Mackie deserves a Dons tribute

Jimmy’s praise for striker

 

Published: 28/01/2009

 

JIMMY Calderwood wants Darren Mackie to sign a new Dons deal and be rewarded with a Pittodrie testimonial.

 

The Dons boss insists if Mackie stays in Aberdeen, he should be hailed for giving more than 10 years’ service.

 

Mackie is out of contract in the summer and could leave the Reds for nothing.

 

However, Calderwood is hopeful the 27-year-old will soon put pen to paper and commit to the club.

 

If he does, the Aberdeen manager believes Mackie deserves a tribute.

 

Calderwood said: “If Darren signs this new contract he will have been at the club for more than 10 years.

 

“I would think he’s due a testimonial as well, which says a lot about the character of the lad.

 

“He is Aberdeen through and through.

 

“He loves the club and if he wasn’t a football player here, he’d be supporting the team.

 

“He trains hard and just gets on with things.

 

“Darren is living the dream because he’s an Aberdeen fan.

 

“It’s brilliant for him and he thoroughly deserves it.â€

 

Mackie is often criticised for his lack of goals. The speedy attacker has just 58 strikes to his name following his top team debut in 1999.

 

But Calderwood is still surprised by the level of negative comments directed at Mackie.

 

The Dons boss points out that Mackie has scored several crucial goals for the club – most notably in Dnipro.

 

Calderwood said: “Darren is an absolute gem and it amazes me the amount of stick he gets.

 

“He’s had bad games, don’t get me wrong.

 

“But then we won a wonderful game in Dnipro.

 

“We wouldn’t have won it if it wasn’t for Darren Mackie.

 

“I don’t think people should forget that.

 

“I knew if Darren was fit we had a great chance of winning a game against a very good team.â€

 

Mackie’s dramatic diving header against Dnipro saw Aberdeen emerge from the Ukraine with a 1-1 draw.

 

Following a goalless first leg, that away goal was enough to take the Dons into the lucrative UEFA Cup group stages.

 

Mackie cruelly missed those games through injury, but returned for the last-32 glamour tie with German giants Bayern Munich.

 

This season Mackie has gone on to form a potent partnership with Lee Miller.

 

But for the last three games, the Kemnay striker has been stationed on the right of midfield.

 

Calderwood’s change in tactics helped the Dons to wins against Kilmarnock and Celtic, followed by last Saturday’s home draw with Rangers.

 

The Reds manager believes Mackie is a valuable addition to his side as a winger.

 

Calderwood said: “I played Darren wide in midfield because he does a great job for us in that situation.

 

“Tactically he is very aware, so it’s always an option.

 

“He has the pace and fitness levels to get up and down the park all day long.â€

 

But despite adapting well to his new role, Mackie is likely to be used as a striker again.

 

Calderwood believes that is his strongest role, where he is an ideal foil for hitman Miller.

 

Calderwood said: “Obviously, Darren’s best position is upfront.

 

“Darren and Lee are a formidable partnership when they are together.

 

“There is strength and pace up there.

 

“They also read each other well.â€

 

With Mackie out wide, Sone Aluko was charged with partnering the in-form Miller and Calderwood reckons the former Birmingham City player brings a new dimension to his forward line.

 

The Dons boss said: “Sone lacks Darren’s strength, but he definitely has the same kind of pace.

 

“He also has a few more tricks than Darren, and that asks questions of other defenders.â€

You mean the new stadium isn't close to completion yet?

You mean the new stadium isn't close to completion yet?

 

Always first in with the negative jibes eh ? Can you not just say one positive thing, huh ? Well ? What about it ? 

Seriously?  He's credited as being a major part in the development of McLeish, Miller, Hewitt, Simpson, Cooper and Black. He also had a major hand in the coaching of Brian Grant, David Robertson, Eoin Jess and Scott Booth.

He was the one that suggested Willie Miller be moved from the striker role to defence.

 

 

But apart from Mcleish, Miller, Hewitt Simpson, Cooper and Black, Brian Grant, David Robertson, Eoin Jess and Scott Booth  what has Teddy Scott ever done for us???

He was the one that suggested Willie Miller be moved from the striker role to defence.

 

 

But apart from Mcleish, Miller, Hewitt Simpson, Cooper and Black, Brian Grant, David Robertson, Eoin Jess and Scott Booth  what has Teddy Scott ever done for us???

 

Once played for us, and has coached our youth team, our reserves, our first team, been our kit man, our main scout, and was so good at his job that Alex Ferguson promised to come back and play a testimonial for him.

 

As an aside to your Willie Miller story, and obviously not as major a call, but Brian Grant had broken his leg not long after signing for us, an when he came back to play Teddy Scott thought he needed "a bit of a change" so played him up front for the reserves. He scored something like 9 in 6, and he got promoted to the first team as a midfielder/striker and was in and about the first team ever after. And look how good a player he was for us? Fucking brilliant.

Once played for us, and has coached our youth team, our reserves, our first team, been our kit man, our main scout, and was so good at his job that Alex Ferguson promised to come back and play a testimonial for him.

 

As an aside to your Willie Miller story, and obviously not as major a call, but Brian Grant had broken his leg not long after signing for us, an when he came back to play Teddy Scott thought he needed "a bit of a change" so played him up front for the reserves. He scored something like 9 in 6, and he got promoted to the first team as a midfielder/striker and was in and about the first team ever after. And look how good a player he was for us? Fucking brilliant.

 

When he was still  at the club he was the 1st person ex players who came back to play against us went to visit. And for Fergie to bring a strong Man Utd side to his testimonial shows how much Fergie thought of him.

 

 

Been to a few testimonials over the years when in my youth thinking great player loyal to club etc deserves it

but as time passes and you get older than the players you watch you realise how much they earn a week ,

most of them set for life and then asked to give them more money BOLLOCKS to that . Mackie is an average football

player who is in the comfort zone living his dream playing for his home team good luck to him but i will not be lining his

pockets with more gold no thanks p.s been with same building company for 10 yrs in aug wonder what ill get?

The 'Red Army' still is No.12

 

As for Mackie, he's been at Pittodrie as long as I have! I doubt i'd recegnise a squad list without his name on it. He definately deserves one, and i'll be there, even if it's against Locos on a rainy Monday night in Inverurie. He's never been the greatest player, but his head & heart are both in the right place, and how many else can say that in out starting XI??

hope my head and heart is in the right place wait till i check oh i there there used  to be fit playin fitba could run aboot doin fuck all like mackie not scorin goals like mackie

p.s been with same building company for 10 yrs in aug wonder what ill get?

 

The sack if you are as bad as Mackie

Admire his workrate  but his job is to score goals

 

Admire his workrate  but his job is to score goals

 

 

Better scoring record than Miller?

I wouldnt go to a darren mackie testimonial if you actually paid me to go,yes he did score the winning goal in dnipro but thats what he is PAID to do.

 

I seriously cant understand the guys that come on here and back him up,are you watching the games?

 

Are you watching the terrible first touch

Are you watching the ratio of missed chance compared to goals? ie. last min against rangers and yesterday against falkirk

 

No you guys are watching the loser run,YEAH he can run about like a headless chicken but so can my 5 year old nephew.

 

MACKIE AND FOSTER OUT NOW

 

You wouldn't go. Got it.

How long til someone posts a link to the Dnipro diving header...?

 

Go on yerself Daz... etc and so on and so forth...

 

 

 

How long til someone posts a link to the Dnipro diving header...?

 

Go on yerself Daz... etc and so on and so forth...

 

...waits for kow to log on...

...waits for kow to log on...

 

Give us a chance, I was offshore