Harrogate Town AFC are thrilled to confirm the signing of centre half Rod McDonald, who joins on a two-year deal from Crewe Alexandra.
The 31-year-old arrives with a wealth of EFL experience having made just short of 200 appearances across League One and League Two for the likes of Northampton, Coventry, Wimbledon, Carlisle and most recently Crewe.
McDonald signed for The Alex ahead of the 2022/23 season and helped his side to a 13th place finish in League Two, being named Player of the Year at the end of a season that included 36 appearances and two goals.
Th Liverpool-born defender started at Manchester City’s Academy before moving to Stoke City in 2005, joining Oldham on a permanent deal five years later.
Permanent spells in non-league with Colwyn Bay, Nantwich Town, Hereford and Telford followed, before McDonald earned a move back to the Football League having impressed Northampton Manager Chris Wilder on trial.
The club’s fourth arrival of the Summer would help the Cobblers to the League Two title in his first season, with another promotion from League Two following shortly after with next club Coventry.
It would be at AFC Wimbledon where McDonald enjoyed the most League One experience though, before a move to Carlisle and then Crewe provided further Football League knowledge to Harrogate’s latest recruit.
An attribute Assistant Manager Paul Thirlwell highlighted when speaking about the club’s newest arrival:
I think every team needs to have the right blend, everybody wants that youth and exuberance in the squad, but you also need those older heads for when you go to the bigger grounds and the noise is there, that’s when you need your leaders and your organisers on the pitch.
We’re really pleased to have signed Rod, he’s another player we’ve liked for a few years, he had an exceptional season last season and we’re really looking forward to having him here with us.
We’ve been looking to identify strong, powerful players and good characters and Rod certainly comes into that bracket with his performances last season. He’s very dominant, very aggressive and he can play as well, so he’s a player we feel will fit in really well to the squad.
