Fred Donaldson

Frederick Lewis "Fred" Donaldson (born 7 April 1937) is an English former footballer who played as a full-back for Port Vale, Exeter City, Chester, Macclesfield Town and Stafford Rangers. He won the Fourth Division title with Vale in 1958–59.

Playing career

Donaldson graduated through the Port Vale junior squad to sign first team forms in July 1954.^[1] He made his senior debut on 4 May 1955, in a 1–0 win over Lincoln City at Sincil Bank on the last day of the 1954–55 season.^[1] However he had to wait until the start of the 1957–58 campaign before he played another game; by this time the "Valiants" had been relegated from the Second Division to the Third Division South, and Norman Low had replaced Freddie Steele as manager.^[1] Donaldson played 27 league games at right-back throughout the campaign, but featured only 11 times in the 1958–59 season as Vale won the Fourth Division title.^[1] He featured just eight times in the Third Division in the 1959–60 season, but claimed four goals against Colchester United, Accrington Stanley (2), and Newport County.^[1] He left Vale Park in August 1960, when he was sold to Exeter City for a £2,000 fee.^[1] He scored six goals in 36 Fourth Division games for Glen Wilson's "Grecians" in the 1960–61 season, before departing St James Park. He then played 20 Fourth Division games for Chester in the 1961–62 campaign, as the "Seals" finished bottom of the Football League. He then left the Deva Stadium, and later played for Cheshire County League sides Macclesfield Town and Stafford Rangers.

Statistics

• Sourced from Fred Donaldson profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Honours

with Port Vale

• Football League Fourth Division champion: 1958–59^[7]

References