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Shaun MacDonald (footballer, born 1988)

{{short description|Welsh footballer}}

{{similar names|Shaun MacDonald (disambiguation)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Shaun MacDonald

| image = AUT vs. WAL 2016-10-06 (166).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = MacDonald with Wales, 2016

| fullname = Shaun Benjamin MacDonald{{cite news |url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/documents/pages-from-fl-professional-retain-list-free-transfers-2014-15-2.pdf-...549-2491536.pdf |title=The Football League Limited: Club list of registered players as at 16th May 2015 |publisher=The Football League |page=2 |date=16 May 2015 |accessdate=16 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616201258/http://www.football-league.co.uk/documents/pages-from-fl-professional-retain-list-free-transfers-2014-15-2.pdf-...549-2491536.pdf |archivedate=16 June 2015 }}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|06|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Swansea, Wales

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Trefelin

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Swansea City

| years1 = 2005–2011

| clubs1 = Swansea City

| caps1 = 24

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2009

| clubs2 = → Yeovil Town (loan)

| caps2 = 4

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2009

| clubs3 = → Yeovil Town (loan)

| caps3 = 12

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2010

| clubs4 = → Yeovil Town (loan)

| caps4 = 19

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2010–2011

| clubs5 = → Yeovil Town (loan)

| caps5 = 15

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2011

| clubs6 = → Yeovil Town (loan)

| caps6 = 11

| goals6 = 4

| years7 = 2011–2016

| clubs7 = AFC Bournemouth

| caps7 = 84

| goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2016–2019

| clubs8 = Wigan Athletic

| caps8 = 39

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2019–2021

| clubs9 = Rotherham United

| caps9 = 32

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2021

| clubs10 = Crewe Alexandra

| caps10 = 3

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2021–2024

| clubs11 = Penybont

| caps11 = 48

| goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2024–

| clubs12 = Trefelin

| caps12 = 20

| goals12 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2005–2006

| nationalteam1 = Wales U19

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2006–2010

| nationalteam2 = Wales U21

| nationalcaps2 = 25

| nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 2010–2016

| nationalteam3 = Wales

| nationalcaps3 = 4

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| club-update = 22 April 2024

}}

Shaun Benjamin MacDonald (born 17 June 1988) is a Welsh footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cymru South club Trefelin.

A product of the Swansea City youth team, he earned four caps for Wales and is the current record caps holder for the Wales Under 21 team with 25 caps. As well as Swansea, MacDonald played club football for Yeovil Town (on loan), AFC Bournemouth, Wigan Athletic, Rotherham United and Crewe Alexandra.

Club career

=Swansea City=

MacDonald was born in Swansea, and began his career with his home side Swansea City, making his way up through the youth ranks before being making his first-team debut on 31 August 2005 in a 3–1 defeat to Reading in the League Cup.{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/4168432.stm |title=Reading 3–1 Swansea (aet) |publisher=BBC Sport |date=31 August 2005 |accessdate=2009-06-30}} He went on to make a total of 13 appearances in all competitions during his first season, including playing four times in the Football League Trophy as Swansea went on to win the trophy.{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4865270.stm |title=Carlisle 1–2 Swansea |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 April 2006 |accessdate=2009-06-30}}

He scored his first goals for the club during the 2008–09 season against Brentford in the League Cup on 12 August 2008,{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7542004.stm |title=Swansea 2–0 Brentford |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 August 2008 |accessdate=2009-06-30}} but after making just six appearances during the season, he was allowed to join League One side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan deal on 27 January 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/y/yeovil/7853609.stm |title=Yeovil Town make double signing |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 January 2009 |accessdate=2009-06-30}} On his debut for the side, MacDonald scored the only goal of the game in a 1–0 win over Huddersfield Town,{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7847275.stm |title=Yeovil 1–0 Huddersfield |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 January 2009 |accessdate=2009-06-30}} going on to make a total of four appearances before returning to Swansea.

After making just three appearances during the start of the 2009–10 season, MacDonald returned to Yeovil Town on a three-month loan deal on 21 September.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ytfc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10673~1800920,00.html |title=Welcome back Mac |publisher=ytfc.co.uk |date=21 September 2009 |accessdate=2009-09-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925025341/http://www.ytfc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10673~1800920,00.html |archivedate=25 September 2009 }} MacDonald impressed for Yeovil in his three-month loan spell starting all 12 of Yeovil's league games and grabbing 2 goals.

Once he returned to Swansea, negotiation began with Yeovil regarding a loan deal back at Yeovil until the end of the 2009–10 season. The loan deal was agreed on 31 December 2009.{{cite web | url = http://www.ytfc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10673~1919922,00.html | title = Return of the Macs | publisher = ytfc.co.uk | date = 31 December 2009 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20111007062617/http://www.ytfc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10673~1919922,00.html | archivedate = 7 October 2011 }}

In late August 2010, MacDonald returned to Yeovil on loan for the fourth time in less than two years until January 2011.

He joined Yeovil on loan for the fifth time on 17 March 2011, until the end of the 2010–11 season.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/y/yeovil/9428186.stm |title=Swan Shaun MacDonald joins Yeovil in a fifth loan spell |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 March 2011 |accessdate=17 March 2011}} He scored a first half hat-trick on 26 March 2011 in a 5–1 win over Leyton Orient.

=AFC Bournemouth=

MacDonald signed for AFC Bournemouth on 25 August 2011, for a fee believed to be in the region of £125,000.{{cite web |url=http://www.afcb.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10324~2432268,00.html |title=MacDonald Commits Future To Cherries |publisher=AFCB.co.uk |date=25 August 2011 |accessdate=25 August 2011}} He scored his first goal for Bournemouth in a 4–1 Football League Trophy win over Hereford United on 30 August 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/cherries-4-bulls-1-50402.aspx|title=Cherries 4 Bulls 1|publisher=afcb.co.uk|date=31 August 2011|accessdate=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925074613/http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/cherries-4-bulls-1-50402.aspx|archivedate=25 September 2015}} His first league goal for the club came on 21 April 2012 against Colchester United.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17711687 |title=Bournemouth 1–1 Colchester|publisher=BBC|date=21 April 2012 |accessdate=23 September 2015}} He made five league appearances during Bournemouth's 2014–15 season after which they were promoted to the Premier League.{{Soccerbase season|41494|2014|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=2015-09-23}} MacDonald made his Premier League debut as a substitute against Manchester City on 17 October 2015.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34493635 |title=Man City 5–1 Bournemouth|publisher=BBC|date=17 October 2015 |accessdate=18 October 2015}}

=Wigan Athletic=

MacDonald returned to the Championship and signed for newly promoted Wigan Athletic on 13 August 2016.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37070417 | title=Shaun MacDonald: Wigan Athletic sign Bournemouth midfielder | publisher=BBC Sport | date=13 August 2016 | accessdate=13 August 2016}} MacDonald scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Leeds United on 18 October 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37615222|title=Leeds 1–1 Wigan |publisher=BBC Sport|date=18 October 2016|accessdate=19 October 2016}} He missed all of the 2017-18 campaign after suffering a broken leg in a defeat at Reading in April 2017.

=Rotherham United=

On 3 June 2019, following his release from Wigan Athletic, MacDonald signed for League One side Rotherham United on a two-year deal.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48505550 |title=Shaun MacDonald: Rotherham United sign midfielder after Wigan exit |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 June 2019 |accessdate=3 June 2019 }} His time at the club was impacted by illness and injury, with a virus keeping him out of the side for a significant spell during the 2019–20 season, and a broken leg side-lining him for over two months in the middle of the 2020–21 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54823138|title=Shaun MacDonald: Rotherham United midfielder ruled out until new year with broken leg|publisher=BBC Sport|date=5 November 2020|access-date=17 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/rotherham-united-number-injury-worries-millers-ahead-fa-cup-trip-920081|title=Rotherham United: Number of injury worries for Millers ahead of FA Cup trip|publisher=JPIMedia|work=The Star|date=8 November 2020|access-date=17 May 2021}} On 17 May 2021, Rotherham United published their retained list, and confirmed MacDonald would be leaving the club at the end of his contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.themillers.co.uk/news/2021/may/read--retained-list-confirmed-by-millers-ahead-of-202122-campaign/|title=Retained list confirmed by Millers ahead of 2021/22 campaign|publisher=Rotherham United F.C.|date=17 May 2021}}

=Crewe Alexandra=

On 24 June 2021, it was announced that MacDonald had agreed to join Crewe Alexandra on a two-year deal.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Crewe Alexandra sign experienced former Rotherham and Bournemouth midfielder |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/shaun-macdonald-crewe-alexandra-rotherham-20896401 |access-date=25 June 2021 |work=Cheshire Live |date=24 June 2021}} He made his Crewe debut on 7 August 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 league draw against Cheltenham Town at Gresty Road.{{cite news |title=Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Cheltenham Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58035994 |access-date=9 August 2021 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=7 August 2021}} However, on 1 September 2021, Crewe confirmed that MacDonald had left the club after making just four appearances, having decided to retire from professional football.{{cite news |title=Shaun MacDonald Retires From Professional Football |url=https://www.crewealex.net/news/2021/september/shaun-macdonald-retires-from-professional-football/ |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=CreweAlex.net |date=1 September 2021}}

=Penybont=

On 23 December 2021, MacDonald

came out of retirement to sign for Cymru Premier side Penybont on an 18-month deal.{{cite tweet|number=1473982157907505157|user=PenybontFC_|title=🤝 Penybont are delighted to announce the signing of former Bournemouth, Swansea and Wigan midfielder and Wales inte…|date=23 December 2021}}

International career

MacDonald has represented his country at under-19 and Under-21 levels. In June 2009 he was called into the full national squad for the World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan in Baku. After playing his 22nd game at under-21 level he surpassed the Welsh appearance record previously set by James Thomas.

MacDonald made his full international debut on 12 October 2010 against Switzerland in Basel and earned his second cap against Israel in a 2016 European Championships qualifying match in 2015.

Career statistics

File:Shaun MacDonald.jpg, 2010]]

=Club=

{{updated|4 March 2023}}{{cite web

| url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=41494

| title = Shaun MacDonald

| publisher = Soccerbase

| accessdate = 19 October 2015}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National Cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, Welsh Cup}}

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="7"|Swansea City

|2005–06{{Soccerbase season|41494|2005|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|League One

|7

000105Appearances in Football League Trophy0130
2006–07{{Soccerbase season|41494|2006|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|League One

|8

0200020120
2007–08{{Soccerbase season|41494|2007|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|League One

|1

000002030
2008–09{{Soccerbase season|41494|2008|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|Championship

|5

01032colspan="2"|—92
2009–10{{Soccerbase season|41494|2009|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|Championship

|3

00000colspan="2"|—30
2010–11{{Soccerbase season|41494|2010|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|Championship

|0

000000000
colspan="2"|Total

!24

0304290402
rowspan="4"|Yeovil Town (loan)

|2008–09

|League One

|4

200000042
2009–10

|League One

|31

3100000323
2010–11

|League One

|26

4200000284
colspan="2"|Total

!61

9300000649
rowspan="6"|AFC Bournemouth

|2011–12{{Soccerbase season|41494|2011|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|League One

|25

1000011262
2012–13{{Soccerbase season|41494|2012|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|League One

|28

0200012314
2013–14{{Soccerbase season|41494|2013|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=5 January 2014}}

|Championship

|23

00020colspan="2"|—250
2014–15{{Soccerbase season|41494|2014|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=14 August 2014}}

|Championship

|5

02130colspan="2"|—101
2015–16{{Soccerbase season|41494|2015|name=Shaun MacDonald|access-date=19 October 2015}}

|Premier League

|3

03031colspan="2"|—91
colspan="2"|Total

!84

17181231016
rowspan="4"|Wigan Athletic

|2016–17{{Soccerbase season|41494|2016|name=Shaun MacDonald| accessdate = 18 August 2016 }}

|Championship

|39

12000colspan="2"|—411
2017–18{{Soccerbase season|41494|2017|accessdate=28 September 2017}}

|League One

|0

000000000
2018–19{{Soccerbase season|41494|2018|accessdate=12 October 2018}}

|Championship

|0

01010colspan="2"|—20
colspan="2"|Total

!39

1301000431
rowspan=3|Rotherham United

|2019–20{{Soccerbase season|41494|2019|name=Shaun MacDonald| accessdate = 29 February 2020 }}

|League One

|13

000202Appearances in EFL Trophy0170
2020–21{{Soccerbase season|41494|2020|name=Shaun MacDonald| accessdate = 1 May 2021 }}

|Championship

|19

00010colspan="2"|—200
colspan=2|Total

!32

0003020370
Crewe Alexandra

|2021–22{{Soccerbase season|41494|2021|name=Shaun MacDonald| accessdate = 9 August 2021}}

|League One

|3

000100040
rowspan=3|Penybont

|2021–22{{cite web |title=S. MacDonald: Summary |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/shaun-macdonald/47569/ |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=6 February 2022}}

|Cymru Premier

|9

131001Appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup play-offs0132
2022–23

|Cymru Premier

|11

01000colspan="2"|—120
colspan=2|Total

!20

1410010252
colspan=3|Career total

!263

1220217314331420

{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

=International=

{{updated|match played 28 March 2016.}}{{NFT player|id=40284|name=Shaun MacDonald |accessdate=30 March 2016}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
rowspan=3|Wales

|2010

10
201520
201610
colspan=2|Total40

Honours

;Swansea City

;AFC Bournemouth

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Soccerbase}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, Shaun}}

Category:1988 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Swansea

Category:Welsh people of Scottish descent

Category:Welsh men's footballers

Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen

Category:Wales men's youth international footballers

Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Wales men's international footballers

Category:English Football League players

Category:Premier League players

Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players

Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players

Category:AFC Bournemouth players

Category:Wigan Athletic F.C. players

Category:Rotherham United F.C. players

Category:Crewe Alexandra F.C. players

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Penybont F.C. players

Category:Cymru Premier players