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Personal

Full name: Malcolm MacDonald
aka: Malky MacDonald
Born: 26th October 1913
Birthplace: Glasgow
Signed: March 1932
Left: 1945
Games: 325 games, 50 goals

Trivia

• Interim manager of Scotland briefly in 1966.
• Manager with Kilmarnock after playing (two spells), where they had a good run under him winning promotion and reaching cup finals.

Biog

The immensely gifted 'Malky' MacDonald was a Celtic great who is among the most skilled footballers ever to play for the Hoops.

The Glasgow-born player signed for the Bhoys in March 1932 from junior side St Anthony's and made a scoring debut, netting both goals in a 2-0 league victory at Partick Thistle on April 30th.

With a cool head, wonderful control and fantastic vision Malky possessed an all-round game which was virtually unrivalled by his peers throughout Scotland and although originally deemed a centre-half MacDonald's versatile qualities were such that he would spend his Celtic career as a utility player.

He could create and score goals with seemingly consummate ease but Malky was equally a battler who possessed the awareness and ability to thwart the attacks of opponents. In season 1937-38 MacDonald subtle but masterful play helped mastermind Celtic's triumph in the Scottish league championship and the memorable capture of the Empire Exhibition Trophy.

Sadly his Celtic career suffered due to the outbreak of World War Two and consequently the horrors of war meant that he never was really afforded the opportunity to fulfill his full potential in a strong Celtic side.

A great servant to the Celtic cause Malky played in every outfield position except centre-forward and no matter where he was asked to play he did so like a master. He stayed with us even though the War Years the club performed dreadfully. He eventually left Parkhead for Kilmarnock in 1945 after 325 appearances for the Bhoys and 50 goals.

He would later manage the Ayrshire club and even had a brief spell as interim manager of Scotland in 1966. But whatever he achieved after departing Paradise MacDonald wished for only one thing - "I just want to be remembered as Malky MacDonald of Celtic".

Malky MacDonald - a class act and an all time Celtic hero.

Playing Career

Scotland Manager

John Prentice was sacked as Scotland manager towards the end of 1966 and Kilmarnock manager Malcolm MacDonald agreed to help the SFA by becoming interim manager of the national team until a full-time replacement could be found. In his brief spell in charge, Scotland drew 1-1 with Wales on October 22, 1966, and beat Northern Ireland 2-1 on November 16, 1966. Former Scotland goalkeeper Bobby Brown, who was then manager of St Johnstone, was appointed full-time team manager at a meeting of the SFA on February 6, 1967 and, in his first game in charge, Scotland beat world champions England 3-2 at Wembley.

Pictures

• Player Pics

Links

• Celtic & World War Two