Ian McDonald - The Thistle Archive

Ian McDonald

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● Ian McDonald, 1985 (SPC)

Ian McDonald was born on Friday, 26th December, 1958, in Glasgow.

The 5' 5¾ (9st 6lbs) midfielder signed for Bertie Auld's Thistle on Monday, 14th July, 1975, having most recently been with Eastercraigs.

Aged 16, he made his debut appearance on Wednesday, 30th July, 1975, in a 4-0 friendly win away to Ross County.

That day, Ian became a member of our scoring debutant's club.

He scored the last of his 32 goals on Saturday, 23rd January, 1988, in a 3-1 defeat away to Meadowbank Thistle in the SFL First Division.

He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 13th May, 1989, in a 1-1 draw away to Raith Rovers in the SFL First Division, having clocked up an impressive 332 appearances as a Jag.

Ian's club-list included Eastercraigs, Partick Thistle, Motherwell, Stranraer and Morton.

compiled from our All Games criteria.


16y, 7m, 4d		30.07.1975 Ross County [a] W4-0 (Friendly)
20y, 10m, 29d		24.11.1979 Raith Rovers [h] W2-0 (Friendly)
21y, 3m, 10d		05.04.1980 Dundee United [h] D2-2 (SFL Premier Division - game 28)
21y, 3m, 18d		13.04.1980 Dundee [h] W3-0 (SFL Premier Division - game 30)
21y, 4m, 7d		03.05.1980 Rangers [h] W4-3 (SFL Premier Division - game 34)
22y, 1m, 26d		21.02.1981 Kilmarnock [h] D1-1 (SFL Premier Division - game 25)
22y, 7m, 2d		28.07.1981 Fort William [a] W11-1 (Friendly)
23y, 8m, 6d		01.09.1982 Brechin City [a] D1-1 (League Cup Section 7 - game 6)
24y, 1m, 10d		05.02.1983 Dumbarton [h] W3-2 (SFL First Division - game 25)
24y, 2m, 14d		12.03.1983 Aberdeen [h] L1-2 (Scottish Cup Quarter Final)
24y, 7m, 1d		27.07.1983 Linlithgow Rose [a] W4-0 (Friendly)
24y, 7m, 7d		02.08.1983 Stirling Albion [a] L2-3 (Friendly)
24y, 10m, 3d		29.10.1983 Airdrieonians [h] W2-1 (SFL First Division - game 12)
24y, 10m, 10d		05.11.1983 Falkirk [a] D2-2 (SFL First Division - game 13)
25y, 2m, 17d		14.03.1984 Ayr United [a] W5-1 (SFL First Division - game 30)
25y, 3m, 12d		07.04.1984 Alloa Athletic [a] D2-2 (SFL First Division - game 34)
26y, 9m, 2d		28.09.1985 Falkirk [a] W3-2 (SFL First Division - game 8)
26y, 9m, 16d		12.10.1985 East Fife [a] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 10)
27y, 1m, 6d		01.02.1986 Ayr United [h] D2-2 (SFL First Division - game 23)
27y, 2m, 14d		12.03.1986 Clyde [a] D2-2 (SFL First Division - game 27)
27y, 4m, 7d		03.05.1986 Brechin City [h] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 39)
27y, 9m, 1d		27.09.1986 Brechin City [h] W1-0 (SFL First Division - game 10)
28y, 7m, 6d		01.08.1987 Stenhousemuir [a] W3-1 (Friendly)
28y, 8m, 3d		29.08.1987 Clyde [a] L1-4 (SFL First Division - game 5)
28y, 9m, 0d		26.09.1987 Forfar Athletic [h] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 10)
28y, 9m, 3d		29.09.1987 Kilmarnock [a] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 11)
28y, 9m, 21d		17.10.1987 Hamilton Academical [h] W1-0 (SFL First Division - game 14)
28y, 9m, 24d		20.10.1987 Dumbarton [a] L2-4 (SFL First Division - game 15)
28y, 10m, 8d		03.11.1987 Kilmarnock [h] W1-0 (SFL First Division - game 18)
28y, 10m, 12d		07.11.1987 Clyde [h] L1-4 (SFL First Division - game 19)
29y, 0m, 28d		23.01.1988 Meadowbank Thistle [a] L1-3 (SFL First Division - game 31)

#
1	22y, 7m, 2d	28.07.1981 Fort William [a] W11-1 (Friendly)	pen 2nd half
2	27y, 4m, 7d	03.05.1986 Brechin City [h] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 39)	1-0, pen 9 mins
3	28y, 8m, 3d	29.08.1987 Clyde [a] L1-4 (SFL First Division - game 5)	1-0, pen 12 mins
4	28y, 9m, 0d	26.09.1987 Forfar Athletic [h] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 10)	1-1, pen 54 mins
5	28y, 9m, 3d	29.09.1987 Kilmarnock [a] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 11)	1-1, pen 90 mins
6	28y, 10m, 8d	03.11.1987 Kilmarnock [h] W1-0 (SFL First Division - game 18)	1-0, pen 38 mins
7	28y, 10m, 12d	07.11.1987 Clyde [h] L1-4 (SFL First Division - game 19)	1-2, pen 43 mins
8	29y, 0m, 6d	01.01.1988 Clyde [a] W2-1 (SFL First Division - game 28)	saved @ 1-0, 48 mins
9	29y, 0m, 28d	23.01.1988 Meadowbank Thistle [a] L1-3 (SFL First Division - game 31)	1-3, pen 70 mins
10	29y, 1m, 15d	10.02.1988 Forfar Athletic [h] W3-0 (Scottish Cup 3rd Round replay)	unconverted @ 0-0, 16 mins

Ian McDonald
8/10 ← success rate → 80.0%

Partick Thistle
541/765 ← success rate → 70.7%
@ 03-Oct-2020

Ian featured at #12 in our Top 25 countdown here on The Thistle Archive →

03.05.1980 Rangers [h] W4-3 (SFL Premier Division - game 34)
Alex O'Hara (1-1, 37 mins); Alex O'Hara (2-1, 44 mins); Colin McAdam (3-1, 50 mins); Ian McDonald (4-1, 78 mins)

Season 1979-80 was an exciting one in Scottish football, with one of the tightest top-flights ever seen. Thistle themselves finished a mere 12 points behind the champion club, Aberdeen, who, incidentally, celebrated effectively winning the League on this day with a 5-0 win at Easter Road.

With 2 games to play, Rangers were desperate to win the points at Firhill, and manager John Greig boldly opted for a 4-2-4 in a sure-fire statement of intent. They had to win this match, or their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Cup were dead. To help them on their way, Ian Foote, a trusty old ally of theirs, awarded a 27th minute penalty. Sandy Jardine took it, but despite Roughie saving his third consecutive spot-kick, Bobby Russell was quick-off-the-mark to dink home the rebound over Scotland's #1. Safe from relegation, but tantalisingly just out of reach of a European place, Thistle had nothing to play for, except pride alone. At this point, it might have been expected that the end-of-season vibe might have kicked in, and perhaps a 2 or 3 nil away win would have been the predicted outcome by most. What followed, however, was 50 minutes of non-stop football fun for all Jagskind, or 65 minutes if you count the happy pie and bovril time up at the wee yellow shop.

‘Rangers reject’ Alex O’Hara took great delight in scoring twice before half-time, and big Colin McAdam bent in a beauty of a free-kick in 50 minutes, receiving the loudest roar on the day. By rights, it should really be the big man’s goal as the feature, but I’ve opted for Ian McDonald’s goal simply for the laughs. Rangers, gunning for Europe, with 4 men up front, leading after a penalty, suddenly found themselves 4-1 down at Firhill with just over 10 minutes to play. Sensation! That’s my kind of script.

The goal itself wasn’t exactly spectacular – it was stabbed home from a good old stramash – but those of a red n yellow persuasion cared not a jot. The carefree Jags were 4-1 up against the desperate Gers. What joy, what fun, we had Rangers on the run!

With 32 credited to his Jaggy account, Ian, undoubtedly, has scored better goals during his Thistle career, but I doubt any have been received quite so gleefully as this one!

p.s. On the Wednesday, to complete a marvellous week of Old Firm bubble-bursting, Thistle (uniquely unbeaten against the champion club this season), decided not to beat Aberdeen by 10 clear goals in their last League game of the season, thereby denying Celtic the title.

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