Dartford striker McDonald pens 18-month deal with Canaries

The Witham, Essex based striker, who has scored 19 goals in 20 games (17 starts) for the Ryman Premier League club, impressed Canaries boss Bryan Gunn during a two-day spell at the Norfolk club last week.

McDonald, who has signed an eighteen-month contract, has been allocated squad number 27, and joins a club that are in 20^th place in the Coca-Cola Championship table - just two places above the drop zone.

Mr Skinner, who broke the signing to www.kentishfootball.co.uk at 2:40pm this afternoon, says the two clubs will face each other in a pre-season friendly so Darts fans’ can give their hero a real send off.

McDonald limped off after 68 minutes of Saturday’s 1-0 win over Maidstone United, due to a swollen calf and a whack just above the knee.

The lightening quick striker signed for the Darts in October 2008 from Maldon Town and previously he played for his home-town club Witham Town in Ryman One North.

A statement issued by Norwich City, on their official website www.canaries.co.uk, said, “City would have appeared to have beaten a host of other league clubs to the signature of the young pacy striker with teams such as Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace and Reading said to have also been watching McDonald.”

It is believed that Dartford rejected a bid from Peterborough United, which "tested the water."

McDonald becomes the second player in two years to leave Princes Park for Championship clubs.

Former Slade Green winger, Dave Martin, joined Crystal Palace for a fee of £25,000, plus other bonuses, two years ago, having dazzled the Princes Park faithful with his wing wizardry.

And Mr Skinner said the Darts are the club to join, if players’ want to progress and become professional footballers.

“It’s good for the players themselves - if they come with us they will be picked up, if they’re good enough,” Mr Skinner told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I’m sure he will be back with Norwich for a pre-season friendly. There will be a friendly with Norwich at some point.”

Mr Skinner believes manager Tony Burman has a ready made replacement in Brendon Cass.

Cass has been left on the sidelines in recent weeks as McDonald and Rob Haworth formed a perfect partnership up front.

But Mr Skinner is confident last season’s golden-boot winner will add to his tally of five-goals.

“We’ve got a ready made replacement in last year’s top goalscorer,” he said. “It’s up to Brendon to take the mantle up.

The last couple of days have been quite lucrative for the Kent club, having attracted a crowd of 2,013 for their 1-0 win over arch-rivals Maidstone United at the weekend.

McDonald’s move to Norwich City is best for all parties confirmed and Mr Skinner added, “That’s the important thing. We’ve made financially and he’s also gained a professional career.”

Darts boss Tony Burman, who himself knows what it’s like being a professional footballer, having played for Charlton Athletic, feels his got another player at Princes Park that can follow in the footsteps of Martin and McDonald.

Eleven scouts, including Gunn, were in attendance for Saturday’s game against The Stones and Burman says scouts should return to keep tabs on winger Ryan Hayes.

And Burman, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk following their derby-day win over the Stones, believes Hayes has the potential to progress into the professional ranks.

“A lot of the scouts should watch him,” he said. “But there’s other parts of his game that lets him down.

“But that’s why he’s played at this level, but on his day there’s no better player, a quality flair player.”

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