Defender McDonald admits signing for Coventry City was a '˜no-brainer'

The central defender left the Cobblers on Friday to join for the Sky Blues for an undisclosed fee, having been transfer-listed by Town boss Justin Edinburgh at the beginning of May.

Having been a key part of Chris Wilder’s Sky Bet League Two title-winning team in 2015-16, McDonald was frozen out at Sixfields last season, making just two league starts under Rob Page, and none under Edinburgh.

Despite having a year left on his Town contract, Edinburgh told McDonald he was free to find himself another club, and when Mark Robins and Coventry came knocking the 25-year-old was quick to answer with a ‘yes’.

“It was a no brainer to come here,” McDonald told ccfc.co.uk

“I’ve sat down with the gaffer and had a big talk with him about the club, and his ambition and where he wants to take it.

“Coventry City is a massive club, and I want to be a part of it.”

The Sky Blues were relegated from league one last season, finishing second bottom in league two, but they have made some impressive early signings, with striker Marc McNulty joining from Sheffield United and Michael Doyle from Portsmouth.

McDonald is their third new acquisition of the summer and the former Cobblers man is already setting his sights on a second promotion from English football’s fourth tier.

“The aim is promotion – that is one of the big reasons I came to Coventry,” said the Liverpudlian, who signed for the Cobblers in the summer of 2015 after impressing while on trial.

“League Two is a tough league. It’s very physical and there are tough places to go, but you have to go to those places and get three points if you want to be promoted.”

Coventry are sure to be one of the favourites to go up from league two next season, and McDonald admits he is still pinching himself that he will be turning out for a club of such stature, having been playing non-League for AFC Telford a little over two years ago.

“If you go back four or five years ago and someone said I’d be signing for Coventry City I wouldn’t believe them,” he said.

“But non-league has helped me massively. Being young kid and 17 or 18, playing there has made me the defender that I am today.”

Coventry boss Robins is very happy with his latest new signing, and said: “I am delighted we have signed Rod, who is a player who was interesting a number of clubs.

“Having met him and spoken with him about our plans, he made his mind up quickly that Coventry City was the Club he wanted to join.

“I’m really looking forward to working with Rod. He is a quick, strong and aggressive centre half, who can also read the game well.

“Rod is still fairly young and has great potential but still has experience at this level, having won promotion at Northampton.”