McDonald comes in from cold to join Jags

PARTICK THISTLE have added some extra firepower to their strikeforce by bringing in veteran forward Scott McDonald until the end of the season to help push them clear of the Championship relegation zone. The Australian left Dundee United last summer, having scored 16 goals in 42 games last season, but hasn’t played any football since. After training with Gary Caldwell’s men earlier in the season, McDonald knocked back the chance to sign for the club as he focused on his media work. But he has now opted to join his former Celtic team-mate at Firhill on a short-term deal. The 35-year-old has plenty of experience of Scottish football having played at Motherwell, Celtic and United, and now joins a rejuvenated Jags side who have enjoyed an unbeaten start to 2019 yet still languish at the foot of the table. The veteran striker told the club’s website: ‘People had spoken about it earlier in the season. Gary and I had a conversation, I’d come in, but I just didn’t feel right at that point. I’ve not stopped, though. ‘I’ve not been playing for the last six to seven months, but I’ve been treating it like I’m in pre-season every single day. I’ve not let it go and it’s always been there. ‘Me and Gary have been in conversation throughout that period and we’ve always been good friends from our time at Celtic together. He felt I could add something more and I felt I could, too. ‘Hopefully, it’s a match made in heaven and we can move forward together. The boys have been doing great here — it’s an excellent bunch. ‘I’ve seen a massive change in terms of the whole environment and the attitude from being in this week to what it was like previously. ‘Gary has them playing the way he wants them to play now and it’s been good to see.’