Even though McDaid had played Youth Internationals for Scotland and Reserve team football from a young age during his ten years at Leeds United he was a relative unknown when he signed for Doncaster on a free transfer in 2005 from Leeds United.

[1] He made good progress and was highly regarded at the club and quickly became one of the most promising youngsters in the Football League.

[5] Two weeks later, he was out for the remainder of the season with a dislocated kneecap injury.,[2][6][7] As McDaid fought back with months of rehabilitation for his knee injury, McDaid was then involved in 11 Match day squads and his first appearance for Rovers since their promotion to the Championship in 2008, against MiddlesbrougH in January 2010.

[9] On 29 May 2010, McDaid signed for Carlisle United on a 1-year contract with option to extend this deal by a further year if he made 30 starts in the 2010/11 season.

Mcdaid had played in every game leading up to that point in the season and had been part of a very successful start to the season for Carlisle United[11] On 10 March 2011, McDaid announced his retirement from football aged 25, due to this new injury problem on the advice of Knee Specialists.