Speaker - Alan Donaldson

Alan Donaldson, former PE teacher reminisced about his very impressive career in water polo. In 1968 while a decent swimmer with Carnegie ASC and although sports daft, he said that he was unaware of the sport of water polo. 

In 1972 his swimming career stalled, in 1973 entered East District Junior U16 league with the likes of Portobello, Warrender, Daniel Stewart’s College and Leith.  In 1976 Alan had trials for Scottish U18s. It was then that he realised he had to take the sport seriously. He had to attend training camps in Aberdeen and weekend training at Olympia Centre, Dundee.

Between 1977 and 1979 Alan represented Scotland at U21 level winning the Five Nations v Belgium, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. His first men’s contests were against Navy and Army teams. 

While attending Jordanhill College, Alan played in the West District League. In 1980 played at Hamilton, becoming the first Scottish team to win the Junior ASA Cup. He won his first senior cap in 1980 and his first major event with a crowd was in Malta.

Then 1982 the Dunfermline Water Polo club was founded. The team was built around the four Campbell brothers and Alan and his brother John Donaldson. Dunfermline travelled to play in Malta and in Tenerife. They learned from those events that the need to be fitter and training was extended.

Achievements with Dunfermline WP club.
1984 won first Scottish League
1991 & 1992 won ASA Cup (British title)
1991 ECWC in Budapest played Catalinya, Moscow Dynamo and Ferencvaros
1992 ECWC won v German side, Hagen 

International achievements

Won in Zurich in 1989 and in 1990 in Oslo with 6 Dunfermline players in the Scottish team. In 1985 selected for GB team at European B championships in Sofia.  In 1994 retired International and in 2002 retired from club water polo. Alan coached from 1994 to 2009, took a break between 2009 to 2023, but now currently coaching Women’s Development teams and Seniors at Dunfermline Water Polo club.

Women were first included in Olympics in 2000 when Australia, the host country won defeating USA in the final.

Current Olympic champions:- Men: Serbia, Women: Spain

The club’s vote of thanks was given by PP Brian Mitchell.