Career
He began his professional career in 1973 with Bury, before being signed by Liverpool boss Bill Shankly after one year. He spent four years as reserve goalkeeper at Anfield, without making a first-team appearance. There were no substitute goalkeepers in domestic football in those days, and so McDonnell"s only first-team squad involvement came in European football.
Following the arrival of Steve Ogrizovic, he was pushed down to third choice, and left to join Oldham Athletic in 1978.
He spent four years there, before heading to Dallas in the NASL, then to Hong Kong to play for Hong Kong Rangers, eventually returning home to represent a number of non-league clubs. McDonnell is currently a referee in the North Lancashire and District Football League and is a Westmorland Football Association council member.