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Roddy MacGregor ready for another play-off push with Inverness Caley Thistle


By Alasdair Fraser

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RODDY MacGregor knows the days are long gone when footballers could put the feet up for the summer and guzzle beers by the sun-kissed swimming pool.

19.11.2021 QoS v Inverness CT: Roddy MacGregor taken out in the box for a penalty by QoS defender Roberto Nditi
19.11.2021 QoS v Inverness CT: Roddy MacGregor taken out in the box for a penalty by QoS defender Roberto Nditi

Even by today’s standards, close season 2022 was brief to say the least.

Caley Thistle’s promotion near-miss meant just four weeks’ respite from the rigours of full-blown action and gruelling pre-season demands.

MacGregor, though, reckons the short window between May’s play-off heartache and preparations for the new campaign could really benefit the squad.

Determined to mount another tilt at promotion to the Premiership, MacGregor and the team’s core from last season will be ready to hit the ground running.

The young Highlander was one of a good number who suffered ill-fortune on the injury front last term, with a quad issue blowing a hole in what was shaping up as a wonderful season and then a hairline fracture to the jaw before the play-offs.

There is no legislating for such misfortune, but Billy Dodds’ side will certainly be in the best shape possible come the first match.

“There have been double sessions nearly every day and plenty of football-related running,” MacGregor said. “We’ve seen a lot of the ball, which is what you want for pre-season, but it has been tough.

“By getting as far as we did in the play-offs, we were always going to get less time off, but I actually don’t think that’s a bad thing. The boys have come back in great shape, with not much time to lose our fitness.

“We all enjoyed our time off and now we’re all ready to get cracking again. We’ve still got a really good, strong core of players from last year. We’re just looking to pick up where we left off and make a strong start.”

Four weeks was enough time to process the deep disappointment of losing the six-game play-off run at the final.

MacGregor, still only 20 but with more than 80 first team bows behind him, added: “The way it ended was massively disappointing. We started so well and that momentum carried us through the bad patch. Even before the play-offs, we hit fine form again before that final game. It’s behind us now and we’re just looking to go one better this season.”


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