page_title: Clayton Donaldson
section_title: York City
hierarchical_section_title: Clayton Donaldson / Club career / York City
caption_attribution_description: English: Clayton Donaldson playing for York City against Weymouth at Bootham Crescent, York on 17 February 2007
context_page_description: Clayton Andrew Donaldson is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for League Two club Bradford City.
  Donaldson started his career with Hull City in 2002, scoring on his first-team debut in the Football League Trophy later that year. He was sent out on loan to non-League clubs on four occasions, and with chances in the first team at Hull limited, he was released in 2005 and subsequently joined York City. In his first season at the club, he was voted as their Clubman of the Year and his second season saw him finish as the team's highest scorer and third highest scorer in the league.
  He joined Scottish Premier League club Hibernian in July 2007, after signing a pre-contract agreement with them in January whilst with York. After a season at the club he left to return to England with Crewe Alexandra. After three years with Crewe, being the top goalscorer in League Two in his last season, he joined Brentford in 2011. He spent three years with the club, helping them gain promotion into the Championship in 2013–14, before signing for Birmingham City at the end of that season when his contract expired.
context_section_description: After his release by Hull, Donaldson was spoken to by Barrow, but was signed by Conference National club York City on 23 June 2005, with manager Billy McEwan saying: "He's a young player who is very hungry for his chance and he'll bring competition up front". He made his debut in a 0–0 home draw with Crawley Town on 13 August 2005. His first goal came in a 1–0 win against Cambridge United on 2 September 2005. Picking the ball up on the half-way line, he ran past two opposition defenders on the left wing before shooting the ball into the bottom-right corner from outside the penalty area. During 2005–06, Donaldson scored 18 goals for York and was awarded the Clubman of the Year award, voted for by the club's supporters, before the final match of the season against Hereford United on 29 April 2006. He agreed a contract extension with York for 2006–07 in July 2006.
  York manager McEwan compared Donaldson to Paulo Wanchope in September 2006, but following York's 2–0 away defeat against Oxford United later that month, McEwan criticised Donaldson's selfishness in attack, saying it cost them the match. In late 2006, Donaldson became subject of much transfer speculation. Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy watched him in York's 1–0 home victory over Altrincham, in which he scored his 12th goal of the season, on 5 November 2006. He was also watched by Scottish Premier League club Hibernian. In response to this speculation, Donaldson said: "I don't read too much into the speculation. I've heard it before and nothing has happened so I will just keep my head down and enjoy my football until a point comes when the manager or board come and tell me they have had an offer they want to consider".
  On 18 December 2006, he rejected the offer of a new contract at York, meaning he would be out of contact at the end of the season. Scunthorpe United and Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry both watched him in December 2006. Fry tabled a £100,000 bid for Donaldson, but this failed to meet York's valuation and they halted their bid at this amount. He was reportedly given a £500,000 transfer valuation by York in January 2007. A cash-plus-player offer from League Two club Accrington Stanley for Donaldson was rejected in January 2007, which according to York was £25,000 and was termed as an "embarrassment" by York manager McEwan, and Accrington then upped their bid to a six-figure fee, but were told that Donaldson was not for sale.
  Donaldson was suspended for three matches following his 51st-minute sending off for using his elbow in York's 2–1 defeat away to Kidderminster Harriers on 20 January 2007. York rejected a bid from Scunthorpe for Donaldson, with their approach falling short of York's valuation, after which Scunthorpe manager Nigel Adkins said he would not pay "stupid money" for Donaldson. On 29 January 2007, Hibernian announced that Donaldson had signed a pre-contract agreement with them for a three-year contract, effective in the summer. As he was 23 years old a month later, York were not entitled to any compensation under FIFA regulations. York later turned down a £50,000 offer from Hibernian, which would have allowed them to bring Donaldson to the club immediately. York manager McEwan wanted Donaldson to give his complete commitment for York for the rest of the season, who also revealed that the club intended to fight against the "international loophole" that meant Donaldson could join Hibernian for free. Donaldson's agent, Andy Sprott, said suggestions he deliberately found Donaldson a transfer in Scotland so York would not receive any compensation were "not the case".
  Donaldson returned from his suspension for York's reserves against Sheffield United on 6 February 2007, but the match was frozen off, and he eventually returned in a 4–0 away win over Altrincham on 10 February 2007. His first goals since his suspension came against Cambridge United, with a hat-trick on 13 March 2007. Donaldson insisted he remained fully committed to York, after speculation concerning his commitment grew in April 2007. In the play-o
caption: Donaldson playing for York City in 2007
exif: {"Image XResolution": "125", "Image YResolution": "125", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "paint.net 4.0.13"}