Sean Mackie lifts trophy after ‘hellish’ period with injuries

The defender rejoined Raith Rovers in the middle of February and was at the heart of the Kirkcaldy side’s victory over Queen of the South earlier this month.

A double from Matej Poplatnik and a strike from Ethan Ross helped Raith to a 3-1 triumph and to win the competition for the second time in three years.

Mackie played the full 90 minutes for just the eighth time since the beginning of 2020 after a number of troublesome injuries.

Victory also meant that little bit more for Mackie, who began his career with Raith.

He said: “I am just enjoying it and I know a lot of boys here.

“Coming back, it is good to be back playing football again where it all started.

“It’s being back at home again.

“It is good and I am really enjoying it at Raith.

Sean Mackie was part of the Raith Rovers team that defeated Queen of the South to lift the SPFL Trust Trophy. Picture: Jim Foy

“It has been a long time since I played 90 minutes.

“It has been hellish.

“I have been injured a number of times with my ankle and heel problems.

“You try to get over that and if it is not one thing then it is another.

“Playing football without feeling anything, I had trained with Hibs for a couple of months and felt fine, no issues.

“I needed to get on the pitch and just enjoy football without injuries – touch wood – and winning that final makes it a wee bit better; a bit of a reward at the end of it and a bit of positivity.”

Mackie, who lives in Elphinstone, made his debut at Stark’s Park for Raith Rovers against Alloa as a 16-year-old in August 2015.

That would be his only appearance for the Fife first team before he was snapped up by Hibernian.

Sean Mackie celebrates Raith Rovers' triumph in the SPFL Trust Trophy. Picture: Cameron Goodsir-Maguire

But injuries have limited his appearances since then, and he has had loan spells at Berwick Rangers, Edinburgh City and Dundee.

He completed a temporary move back to Raith ahead of the club’s Scottish Cup clash with Celtic and has started and finished four games.

Last Sunday’s cup triumph even saw him claim an assist when he raced onto Poplatnik’s pass before cutting the ball back to Ross to slot home.

Mackie, 23, said that lifting the cup was up there as one of the highlights of his career so far.

He said: “I have played a few games against the Old Firm and in Edinburgh derbies.

“They are good experiences but winning trophies is definitely up there.”

The former Ross High School pupil’s contract with the Easter Road side is up in the summer and Mackie told Courier Sport he was unsure what the future held.

However, for the moment, he was simply happy to be back playing football and hopefully helping Raith into a play-off spot for a chance to gain promotion to the Premiership.

He said: “The past couple of seasons have been the same old story – training, grafting, trying to get fit and no reward at the end of the week.”