Bradford City signing and former Sheffield United, Burnley and Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald on never doubting himself after life-saving kidney surgery

For the Scot, the pressure of playing for a ‘sleeping giant’ in Bradford City is certainly all relative.

True pressure arrived just over two years ago when he underwent life-saving kidney surgery with his health taking precedence over his career.

Knowing that he would need a transplant one day is something that the midfielder, who previously played in Yorkshire with Sheffield United, had lived with since being diagnosed with IgA nephropathy - a chronic kidney disease that progressively gets worse - when he was 18.

He reached stage five of the disease in his early thirties; when one of his kidneys had stopped functioning, during his time at Fulham.

His elder brother Fraser offered to donate his organ and was approved as a match. It takes the phrase brotherly love onto another level.

McDonald's body initially rejected the new kidney and his stay in hospital was a prolonged one. It was a time when he had to isolate himself for several months during a tough recovery process. At the same time, his wife was also heavily pregnant.

He remained mentally strong and gradually built up his strength again. After being allowed to return to training at Fulham, the schemer - now a free agent - plotted a return to professional football.

Following short spells at Dundee United and Exeter, the 34-year-old now finds himself at Bradford. A two-year deal is not only testament to his qualities as a ball-playing midfielder of considerable repute, but also the way he has fought back.

McDonald told The Yorkshire Post: "As it always has been throughout my career, my health has always been number one. I still get regular checks on my kidney.

"I am here to do a job as a professional footballer, which I have always loved doing and I relish any sort of challenge in front of me and there's no better place and challenge than Bradford.

"In terms of making up for lost time, I don't want to think on that side of things. The most important thing was that I needed to be taken care of and hopefully it all continues to go well.

"In the short term, when I got back to playing, there were little hurdles each time. I went back out and proved myself in the SPL and then proved myself again in League One. I’ve never doubted myself as a footballer and myself as a person with my mentality and character.

"It was great to get back out there and I want to go out and enjoy it each week. That's always been the most important thing for me.

"It is one of those ones where I always felt in my head that I'd get back playing, even if I did not think too much about it at the time.

"At the time, isolating after the surgery itself had a damaging effect and the time when I was off my feet probably took more of a toll than I'd have ever imagined.

"I saw my Fulham contract out to do some coaching with the under-18s and under-23s and we had one eye on me maybe not potentially playing.

"But the sole goal, if it was physically possible, was to play again."

After training with Huddersfield Town last December, McDonald linked up with Bradford in January. Events then conspired that he would join Exeter in the second half of last season, but City maintained their interest and now the 34-year-old finds himself back in Yorkshire, chasing the fifth promotion of his career in England.

McDonald, who has previously enjoyed success with Fulham, Wolves and Burnley, continued: "I was in for a brief period and there were a couple of complications and I moved on. There was a contract of offer from Bradford but there were just one or two things and that's how football works at the end of the day.

"There might have always been a possibility (of coming back). But it was one of those ones where you thought the chance might have gone. I went up to League One and did well. Maybe it happens again, maybe it doesn't and we had to see what comes out in the summer. That's how the situation was.

"What appeals to me is wanting to play for winning teams.

"It is something that probably enticed me more (to Bradford) because there is a bit of an added pressure where you need to turn up and win each week. Who wouldn't want to be involved in something like that. It's a huge appeal.

"It's how it should be as a player and it's a sleeping giant. There's a goal that has been there for a few years and it makes no difference when new players come in - it’s promotion."