Donald senior expanded the family business by opening a chain of cinemas, and also owned His Majesty's Theatre and an ice rink in the city.
[4] Donald signed for Aberdeen as a professional in 1928, and had a playing career which consisted of two five-year spells at his hometown club, interrupted by one season at Dunfermline Athletic in 1933–34.
[1] He ended his playing career at the outbreak of World War II, but continued to be a successful businessman, and rejoined Aberdeen as a board member in 1949.
Donald served on the board of directors of Aberdeen from 1949 until his death in 1993, becoming vice-chairman in 1960, and Chairman ten years later.
Donald had a reputation for running the club frugally – his most famous manager, Sir Alex Ferguson recounts several tales of his chairman's parsimony[5] in his autobiography, but also notes thatAs a chairman, he was a colossus, and nobody had to tell me that I had little chance of ever working for his like again.