Roddy is happy to be returned as number one

Nov 13 2008 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

IN just a matter on months Roddy McKenzie went from the brink of part-time football to keeping goal at Celtic Park in front of 30,000 fans.

The veteran shotstopper is enjoying a second stint at Almondvale where is he currently keeping highly rated Frenchman Pierre Martini out of the side.

And McKenzie admits he never thought he’d have the chance to play at this level again due to his injury jinx.

“I was seriously looking at retiring due to the injuries I have suffered in recent years and the fact I’m getting older now,” revealed McKenzie.

“I wanted to be able to be sure I could play to the same standard and train as well as I used to.

“So going part-time was something I was seriously looking at as an option.

“However, since coming back to Livingston it has been great and I’ve had no trouble with any injuries.

“I’m loving it back at Almondvale and it is really great to be back. I had a lot of good times at Livingston and when the chance to return came around it was a big boost.

“Davie Hay spoke to me at the start of preseason and asked about my situation. He told me the club were looking to bring in a couple of goalkeepers and would I be interested in training with club.

“At the time I was training with Stranraer but I was delighted to come in and train and I was offered a deal.”

McKenzie was a firm favourite first time around with the Livi fans and he ensured his place in Almondvale folklore when he shut out a much fancied Hibs side in 2004 as Livi won the League Cup.

The 33-year-old started the season as back up to Pierre Martini and he enjoyed fleeting appearances in the cup but he has recently displaced the youngster as Livi number one.

McKenzie continued: I think they wanted someone with some experience to come in and help Pierre as he is still only 20 years of age

“Moving to a new country at a young age is a big upheaval but Pierre has performed really well and I’ve had to be patient to wait for a chance. But Pierre has been excellent for us and has a big future in the game.

“The manager said he would play me in the cup games and that has been my only chance as we have no reserve games.

“Training hard and playing bounce games are not the same as there is nothing like competing for that edge.”

Livingston’s early season form earned them a ticket to one of the grandest stages in Scottish football and a crack at SPL champs Celtic in the League Cup.

And McKenzie admitted to loving the chance to soak up an atmosphere he thought he may never have experienced again.

“Playing at Celtic Park was a brilliant experience,” he said.

“Chris Innes and myself were talking about it after the match and admitted we never thought we’d get the chance to play there again.

“Looking back to a year ago I would never have thought I’d have been playing at Celtic Park again. I enjoyed it and it was great to get the chance to pit our wits against a team like that.

“That’s the type of team we want to play all the time and hopefully we can earn the right to do that next season.

“Promotion is still our aim but we know we will have to dig in to do that. St Johnstone have picked up a great run of form after a bit of a shaky start while we have had a wee bit of a shaky spell of ourselves recently.

“We need to be able to finish teams off when we have them on the ropes and we have to be a wee bit more clinical.

“To go to a place like Airdrie and dominate as much as we did without winning the game is disappointing.

“But if we continue to play well we will win more games than we will lose.

“There is still a long, long way to go and the top four or five teams are packed together with just a few points between us.

“The team who goes on a run now and manages to beat the teams around them will be the one who wins the league.

“But everyone here at the club will be doing their best to make sure that is us and we get the big prize of a place in the SPL.”