Tony McDonnell

Tony McDonnell

Tony McDonnell, receiving an award for his 250th UCD appearance
Personal information
Full name	Anthony McDonnell
Date of birth	(1976-02-10) 10 February 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Dublin, Ireland
Position(s)	Centre Back, Central Midfield
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–2007	UCD AFC	603	(28)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Anthony "Tony" McDonnell (born 10 February 1976, in Dublin) is a retired football player for Irish side, UCD. McDonnell would spend the entirety of his career with UCD, becoming the club's record longest serving player in history.

A former St Kevin's Boys player McDonnell made his League of Ireland debut on 27 March 1994 at Abbeycartron in a 2–1 win over Longford Town.

He went on to represent College until 2007, and is second on the all-time appearances list for the Dublin club as well as the club's sixth highest league goal scorer. He was also the club captain for the best part of a decade. He played as a right- or centre-back, but in later seasons he was deployed as a central midfielder. He made 308 league appearances for UCD, scoring 28 league goals, before deciding to call time on his career on 6 December 2007. The latter period of career was blighted by hamstring injuries, a major factor in his retirement. Asked about this in an interview, he replied that his hamstrings were "[t]ighter than a camels ass in a sand storm. They say all the lightning quick players have trouble with them……so no idea why I do!"^[1]

He was a nominee for the League of Ireland player of the year in the 2005 season, and was appointed chairman of the PFAI in August 2006. He has also worked as a pundit on RTÉ's Monday Night Soccer show since retirement and still regularly attends UCD's home games.

His uncle is Maurice Swan and his cousin is Derek Swan.

• Leinster Senior Cup (football)
  • UCD 1995/96
• FAI Super Cup
  • UCD 2000/01

• League of Ireland Premier Division Player of the Month
  • UCD (March 2006)

• One-club man

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• Website