NI's McDonald honoured with QPR plane

Published Wednesday, 18 July 2012

The late Northern Ireland footballing legend Alan McDonald has been honoured by his former club, Queens Park Rangers, less than a month after his sudden death at the age of 48.

The plane has been named after Alan McDonald. (© QPR)

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QPR striker Jay Bothroyd tweeted: “Where’s our plane? This must be it!!”

Bothroyd added that it was a tribute to a

Ian Taylor from QPR’s media team tweeted: “The attention to detail inside the Alan McDonald plane is something else.”

The Belfast man, who was both a Northern Ireland and QPR captain before turning to coaching, collapsed while playing golf last month.

In Kuala Lumpar on Wednesday, QPR chairman Tony Fernandes - who is also CEO of airline AirAsia - unveiled a specially commissioned Airbus A320 named after Alan McDonald.

The team, who are currently on a pre-season tour of Asia, were there to see the plane which has been painted in the club's colours and features a number 5 McDonald shirt on the side.

The interior also features details about McDonald's 17-year history with the club.

Fernandes said the plane was a tribute to "a true QPR legend".

McDonald is fondly remembered as one of the few people who have had the chance to play for Northern Ireland in a World Cup, having featured in their 1986 campaign in Mexico.

Stars from across the world of football, past and present, added their tributes to the former player in the wake of his tragic death.