Greig McDonald former Par

Stirling Albion manager came through Pars youth system

Keir Nicol, Greig McDonald and Brian Vaughan in Delden Holland, 2001

Stirling Albion manager Greig McDonald was born in Dunfermline and attended Inverkeithing High School. He started his professional football career on the books of his home town team

He trained with Dunfermline from an early age once or twice a week and at the age of 16 went to Leeds for a few trials, unfortunately that didn't work out but when he returned Bert Paton asked him to sign YTS.

Having failed to break in to the first team and he was released at the age of 20 at the end of the 2001/2002 season, without having made an appearance for the Pars.

He joined Brechin City for the 2002/2003 campaign, but failing to see his potential he only made one appearance for the Glebe Park side, before again being released in the transfer window, as he wasn't figuring in their plans.

Without a club, his old school football teacher Hamish Ferguson contacted Jim Moffat who have him a trial and offered him a deal until the end of the promotion winning season. Greig knows that he owes Hamish a lot, if it wasn't for him he would probably gone to playing Junior football.

Brechin's loss was certainly East Fife's gain and Greig joined the Fife in February 2003, just in the time to witness the eventful end to their 2002/2003 promotion campaign. Featuring on the bench for a few games in their run in, Greig made his East Fife debut in the penultimate game of the season, but he only made one appearance in that memorable season, his fortunes were about to change and he was soon to become a first team regular and fan favourite.

Greig became a regular in the Fife first team for the 2003/2004, subsequently made club captain and by the time he left in 2009 had made 159 appearances and scored 33 goals. He joined Stirling Albion but with his playing career was plagued with injury he found a role as manager.

McDonald was put in caretaker charge of Stirling Albion after Jocky Scott left the club in December 2011. He became the youngest manager of a senior league club in the UK when at the age of 29 he was appointed Stirling Albion manager on a permanent basis on 22 January 2012.

Famously McDonald missed a league victory against Rangers in October 2012 as he was getting married on the same day.

Best player played against?

Bobby Petta. "It was in a reserve game for Dunfermline, at Bayview funnily enough, I was shocked to see his name on the team sheet. I played right back and after it I knew I'd been in a game, he was lightning."