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The Wanderers striker saw his dreams dashed at the age of 16 when Bradford City, the team he had supported as a youngster, told him they no longer required his services.
Donaldson refused to give up on his plans to be a professional, however, and managed to earn a professional contract at Hull City two years later – the first stop of many in a career which has seen him play more than 400 league games in four different divisions in England and Scotland.
“It would have been easy for me to hang my boots up at 15 or 16 years old after being released by Bradford City but I just thought to myself ‘I’m going to keep going, working hard, and believing in my own ability,’” he said.
“You have to believe in what you are doing, believe you can achieve something in the game and you have every chance of making it.
“It was a bit of a blur leaving Bradford, really. At the time I wasn’t really developed as a player. I was still a scrawny lad at Valley Parade and was only there for a short time.
“But when I signed for Hull City as a youngster it gave me those few years to develop into a proper player.
“Obviously, being there longer than Bradford, it gave them time to see whether I could actually make the cut.
“Luckily, they gave me that shot and I grabbed it with both hands.”
Around 12,000 young players are currently active in academy systems up and down the country but the number of opportunities to progress as a professional are becoming slimmer with each passing year.
Of the 24 Category One academies at Premier League and Championship clubs, a respectable 65 per cent of 18-year-old players are given a professional deal. However, research conducted by the Professional Footballers’ Association says that of the boys who make it into the elite scholarship programme at 16, that five out of six are not playing professional football at 21.
There is more than one route to the top, however, and Donaldson has been impressed by the example team-mate Erhun Oztumer has set on his way to the University of Bolton Stadium.
The playmaker was rejected by Charlton Athletic at the age of 16 for being ‘too small’ but worked his way back from non-league football with the likes of Dulwich Hamlet and lower league football in Turkey to feature in the PFA League One Team of the Year two years running and earn a deal in the second tier with Wanderers over the summer.
“The percentages are less likely now for a youngster to make it as a pro. There are quite a few who slip through the net,” the striker said.
“Some of the players have to work their way up through the league and Ozzy (Erhun Oztumer) is perfect proof of that.
“He was the one who went right down the leagues and then clawed his way back up to the Championship, which shows it can be done.
“If you don’t get in at your first club there are always ones out there who are willing to take younger pros on and prove people wrong.
“That was my aim, really, prove all those other clubs wrong, which gave me that hunger to achieve my goals.”
Donaldson’s varied career has also allowed him to play international football for Jamaica.
His debut came in 2015 against Panama at Independence Park in Jamaica, and he has since won 10 caps and scored two goals for the country of his parents’ birth.
“It was an amazing experience to represent the country of my family’s origin,” he said. “And it was a great honour for me.
“When you get to play against these other international teams that have world class players in their ranks, it is a great experience and a learning curve.
“It was definitely an eye-opener to the bigger world of football. It gives you a great knowledge going back and playing league football as well.”
Donaldson suffered a groin injury in a friendly against Peterborough United on the eve of the season which left him playing catch-up early in the campaign but is now back to full fitness and keen to play a bigger part under Phil Parkinson.
The 34-year-old remains confident Bolton can maintain their form after the international break and avoid any brush with the relegation zone this time around.
“When I came in I was pleasantly surprised at how good a standard of player we have here,” said the former Sheffield United man.
“I can’t see us having a similar season to last year. From what I have seen and the way the manager has strengthened and improved the club as well, that’ll definitely stand us in good stead for the campaign ahead.
“You look at the start we have made compared to last season, and it’s looking good so far.”
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Donaldson refused to give up on his plans to be a professional, however, and managed to earn a professional contract at Hull City two years later – the first stop of many in a career which has seen him play more than 400 league games in four different divisions in England and Scotland.
“It would have been easy for me to hang my boots up at 15 or 16 years old after being released by Bradford City but I just thought to myself ‘I’m going to keep going, working hard, and believing in my own ability,’” he said.
“You have to believe in what you are doing, believe you can achieve something in the game and you have every chance of making it.
“It was a bit of a blur leaving Bradford, really. At the time I wasn’t really developed as a player. I was still a scrawny lad at Valley Parade and was only there for a short time.
“But when I signed for Hull City as a youngster it gave me those few years to develop into a proper player.
“Obviously, being there longer than Bradford, it gave them time to see whether I could actually make the cut.
“Luckily, they gave me that shot and I grabbed it with both hands.”
Around 12,000 young players are currently active in academy systems up and down the country but the number of opportunities to progress as a professional are becoming slimmer with each passing year.
Of the 24 Category One academies at Premier League and Championship clubs, a respectable 65 per cent of 18-year-old players are given a professional deal. However, research conducted by the Professional Footballers’ Association says that of the boys who make it into the elite scholarship programme at 16, that five out of six are not playing professional football at 21.
There is more than one route to the top, however, and Donaldson has been impressed by the example team-mate Erhun Oztumer has set on his way to the University of Bolton Stadium.
The playmaker was rejected by Charlton Athletic at the age of 16 for being ‘too small’ but worked his way back from non-league football with the likes of Dulwich Hamlet and lower league football in Turkey to feature in the PFA League One Team of the Year two years running and earn a deal in the second tier with Wanderers over the summer.
“The percentages are less likely now for a youngster to make it as a pro. There are quite a few who slip through the net,” the striker said.
“Some of the players have to work their way up through the league and Ozzy (Erhun Oztumer) is perfect proof of that.
“He was the one who went right down the leagues and then clawed his way back up to the Championship, which shows it can be done.
“If you don’t get in at your first club there are always ones out there who are willing to take younger pros on and prove people wrong.
“That was my aim, really, prove all those other clubs wrong, which gave me that hunger to achieve my goals.”
Donaldson’s varied career has also allowed him to play international football for Jamaica.
His debut came in 2015 against Panama at Independence Park in Jamaica, and he has since won 10 caps and scored two goals for the country of his parents’ birth.
“It was an amazing experience to represent the country of my family’s origin,” he said. “And it was a great honour for me.
“When you get to play against these other international teams that have world class players in their ranks, it is a great experience and a learning curve.
“It was definitely an eye-opener to the bigger world of football. It gives you a great knowledge going back and playing league football as well.”
Donaldson suffered a groin injury in a friendly against Peterborough United on the eve of the season which left him playing catch-up early in the campaign but is now back to full fitness and keen to play a bigger part under Phil Parkinson.
The 34-year-old remains confident Bolton can maintain their form after the international break and avoid any brush with the relegation zone this time around.
“When I came in I was pleasantly surprised at how good a standard of player we have here,” said the former Sheffield United man.
“I can’t see us having a similar season to last year. From what I have seen and the way the manager has strengthened and improved the club as well, that’ll definitely stand us in good stead for the campaign ahead.
“You look at the start we have made compared to last season, and it’s looking good so far.”
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