Donald Ford

Having previously played with Vale of Avon, Ford was signed for Heart of Midlothian from junior side Bo'ness United in 1964 by Tommy Walker. Ford quickly made the adjustment to top flight football, playing seven times in his first full season in Gorgie, as Hearts lost the 1964–65 League title to Kilmarnock on goal average. At this stage, Ford was still playing as an amateur, combining football with studies in chartered accountancy. This affected his footballing development and Ford's appearances over the following seasons were sporadic. Upon completion of his final accountancy exams in 1967, Ford signed professional terms and became an integral part of the Hearts first team. He played over 30 times in each of the following eight seasons before eventually transferring to Falkirk in 1976 at the age of 32. A serious knee injury forced him into retirement the following year. Ford was capped three times for the Scotland national team, making his debut against Czechoslovakia in 1973. He had previously played 9 times for the Scotland national amateur team. He was selected in the squad for the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany but did not make an appearance. Ford's international recognition was especially notable as his career coincided with a gradual decline in Hearts' playing fortunes. Despite Ford striking up a successful front pairing with Drew Busby, the side struggled to match the standards set in the 1950s and early 60s. His only honours were runners-up medals: for the…

Ford was an all-round sportsman and, as well as playing professional football, he was also a competent cricketer. During his footballing years, he regularly played for the West Lothian County side during the summer off-season. Ford's cricket career outlasted his footballing one, and so he was able to devote more time to it in his veteran years, captaining West Lothian for three seasons in his mid-thirties. His undoubted cricketing highlight was selection in the first Scotland squad for the Benson & Hedges Cup, in 1980.

His father, Alexander, and brother, Malcolm, both played first-class cricket for Scotland.