Everyone at Bury Football Club is sad to hear the news that Colin McDonald has passed away.
Colin never played for the Shakers but he did have many different backroom roles at the club throughout the 1960s.
Goalkeeper Colin was a local man of Scottish parents, born in Summerseat on 15 October 1930. After playing for local junior sides Hawkshaw St. Mary’s and Joshua Hoyles, Burnley FC just pipped Bury for his signature and he joined the Clarets as an amateur in 1948, playing reserve team football. He also completed his apprenticeship as a plumber and, when called up for National Service also played for Headington United (now Oxford United) for a short time. By 1954, he had become Burnley’s first choice goalkeeper and earned the first of eight England international caps in May 1958.
Colin played 186 games for the Clarets but would have played many more if he had not suffered a career ending broken leg playing for the Football League against the League of Ireland in March 1959. After two unsuccessful years of trying to regain fitness, he retired and his association with Bury FC began after a very brief spell as coach of Wycombe Wanderers.
Colin held many roles at Gigg Lane but the first was as a youth team coach in September 1961. Two years later he was appointed as chief scout and was responsible for bringing Colin Bell to Bury and set up an impressive scouting network which saw many players progress and be sold on for big fees. In October 1964 he stepped up to assistant manager but left the following January to return to playing, with non-league Altrincham.
That didn’t last very long as in May 1965 he returned to the club as Chief Scout once more, taking up the same role at Bolton two years later. After nine months at Burnden Park he returned to Bury, for a third time, as administration manager and in May 1970 was appointed as the club’s general manager. When his contract ended in September 1972, he was not offered a new role and Colin then returned to youth football with Oldham Athletic.
Our condolences are sent to Colin’s family and friends.