Donal Jeremiah McDermott (born 19 October 1989) is an Irish footballer who last played for Swindon Town.
Club career
Manchester City/Loan Spells
McDermott began his career at Ashbourne United then moved to Cherry Orchard of Dublin, where he was scouted, and signed up by Manchester City. McDermott was a member of the team that clinched the 2008 FA Youth Cup for the Blues.
On 12 September 2008, McDermott joined Football League One side Milton Keynes Dons on a one-month loan deal. The following day, he made his debut for the club against Oldham Athletic, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 2–0 loss. This would turn out to be his only appearance for the Milton Keynes Dons as his loan spell was ended prematurely due to injury. McDermott returned to Manchester City where he remained in the reserves for the remainder of the season.
At the start of the 2009–10 season, McDermott signed a new two-year deal to stay at the City of Manchester Stadium. After signing the new contract, he joined Football League Two side Chesterfield on a three-month loan deal. McDermott made his debut on the opening day of the season in a defeat to Torquay United. A week later on 15 August 2009, he scored his first goal for the club on his home debut in a 1–0 win over Northampton Town. Since joining Chesterfield, McDermott became a first team regular for the club, playing in the midfield position. He then scored two goals in the next two matches between 12 September 2009 and 19 September 2009 against Dagenham & Redbridge and Macclesfield Town. Eleven days later on 30 September 2009, McDermott scored his fourth goal for Chesterfield, as well as, setting up one of the club's goals, in a 3–2 win against Grimsby Town. This was followed up by setting up two goals in the next two matches against Accrington Stanley and Bournemouth. Two weeks later on 24 October 2009, he scored his fifth goal of the season, in a 5–2 win against Burton Albion. McDermott returned to his parent club when his loan spell with the club expired at the end of October. By the time he left Chesterfield, McDermott made sixteen appearances and scoring five times for the club.
Following his loan spell at Chesterfield ended, McDermott spent the next three months, playing for the Manchester City Elite Development Squad. Towards the end of the January 2010 transfer window, he went out on loan for a third time, this time until the end of the season at Championship side, Scunthorpe United. McDermott made his debut for the club, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 1–0 win against Queens Park Rangers on 30 January 2010. Following this, he found his playing time, mostly coming from the substitute bench. At the end of the 2009–10 season, McDermott went on to make nine appearances in all competitions.
For the first seven months of the 2010–11 season, McDermott continued to play for the Manchester City Elite Development Squad. On 24 March 2011, he was loaned out for a fourth time, this time to Football League One club Bournemouth. McDermott made his debut for the club, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute, in a 2–2 draw against Charlton Athletic on 26 March 2011. Since joining Bournemouth, he was involved in a number of matches in the first team for the rest of the 2010–11 season. McDermott then scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–2 draw against Hartlepool United on 30 April 2011, resulting in them securing a League One play–offs place. In the follow–up match against Rochdale, however, he suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted in the 44th minute, as Bournemouth lost 2–1. McDermott recovered from his injury and returned to the starting line–up in the semi-final of League One play–offs against Huddersfield Town and scored his second goal for the club, in a 1–1 draw on 14 May 2011. In the return leg, he started the match and played 77 minutes before being substituted, as Bournemouth lost on penalties to Huddersfield Town after the semi-final finished 4–4 on aggregate. At the end of the 2010–11 season, McDermott made eleven appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
Huddersfield Town
Despite interest from Bournemouth, it was announced on 1 July 2011 that McDermott signed a two-year contract with Huddersfield Town on the expiry of his contract at Eastlands. As he was offered a new deal, the fee will be decided by a tribunal. Upon joining the club, McDermott was given a number twenty shirt.