WAKE UP COLL
I got into comfort zone. I didn’t appreciate how big a chance I had – until it was taken away. That’s the kind of advice I’d give to younger players now
I didn’t like living in London .. I felt lonely. At Livingston, I was a golden child – they were always looking after us. But at a club like QPR you are just another cog in the machine. You lose focus and I never dealt with that. I never really kept myself fit. I got into a comfort zone for a while
And by 19 he was in a QPR first-team squad with Joey Barton and Niko Kranjcar.
From the high of being Scotland’s most talked-about youngster to the low of being alone in London with his career going nowhere.
For a 24-year-old, he has crammed plenty in already.
But it’s only now, at Ross County, that he feels ready to fulf il the teenage potential he showed at Livingston.
Donaldson is at his fifth club after moving to Dingwall from Inverness Caley Thistle in January.
He’s still developing as a defender but with the experience he has banked already in his career, including a mentally-tough spell at Dundee United, he’s more like a seasoned veteran.
And he’s now ready to put everything he has learned into becoming one of the country’s best centre-backs.
When he gatecrashed Livi’s team as a teenager that never looked in any doubt.
When Martin Ferguson – Sir Alex’s brother and United’s former chief scout – arranged for him to go to Manchester, Donaldson had the world at his feet.
Even if he was never in any danger of getting carried away.
He told MailSport: “It was all new to me as a kid at Livingston.
“Most of my mates were still at school and there I was on a train with John Collins going down to train with Manchester United at Carrington.
“It was a bit surreal. Breaking into the first team at Livi was my only ambition.
“It was class. I was playing first-team football at 18, staying close to my pals – at the time I probably didn’t appreciate how enjoyable that was. “The trial with United was great. “I was with their reserves and a few of the boys who play now were there. “Lin ga rd was there, Andreas Pereira and Adnan Januzaj, who’s now at Real Sociedad.
“I was down for a week and tried to use it as a stepping stone to one day get back there.
“But things transpire and your career goes down a different path.
“I can’t say I was aware of all the expectation on me at the time. I was at Livi and earning £ 65 a week. I was still doing jobs. “The kitman there had me staying every night until 6pm doing things around the ground. So I was never allowed to let that get to me. I never got ideas above my station.” Eventually, the big move came – but it was to London, not Manchester.
Harry Redknapp took him to Loftus Road in the hope that Coll would learn his trade and become a Championship defender.
But promotion to the Premier League raised the stakes and suddenly a first-team spot was a million miles away.
Donaldson let his own standards slip. Physically and mentally, he found it tough and jumped at the chance of a return to Scotland.
He said: “My first six months in London were really enjoyable. Redknapp signed me and things were looking good.
“But when the club got into the Premier League I realised things had changed and I wouldn’t break through easily.
“So my attitude was, I’m happy to play Under-21s football.
“But then I started to hate it. It wasn’t a great time for me.
“I didn’t like living in London and was constantly flying home to see family and friends.
“I felt lonely down there. And when you get injured, because there are so many players, you’re easily replaced.
“At Livingston, myself, Marc McNulty and Stefan Scougall were the golden children.
“They were always looking after us. But down at a club like QPR you’re just another cog in the machine.
“That’s how I felt and when I was injured I lost a bit of focus and I never dealt with that.
“I never really kept myself fit.
“I ’ m not blaming anyone, it was all down to me. I didn’t train properly or look after myself in the right way.
“I got into a comfort zone for a whi le. I don’t think I actual ly appreciated how big a chance I had – until it was taken away.
“That’s the kind of advice I’d like to give to younger players now.
“But at the time you don’t think of that. It’s your life, your job.
“Training with top pros every day was something I took for granted. When you walked past a guy like Barton in the corridor, you’d just keep chatting to your mate.
“You didn’t realise the standard of player you were rubbing shoulders with every day.
“Dundee United offered me a three-year contract.
“At that time, I didn’t see it as a step backward. I believed I’d get back to the level of QPR.”
That didn’t happen for Donaldson. In fact, the move to Tannadice – after Jackie McNamara departed as gaffer – turned into a nightmare.
Below-par performances – then reacting to online abuse from supporters – didn’t help.
But Donaldson has no regrets. He said: “I’ve tried to use any bad experiences as a positive – in terms of me not wanting to go back there.
“I took a lot of stick from United fans and it can affect people’s health. But there are a lot more important things in life.
“The abuse was bad but I’m big enough and ugly enough to know that if you give a bit out you have to take it back.
“And I did give it out. Now, it doesn’t bother me.
“It was when I was there that it got to me. I was actually searching for my name online every day trying to find out what people were saying about me.
“I wasn’t paying attention to anything else. If I could grab that boy now, I would just want to give him a shake.”
Donaldson found contentment in the Highlands at Inverness.
The faith John Robertson put in him has been followed up by County co- gaffers Stuart Kettlewell and Stevie Ferguson.
And he’s now ready to establish himself as a Premiership defender.
He said: “I feel I’m getting back to producing the kind of performances everyone thought I could when I was younger.
“When I went to Inverness I stripped everything back. Robbo spoke to me and said: ‘ I watched you at 18, I know why you got a move to QPR, I know how good a player you are’.
“In terms of my confidence, that was incredible.
“To go from feeling horrendous to that kind of conversation was great.
“Now I have to test myself at the top level in Scotland.
“I’ve had a difficult induction at County, like going to Celtic Park. Odsonne Edouard was on the bench for an hour then came on and scored twice.
“You’re sitting in the changing room thinking he didn’t actually do much – except get two goals.
“That’s how quickly the game can be taken away from you at this level. But I have to kick on now.
“Because I’m not looked on as a young player any more. So I need to start producing.”
I wasn’t paying attention to anything else ... if I could grab that boy now I’d just want to give him a shake