Melbourne and be part of a new club was just the right thing to do. It’s very much about the right place and the right time for myself and my young family. I know I’m in the twilight of my career, but I have been asked by the coaches to come and help them bond together a competitive team for our inaugural season.”
“I will be 36 by the time the new season kicks off, but I am strong and determined to give back to the fans. I want to score goals and I know I will,” McDonald continued.
WUFC assistant coach John Anastasiadis said McDonald’s experience will be key to the club’s success.
“We are very fortunate to secure such a great striker for next year. I played as a striker over- seas, so I appreciate what Scott has done over his 20-year career,” Anastasiadis said.
“Scott’s experience in the dressing room will be priceless and the young boys we have should be absorbing as much as they can. We now have a good blend of experience with Scott as well as raw talent in the likes of Apostolos Stamatelopoulous.”
WUFC will join the Hyundai A-League from the start of the 2019/20 season beginning in October this year.
