Where ex-Birmingham City and Brentford star Clayton Donaldson is playing now may surprise you | OneFootball

What ex-Birmingham City and Brentford striker Clayton Donaldson is up to now.

There have been plenty of players in and out of Birmingham City in recent years. The club have experienced a decline in recent years which has seen them relegated to League One.

Many players who've represented the Blues over recent years, some of whom have gone on to forge a pretty interesting career for themselves. When looking back on recent Birmingham players, it's astounding to see how different careers have unfolded for these players, since departing St Andrew's.

One that particularly caught the eye though, was Clayton Donaldson. The former Brentford and Birmingham attacker is still kicking about at the age of 40, having made over 100 appearances for the Midlands club between 2014 and 2017. He finds himself in the sixth tier of English football, playing for Farsley Celtic.

Donaldson established himself as a reliable striker at Brentford and Birmingham

The Jamaican forward began his career with Hull City. When he was young, he was loaned out on a few different loan spells, as he began to acclimatize to senior football. A permanent transfer to York City came in 2005, which yielded plenty of excellent performances on the pitch. This led to the young forward being signed by Scottish giants, Hibernian, which was a really exciting move for the attacker.

Sadly, things just didn't live up to expectations at Easter Road, as the youngster departed Edinburgh after failing to make the desired impact north of the border. A return to England with Crewe Alexandra would prove to be the turning point for Donaldson. Over his three years at the club, he netted just under 50 goals combined. This includes 28 from one season alone.

The form he produced at Gresty Road had plenty of potential buyers monitoring the forward ahead of the upcoming transfer window. Brentford would be the ones to strike a deal with Donaldson, bringing him to London. Whilst he wasn't as successful as he was in League Two, Donaldon's numbers were still very solid for a forward who was heading towards the peak of his career.

Over his three seasons at Griffin Park, the striker only missed two league fixtures, which added to his value as a reliable source of goals when his side needed him. After hitting double figures in all of these seasons as well, Birmingham made their move to sign Donaldson when his Bees contract expired in 2015.

He continued to replicate his fine form for the Blues in his first two seasons at St Andrew's. Playing consistently and notching double figures in goals once again, the Jamaican proved his worth in the Championship for the first time in his career.

However, playing time would dry up over the next two seasons in the Midlands. This was thanks to multiple injuries that he'd avoided in recent years. Sadly, as he entered his 30s, injury would begin to catch up with him.

He departed Birmingham on Deadline Day 2017, joining Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee. The forward left his mark on the club, with fans praising his commitment and desire to do his best for the badge. This made him an incredibly popular figure at the club.

Ex-Birmingham star still going strong at 40

Whilst most outfield players retire in their mid-thirties, it's not uncommon to see some continue to play in the lower leagues of English football, if their body allows them to.

Whilst Donaldson's professional career may be over, he's still kicking around at the ripe age of 40. The Jamaican's passion for playing is still evident, as he played 39 matches last season for his most recent club, Farsley Celtic.

Since leaving Sheffield United, Donaldson has gone on to play for Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City, before dropping out of the EFL with a return to York City in 2021.

Incredibly, after this reunion with his former employer, the then 38-year-old went on to score 22 goals for Gainsborough Trinity just a year later, before joining Farsley in 2023.

Last season, Donaldson was a regular in the first team, but was also given his first role in senior management. This saw the ex-Blue become a player manager for the first time in his career.

Despite guiding the Celts to National League North survival, the veteran forward was removed from his post in September 2024. He made just three league appearances in 2024-25, before departing the West Yorkshire side.

However, Donaldson remains registered as a Farsley Celtic player, according to the club's website. He hasn't featured for the club since departing his managerial post, but he has also returned to York City for a third time, as the Director of Development.

Things are a little confusing with the 40-year-old's career, as it seems his playing days might be over. However, if needed, he could still pull on the Green and White hoops, as he remains registered.