On 27 January 2015, Championship club Blackpool upped an initial offer of £50,000 for O'Donnell to £125,000.[11] This offer was accepted by Partick Thistle; however, O'Donnell rejected the personal terms on offer at Blackpool in favour of seeing out the remaining six months of his contract.[12] He left Partick Thistle upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2014–15 season,[13] having made 139 appearances for the club.[9]
Luton Town
On 22 June 2015, O'Donnell signed a two-year contract with League Two club Luton Town.[13] He made his Luton debut in a 3–1 win at home to newly promoted Championship club Bristol City in the League Cup on 11 August.[14] O'Donnell's first goal for the club was a 90th-minute winner in a 2–1 win at home to Leyton Orient in the Football League Trophy on 1 September.[15] He finished the 2015–16 season with 33 appearances and one goal.[16] O'Donnell netted his second Luton goal in 2016–17 from a 25-yard shot in a 1–1 draw at home to Yeovil Town on 13 August 2016.[17]
However, a loss of form saw O'Donnell lose his place in the team to academy graduate James Justin after a 2–0 defeat away to Crawley Town on 17 September.[18] He regained his place in the team to make his first league start in five matches after Justin suffered a calf injury in the warm up before Luton's 2–1 win away to Leyton Orient on 15 October.[19] O'Donnell lost his place once more when Justin returned from injury for Luton's 3–1 win away to Exeter City in the FA Cup on 5 November, but a half-time substitute appearance in the next round at home to National League club Solihull Moors on 3 December saw him score twice as Luton overturned a 2–0 deficit to win 6–2.[20] He was then recalled to the starting lineup by manager Nathan Jones for the subsequent league match at home to Carlisle United, which resulted in a 1–1 draw.[21] O'Donnell was released when his contract expired at the end of 2016–17.[22]
Kilmarnock
O'Donnell signed a three-year contract with Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock on 4 July 2017.[23] O'Donnell performed well following the appointment of Steve Clarke as Kilmarnock manager, and he was selected for the Scotland squad in May 2018. Kilmarnock offered O'Donnell a new three-year contract in August 2019, but he opted to evaluate his contract situation at the end of the season.[24] During January 2020 Oxford United made an offer for O'Donnell,[25] but a deal was not completed before the closure of the transfer window. He rejected a new contract with Kilmarnock at the end of the 2019–20 season.[26]
Motherwell
On 13 August 2020, Motherwell announced the signing of O'Donnell on a contract until the next transfer window.[27] On 1 February 2021, he agreed a new contract with Motherwell until the end of the season.[28] On 13 April 2021, O'Donnell signed a new two-year contract with Motherwell, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2023.[29]
International career
O'Donnell made one appearance for the Scotland under-21 team in February 2013.[30] He received his first call-up to the Scotland national team in May 2018, for friendly matches against Peru and Mexico.[31] O'Donnell made his full Scotland debut on 29 May 2018, in a 2–0 defeat to Peru.[32] He retained his place in the squad for the matches in September 2018, and "excelled" in the 2–0 win against Albania on 10 September.[33]
O'Donnell was selected in the Scotland squad for UEFA Euro 2020 and played in all three of their matches at the tournament.[34] His performance in the opening game against the Czech Republic was criticised, but was then praised after the goalless draw against England in the second match.[34] In September 2021 he gained his 23rd cap overall and 12th as a Motherwell player in a 1–0 away win over Austria during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification;[35] as well as being praised for aspects of his performance against the highly regarded David Alaba, he also equalled a long-standing Motherwell club caps record set by George Stevenson in the 1930s.[36]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 30 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition