Sinclair: Ronald McDonald (Ronnie)

1986-1989 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Stirling: 19-11-1964

Debut v Blackburn Rovers (a): 23-08-1986

5’10” 11st 9lb (1987)

Sinclair was a Scottish Schoolboy International when he joined Nottingham Forest straight from school as an apprentice and signed professional forms in October 1982. He went on to gain Scottish Youth honours but was unable to break into the first-team at the City Ground. He was loaned to Wrexham in March 1984, figuring in eleven League games and playing in the Welsh Cup Final that year against Shrewsbury Town. He was also loaned to Derby County, in November 1984, Sheffield United, in August 1985 and Leeds in March 1986, but never played a League game for any of them. He was impressive at Leeds and was signed for a reported £10,000 in June 1986. Sinclair was deputy to Mervyn Day in his time at Leeds but his chances were few and in March 1987 he was loaned to Halifax Town for four games. He returned to Halifax once more in December 1988 for another brief loan spell in which he played ten League games and one other fixture. In September 1989 Sinclair moved to Bristol City on a free transfer and played forty-four League games in just under two seasons, together with five F.A. Cup ties, three League Cup ties and three other games. However, he lost his first team place and yet another loan period followed, this time at Walsall in September 1991, where he had ten League games and one other. He signed for Stoke City in November 1991 for £25,000 and it was there that he enjoyed his longest spell of first team football. He featured in the Potters’ 1992-93 Second Division Championship-winning team, before going on loan to Bradford City in August 1994. However, he then forced his way back into Stoke’s first team midway through that season and never played a first team game at Valley Parade. He was released by the Potters at the end of the 1995-96 season, after playing a total of eighty League appearances, two of which were as a substitute, and he also played four F.A. Cup, two League Cup and ten other games. He joined Chester City on a free transfer in August 1996. He had an outstanding season for them in 1996-97, conceding just forty-three goals. This saw Chester reach the play-off stages for promotion from Division Three before being eliminated by Swansea City at the semi-final stage. It also earned him the club's player of the year award for that season. In the following season he lost his first team status and was not retained at the end of the season. He made seventy-three League appearances, one in the F.A. Cup and three in the League Cup before leaving Chester in June 1998. He then had spells at Cardiff City and Stoke City without getting any League games. He later played with Non-League Leek Town and Witton Albion in 1999 and was goalkeeping coach at Stoke City. He finished his career at Stoke where he went on to become goalkeeping coach and later assistant academy manager. He joined Aston Villa as academy goalkeeping coach during the 2010-11 season, a position he still holds.