Raith keeper inspired by top-level veterans signs for another year

Jamie MacDonald insists he could wish for no better role models than Craig Gordon and Allan McGregor after he penned a new deal with Raith Rovers.

The 35-year-old would have been out of contract at the end of the current season but has committed himself to the Stark’s Park club for a further year.

The former Hearts and Kilmarnock goalkeeper will be 37 by the time his new agreement expires in 2023 and admits he has started thinking about life after football.

But the former Scotland under-21 cap is determined to play on for as long as possible and believes 38-year-old Gordon at Hearts and 39-year-old McGregor at Rangers are proving to him age is no barrier between the sticks.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my year at Raith so far, working with the gaffer and the boys. It’s been brilliant, and the style of football plays a big part in that.

“It’s nice to be able to extend my career by another year again. It takes me up to the age of 37. I still feel good and hopefully I can play even longer.

“But, first and foremost, it just gives me that wee bit of security to go and enjoy my football for another couple of years.

“There’s two unbelievable examples for me in the Scottish game right now in Craig Gordon and Allan McGregor. The level they’re still playing at – if that’s not an inspiration for everybody I don’t know what is.

“That gives me great hope, watching those two, and they’re still performing. They were their clubs’ players of the year last season and, for myself, that’s something I want to emulate and to play on for as long as they can.”

Meanwhile, MacDonald admits Raith have been left frustrated for the second week in a row following the postponement of today’s Championship meeting with Ayr United because of coronavirus.

It comes a week on from the Fife derby with Dunfermline, which had to be abandoned because of an electrical fault at Stark’s Park last Friday.

But, with Raith suffering their own Covid-19 outbreak last season, MacDonald believes Scottish football should brace itself for more issues with the pandemic in the coming weeks and months.

He added: “Last Friday night was disappointing and we’ve got another disappointment this weekend, with the Ayr game being called off.

“I suppose it’s just a little reminder for everyone that Covid’s still there and we still need to keep taking precautions.

“You’ll probably find there’ll be more stopstarts for the next little while. That’s just the world we live in, I’m afraid.”

Jamie MacDonald is staying at Stark’s Park.