Coll Donaldson

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Coll Donaldson

| image =

| fullname = Coll Ian Donaldson

| height =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1995|4|9}}

| birth_place = North Berwick, Scotland

| currentclub = Falkirk

| clubnumber = 6

| position = Centre-back

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Tynecastle

| youthyears2 = 2011–2013

| youthclubs2 = Livingston

| years1 = 2013–2014

| clubs1 = Livingston

| caps1 = 24

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2014–2015

| clubs2 = Queens Park Rangers

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2015–2017

| clubs3 = Dundee United

| caps3 = 32

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2017–2020

| clubs4 = Inverness Caledonian Thistle

| caps4 = 76

| goals4 = 3

| years5 = 2020–2022

| clubs5 = Ross County

| caps5 = 37

| goals5 = 1

| clubs6 = → Dunfermline Athletic (loan)

| years6 = 2022

| caps6 = 16

| goals6 = 2

| clubs7 = Falkirk

| years7 = 2022–

| caps7 = 87

| goals7 = 4

| club-update = 09:32, 3 May 2025 (UTC)

| caption =

}}

Coll Donaldson (born 9 April 1995) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for {{Scottish football updater|Falkirk}} club Falkirk, where he is also club captain.

He has previously played for Livingston, Queens Park Rangers, Dundee United, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ross County and Dunfermline Athletic.

Club career

Donaldson grew up in North Berwick, East Lothian, and attended North Berwick High School, joining Livingston's youth ranks in 2011 from Tynecastle.{{cite web | url=http://www.tynecastlefc.co.uk/newsstory.php?nid=336 | title=Coll Donaldson makes the bench | publisher=Tynecastle F.C. | date=26 December 2012 | accessdate=29 May 2013 | archive-date=6 February 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206000918/https://www.tynecastlefc.co.uk/newsstory.php?nid=336 | url-status=dead }} After progressing through the club's youth system and impressing for the reserve team, he signed a new two-year contract for Livingston on 17 January 2013.{{cite web | url= http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/news/news_20130117_1.php| title=New contract for Coll Donaldson | publisher=Livingston F.C. | accessdate=7 April 2013}} Later that month he went on trial with Premier League club Manchester United.{{cite web | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/livingston-defender-coll-donaldson-will-train-1550712 | title=Manchester United hand trial to Livingston starlet Coll Donaldson | work=Daily Record | date=23 January 2013 | accessdate=28 January 2014}} He made his first-team debut for Livingston as a late substitute against Dunfermline Athletic on 30 March 2013.{{cite web | url=http://spfl.co.uk/championship/fixture/3520034/ | title=Pars claim point | publisher=Scottish Professional Football League | work=spfl.co.uk | date=30 March 2013 | accessdate=28 January 2014}} He then went on to make a further four appearances towards the end of season 2012–13.{{Soccerbase season|68650|2012|accessdate=26 April 2013}} In December 2013, Donaldson was allowed to travel to Queens Park Rangers for a trial.{{cite web | url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11711/9109411/transfer-news-qpr-in-talks-to-sign-livingston-starlet-coll-donaldson | title=QPR in talks to sign Livingston starlet Coll Donaldson | publisher=Sky Sports | work=skysports.com | date=10 January 2013 | accessdate=28 January 2014}} In January 2014, Donaldson completed his move to Queens Park Rangers,{{cite web | url=http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/news/news_20140128_1.php | title=Donaldson QPR Bound | publisher=Livingston | work=livingstonfc.co.uk | date=28 January 2014 | accessdate=28 January 2014}} for a fee of around £150,000.{{cite web | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/livingston-kid-coll-donaldson-way-3034815 | title=Livingston kid Coll Donaldson on his way to QPR as Harry Redknapp steps in with £150,000 bid | publisher=Daily Record | work=dailyrecord.co.uk | date=18 January 2014 | accessdate=28 January 2014}} In all he made 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring once.{{soccerbase|68650}}

On 28 January 2014, aged 19 Donaldson joined Queens Park Rangers from Livingston after impressing QPR manager Harry Redknapp during a week-long trial.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25917038 | title=QPR: Defender Coll Donaldson joins from Livingston | publisher=BBC Sport | date=27 January 2014 | accessdate=22 February 2015}} Donaldson made his senior and Championship debut on 3 May 2014 in a 3–2 away win against Barnsley at Oakwell, where he was named in the starting line up and played the full 90 minutes.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27167444 | title=Barnsley 2–3 QPR | publisher=BBC Sport | date=3 May 2014 | accessdate=22 February 2015}}

On 13 July 2015, Donaldson joined Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on a three-year contract following his release from QPR.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33503163 | title=Dundee United sign defender Coll Donaldson | publisher=BBC Sport | date=13 July 2014}} Donaldson was released on 7 August 2017, after two seasons with the club.{{cite web |url=http://dufc.co/news/coll-donaldson-departs-tannadice/ |title=Coll Donaldson departs Tannadice |publisher=Dundee United FC |date=7 August 2017 |accessdate=7 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807201424/http://dufc.co/news/coll-donaldson-departs-tannadice/ |archive-date=7 August 2017 |url-status=usurped }}

Later that month, he signed a short-term contract with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.{{cite news|last1=Chalk|first1=Paul|title=Caley Thistle held at home by Morton to remain bottom of the Championship|url=http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/Sport/Football/Caley-Thistle-held-at-home-by-Morton-to-remain-bottom-of-the-Championship-19082017.htm|accessdate=20 August 2017|work=Strathspey & Badenoch Herald|date=19 August 2017|location=Grantown-on-Spey}} In December 2017, he extended his Inverness contract for a further two and a half years.{{cite news|last1=Durent|first1=Jamie|title=Home comforts made Coll Donaldson's decision to extend Caley Thistle stay an easy one|url=http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Home-comforts-made-Coll-Donaldsons-decision-to-extend-Caley-Thistle-stay-an-easy-one-11122017.htm|accessdate=13 December 2017|work=The Inverness Courier|date=12 December 2017}}

Donaldson moved to Ross County in January 2020 for an undisclosed transfer fee.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51122200 |title=Ross County sign Coll Donaldson & Jordan Tillson |website=BBC Sport |date=15 January 2020 |accessdate=15 January 2020}} He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Ayr United in the Scottish Cup.

In January 2022, Donaldson reunited with former boss John Hughes after joining Dunfermline Athletic on loan for the rest of the season.{{Cite web|title=Coll Donaldson arrives on loan {{!}} Dunfermline Athletic Football Club|url=https://www.dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=Coll_Donaldson_arrives_on_loan&ID=13538|access-date=2022-01-03|website=www.dafc.co.uk}}

Donaldson signed a two-year contract with Falkirk in May 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/2022/05/26/coll-donaldson-signs/ |title=COLL DONALDSON SIGNS! |publisher=Falkirk Football Club |website=falkirkfc.co.uk |date=26 May 2022 |accessdate=10 July 2022}} He was appointed club captain in January 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/coll-donaldson-on-falkirks-championship-opener-and-putting-derby-record-right-4724606|title=Coll Donaldson on Falkirk's Championship opener and putting derby record right|date=31 July 2024|website=Falkirk Herald}}

Career statistics

rowspan=2\|Club !rowspan=2\|Season !colspan=3\|League !colspan=2\|Scottish Cup !colspan=2\|League Cup !colspan=2\|Other !colspan=2\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Livingston \|2012–13{{soccerbase season\|68650\|2012\|accessdate=18 October 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
2013–14{{soccerbase season\|68650\|2013\|accessdate=18 October 2017}} \|Scottish Championship \|19	1	1	0	3	0	1Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup	0	24	1
colspan="2"\|Total !24	1	1	0	3	0	1	0	29	1
rowspan="3"\|Queens Park Rangers \|2013–14 \|Championship \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2014–15{{soccerbase season\|68650\|2014\|accessdate=18 October 2017}} \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
rowspan="3"\|Dundee United \|2015–16{{soccerbase season\|68650\|2015\|accessdate=18 October 2017}} \|Scottish Premiership \|18	0	4	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	22	0
2016–17{{soccerbase season\|68650\|2016\|accessdate=18 October 2017}} \|Scottish Championship \|14	0	0	0	5	0	3	0	22	0
colspan="2"\|Total !32	0	4	0	5	0	3	0	44	0
rowspan="4"\|Inverness Caledonian Thistle \|2017–18{{soccerbase season\|68650\|2017\|accessdate=18 October 2017}} \|rowspan="3"\|Scottish Championship \|26	1	2	0	0	0	5	0	33	1
2018–19 \|30	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	34	1
2019–20 \|20	1	0	0	4	1	3	0	27	2
colspan="2"\|Total !76	3	2	0	8	1	8	0	94	4
rowspan="4"\|Ross County \|2019–20 \|rowspan="3"\|Scottish Premiership \|7	0	1	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	8	0
2020–21 \|28	1	1	0	5	0	colspan="2"\|—	34	1
2021–22 \|2	0	0	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	4	0
colspan=2\|Total !37	1	2	0	7	0	0	0	46	1
Dunfermline Athletic (loan) \|2021–22 \|Scottish Championship \|16	2	0	0	0	0	2{{efn\|Appearances in Scottish Championship play-offs}}	0	18	2
rowspan="4"\|Falkirk \|2022–23 \|rowspan="2"\|Scottish League One \|33	1	4	1	2	0	4{{efn\|Two Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup, two appearances and one goal in Scottish League One play-offs}}	1	43	3
2023–24 \|34	3	2	0	4	0	4	0	44	3
2024–25 \|Scottish Championship \|20	0	3	0	1	0	1	0	25	0
colspan="2"\|Total !87	4	9	1	8	0	9	1	112	6
colspan="3"\|Career total !273	10	23	1	31	1	27	2	353	14

Honours

Dundee United

Scottish Challenge Cup: 2016–17{{cite web|title=Dundee Utd 2–1 St Mirren|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39345283|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Young|first=Chick|date=25 March 2017|accessdate=27 January 2018}}

Falkirk

Individual

PFA Scotland Team of the Year: 2023–24 Scottish League One{{cite tweet |number=1781360026512204019 |title=PFA Scotland on X: "🏆 PFA Scotland League 1 Team of the Year. As voted for by the players, congratulations to… Nicky Hogarth Finn Yeats Coll Donaldson Tom Lang Leon McCann Brad Spencer Liam Henderson Aidan Nesbitt Callumn Morrison Rumarn Burrell Calvin Miller #PFASAwards |user=PFAScotland |date=19 April 2024 |access-date=19 April 2024}}