A NORTH Ayrshire goalkeeper has completed the latest move in an impressive rise up the ranks.

Martin McDonald, or 'Ginge' as he is nicknamed, last week signed for SPFL League Two side Stranraer FC.

The 26-year-old, from Irvine, moves to the club from West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) Premier Division side Hurlford - becoming the latest in a line of players to take the step up from Scottish football's sixth tier.

However, Ginge's rise could certainly be considered more impressive than many others.

He 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, now boss at Ardeer Thistle, before a move back to Victoria Park, where he would go on and win the player of the year accolade.

His Irvine Vics performances earned McDonald his move to Hurlford, where he has been a popular figure between the sticks ever since.

 

McDonald's Hurlford high point was the penalty shoot-out heroics that saw the Ford win the West of Scotland Football League Cup in 2021-22 after a tense final against Kilwinning Rangers.

Now, he has made it to the SPFL for the first time as new Stranraer boss Scott Agnew, another Ayrshire man, assembles the squad he hopes will give the Stair Park men a crack at promotion from League Two next season.