Debut:
03/09/1892 v Blackburn Rovers (A) 3-4 (League Division One)
Farewell:
Transferred to Luton Town, 11/1897, £80
Passed Away:
28/04/1947
Biography
In an era of excessive physicality, Bob Donaldson was a master on the football field. The 5'8" auburn haired centre-forward could hold the ball well, absorb the knocks, and dish them out in greater doses. He terrorized opposition players yet always garnered their respect. Referees too were game - just ask Mr. Smalley, who officiated Newton Heath's game with Darwen in November 1894 and was treated to "insulting language", leading to Bob getting censured by the Lancashire FA.
Originally an apprentice moulder, "Scroggie" Donaldson broke through with Airdrieonians in the late 1880s after signing from Cliftonhill Rovers. He quickly shone, earning a call-up to Lanarkshire's representative XI in March 1889. In May 1891, FA Cup holders Blackburn Rovers obtained his signature, or so they thought. Realizing he would be cast as an understudy to Jack Southworth, Donaldson took advantage of the fact that Rovers had not registered him yet while he was assisting Airdrie in a minor competition, and signed up with Newton Heath instead. Blackburn protested this deal... to no avail: their window to register his name had passed.
Donaldson rapidly became a legend with Newton Heath. A goal on his debut against Burton Swifts was a portent of things to come as the Heathens finally excelled in the Football Alliance. Bob struck hat-tricks in consecutive games in November and added a third in January. By the end of 1891-92, Heath had secured promotion to the First Division, thanks largely to Donaldson, who had racked up a stunning 20 goals in 22 games.
Bob then etched his name into Manchester United's history by scoring the club's first ever Football League goal (against Blackburn, suitably enough) and hat-trick (against Wolverhampton in what remains a record league win of 10-1). He was leading marksman again in 1892-93 (when he won a Manchester Senior Cup medal) and 1893-94 (when he struck a hat-trick past Blackburn and 5 goals past Darwen).
In November 1897, an irrational Heath board made Bob and Caesar Jenkyns the scapegoats for a home loss to Newcastle, initially suspending the fearsome duo then selling them. Donaldson left to Luton Town for £80 having scored an unsurpassed 128 (traced) goals in Newton Heath's colours. He was soon on the mark for Luton too, finding the net within two minutes of his bow versus Bristol City.
At the end of that 1897-98 campaign in which he had netted 10 goals in 17 appearances for the Hatters, Bob was transferred to Glossop. He only spent one year there but, rediscovering his prolific form, he rattled 18 goals in 32 matches (and 27 in all competitions) to propel the team to their only ever season in the top flight.
Bob, however, skipped out on another hard campaign in the First Division by heading south to take on a role as player-trainer with Ashford Town in the Kent League. By this time, Donaldson had apparently sorted out his issues with Newton Heath, for he recommended a couple of players (Godsmark and Foley) that his old employers were grateful to sign. In 1930, he returned to live in Airdrie, at 3 Burnfoot Road. It was reported in sporting life newspaper on Friday 7th October 1892 that Robert Donaldson was struck in the face by a hammer thrown by his team mate William Steward resulting in Donaldson falling down in-sensible. Biography kindly provided by Charbel Boujaoude.
