Jamie MacDonald (footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Jamie MacDonald


fullname = James MacDonald
height = height|ft=6|in=1
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|4|17
cityofbirth = Broxburn
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub = Heart of Midlothian
clubnumber = 30
position = Goalkeeper
years = 2003-present
2007-2008
clubs = Hearts
→ Queen of the South (loan)
caps(goals) = 01 (0)
51 (0)
nationalyears =2007-
nationalteam = Scotland U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 4 (0)
pcupdate = 11 May 2008

Jamie MacDonald (born 17 April 1986, in Broxburn) is a professional football player currently playing for Heart of Midlothian. MacDonald, a goalkeeper, signed for Hearts in August 2003 from their youth side.

Queen of the South

Jamie MacDonald had yet to play for the Hearts senior side but featured regularly for the Tynecastle club's U21 team. In January 2007, like Robbie Neilson before him, MacDonald joined Dumfries club Queen of the South on loan to gain further competitive experience [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/6300133.stm Tynecastle Trio head out on loan] , BBC Sport website, 26 January 2007] and this loan was renewed for the 2007-08 season.

Jamie MacDonald established himself as The Doonhamers' first choice keeper and was an integral part of the team on their run to their first ever Scottish Cup Final. With MacDonald in goals Queens triumphed in the quarter finals for only the second time in their history despite their previous Scottish Cup quarter final appearances running into double figures. The 2-0 vistory against Dundee produced a record breaking 84 yard winner from Ryan McCann. The semi final 4-3 victory against Aberdeen produced another record; the highest scoring Scottish Cup semi final in history.

Jamie MacDonald's final game for Queen of the South came in the Final which ended in a 3-2 defeat to Rangers. Since the Gers had already qualified for the Champions League the runners-up earned the consolation of a place in next season's UEFA Cup. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2301580/Rangers-exhausted-after-Scottish-Cup-final-win.html Rangers exhausted after Scottish Cup final win] Telegraph, 26 May 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008]

As well as the cup exploits MacDonald and Queens finished the league season in fourth place in the second tier of Scottish football.

On his return to Hearts, Jamie MacDonald said of his time at Queens, "My loan spell last year was good and allowed me to play in big games like the Scottish Cup Final." [http://www.tribalfootball.com/?q=node/200594]

Craig Sives said of his proposed loan move to Queens, appearances with Hearts, mostly friendly games, so I'm relishing the challenge here with Queens.

"When a move was first mentioned Robbie Neilson and, in particular, Jamie MacDonald told me to 'go for it' and both spoke very highly of their times down there." [http://www.qosfc.com/ClubNews/ViewFullStory/tabid/151/selectmoduleid/498/ArticleID/244/reftab/36/Default.aspx]

Return to Hearts

MacDonald returned to Hearts for the 2008-09 season and, after playing regularly during pre-season fixtures, new manager Csaba Laszlo stated his intent to use him as back-up to first choice keeper Steve Banks. [ [http://www.heartsfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HeartsNewsDetail/0,,10289~1361685,00.html Playing for keeps] Heartsfc.co.uk, 8 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008]

His competitive debut for Hearts came against the same team he played his last game for Queen of the South against, Rangers, on 16 August 2008 at Ibrox. MacDonald had been selected to play following the annoucement that former first choice keeper Steve Banks had taken up a coaching only role, having previously had a player-coach role. Hearts lost the game 2-0, the second goal a last minute penalty from Kris Boyd, who scored twice against MacDonald in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final. [ [http://www.heartsfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/MatchReport/0,,10289,00.html Rangers 2-0 Hearts] Heartsfc.co.uk, 16 August 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008]

Manager Csaba Laszlo said that he was happy with MacDonald's performance against Rangers but dropped MacDonald in favour of Slovakian loan signing Marian Kello. MacDonald said that in the absence of first team football, "If there's a chance to go out on loan, and the gaffer agrees, that would be better for me. Then I can come back and show the manager I'm ready to play for Hearts." [http://www.tribalfootball.com/?q=node/200594]

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=35732|name=Jamie MacDonald
* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/players/macdonaldjamie.html Profile] at londonhearts.com