Ambitions burn for Clachnacuddin goalkeeper to return to full time football
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MARTIN MacKinnon would be doing his own talent a disservice if ambitions stretched no further than Clach’s Grant Street Park.
The desire for a full-time career in football still burns strongly for the 21-year-old.
None of that detracts from the fact that the young Lilywhites goalkeeper is loving life with the Merkinch club – and eager to play a big part in their revival.
MacKinnon, still only 21, had the chance to stay at Caley Thistle last summer but a hunger for first team football saw him knock back the chance.
After initially signing a short-term deal with the Lilywhites, that short stint became a year’s contract and then, last weekend, an extended deal through to summer 2023.
MacKinnon wants to re-ignite his full-time career at some stage in the future, but is more than happy to be at Clach for now.
“The manager Jordan MacDonald has been fantastic with me. He’s always honest and tells me if I do something wrong, praises me when I do stuff right,” Fort William-based MacKinnon said.
“He’s the perfect manager and there’s a huge amount of potential in the squad we have at Clach. We have a couple of more senior boys, which we need, and we have young boys who are only going to get better.
“When the manager came in, he outlined the style of play he wanted and he’s stuck to that. The team has put it into action. It doesn’t work every week, but we’re trying to improve.
“At Clach, they have a clear vision of where they want to go, so it’s good.”
The young keeper, preparing for the visit of Formartine on Saturday, had no hesitation in penning the new contract and added: “They got in touch a few weeks ago to speak to me about extending that further.
“I’m loving it at Clach, so I accepted. I’ve played most of the games.
“I’m still ambitious to make a full-time career in the game – that has always been the plan – but I know I need to play well for Clach and keep improving.
“Then you just never know what might come along.”
MacKinnon benefitted from good years of tutelage from Caley Thistle goalkeeping coach Ryan Esson and added: “I’m still in touch with Ess from time to time. He was brilliant for me, especially through injuries. It was tough in some ways to leave Caley Thistle, but I needed to get out and play.”
