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Alan McDonaldFormer Northern Irish footballer, defender and later coach.
Date of Birth: 12.10.1963
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Alan McDonald
Alan McDonald was a former Northern Irish footballer, defender, and later a coach. He became the manager of Belfast's Glentoran in February 2007. In June of the same year, after the resignation of Paul Millar, he became the head coach of the team.
Playing Career
McDonald joined Queen's Park Rangers in the early 1980s and spent 17 years with the club. At the beginning of his career, he played on loan for Charlton. While at Queen's Park Rangers, McDonald reached the League Cup final in 1986. He played as a center-back in the late 1980s. In 1993, Queen's Park Rangers achieved their greatest achievement in history by finishing in fifth place. However, the club was relegated from the Premier League in 1996. In 1997, McDonald moved to Swindon as a free agent. During his career, he played 52 matches for the Northern Ireland national team, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. In 1990, he captained the national team in a home match against Yugoslavia, which Northern Ireland lost 0-2.
Coaching Career and Later Life
After retiring as a player, McDonald became the coach of Swindon's reserve team. He left the club in 2002. In February 2007, he became the manager of Belfast's Glentoran. In June of the same year, after the resignation of Paul Millar, he became the head coach of the team. Under his leadership, Glentoran won the Northern Irish championship title in the 2008/09 season.
Tragically, Alan McDonald passed away on June 23, 2012, during a golf game. He suddenly felt unwell and lost consciousness on the field. The cause of death was not specified.
