Troon are delighted to announce the permanent transfer of goalkeeper Martin McDonald from WOSFL Premier Division side Hurlford United.

The 29-year-old began playing locally in the amateur football ranks with Kilbride Thistle back in 2015, where he was regularly named in Ayrshire amateur select sides. He moved to his home town team Irvine Victoria in 2016-17 and was later loaned to Saltcoats Victoria, making a handful of appearances for the latter. A return to Kilbride Thistle followed in 2017-18, where he was reunited with Manager Sean Kenney before a move back to Victoria Park where he would go on and win the Player of the Year.

His Irvine Vics performances earned McDonald his move to Hurlford, where he proved a popular figure between the sticks and it was his penalty shoot-out heroics that saw the ‘Ford lift the West of Scotland Football League Cup in 2021-22 after a tense final against Kilwinning Rangers at Cumnock’s Townhead Park.

The 6′ 3″ stopper sealed his big move to the SPFL and Stranraer, signed by Scott Agnew as his new number 1 before work commitments restricted his availability and forced him to move on again, this time to Ardrossan Winton Rovers before he returned to Blair Park in January 2025.

With Dale Burgess moving on this summer to find a club closer to home, Manager Jimmy Kirkwood wasted no time in landing his number 1 target.

The club would like to thank Hurlford United and Clark Nicol in particular for their assistance in a smooth transfer, professional as always.

Welcome to Portland Park, Ginge!