The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Raith goalie’s clean sheet bid as new baby welcomed to family
Raith Rovers goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald is ready for the routine of sleepless nights and wailing wake-up calls after welcoming baby Caoimhe to the family.
But the doting dad will happily fight fatigue as Rovers seek to enhance their burgeoning title hopes when they play host to Kilmarnock today.
MacDonald’s wife Roxzannah gave birth to a daughter in the early hours of Tuesday – a fourth child for the couple.
The experienced goalkeeper actually missed Rovers’ SPFL Trust Trophy win at Inverness due to Caoimhe’s impending arrival.
His subsequent outing at Arbroath was a nervous one – and not for footballing reasons.
“My wife’s due date was the Monday before the Inverness game so it was too far to travel in case anything did happen,” MacDonald told Courier Sport. “It would have been too risky.
“Even last weekend, I was constantly checking the phone thinking, ‘is this phone-call coming?’ It was definitely in the back of my mind. If it wasn’t so wet, I might have taken my mobile into the goals.”
With Caoimhe now four days old, Jamie and Roxzannah are on cloud nine and ready for the challenges of balancing work and home life.
“I’m well-versed in that now,” said MacDonald.
“You take the sleep where you can get it and enjoy the good times. Plenty of coffee is key.
“It’s more difficult for my wife, I have to say. I still get to disappear to training and play on a Saturday. That gets me out of the house while she’s dealing with everything.”
Suffice to say the events of this week have taken MacDonald’s mind off a crucial Championship showdown against Killie.
Indeed, he believes starting a family a decade ago has afforded him an invaluable sense of perspective as he continues to thrive in the autumn of his career at Stark’s Park.
“I felt a huge difference when our first daughter Darragh arrived. That was 10 years ago and you immediately feel a change.
“I used to be wrapped up in the football and so analytical. Maybe too much. I would think about it 24/7 and it becomes a bit obsessive.
“It’s important to not think about football sometimes. It’s important to get away from it and concentrate on other things.
“Speaking for myself, I feel more relaxed and grounded now. When I’m at football, everything is 100% commitment and focus. But away from that, there’s a big world out there.”
Rovers sit second in the Championship, one point ahead of Killie, who they beat 3-1 at Rugby Park in October, and are defending a 14-game unbeaten run.
“That win at Rugby Park has probably set us up for where we are right now,” added MacDonald.