MacDonald reaping benefits of decade-long ‘apprenticeship’

Jamie MacDonald believes he may have served the longest apprenticeship in football before eventually securing the No 1 jersey at Hearts.

The 25-year-old joined the club in 2003 but, before making his debut, he was farmed out to Queen of the South for 18 months, a move which brought a Scottish Cup final appearance in 2008 along with much-needed experience.

He returned to Gorgie that summer and made his Jambos debut at Ibrox at the start of the season, but subsequently struggled to oust Janos Balogh and Marian Kello.

When Kello was frozen out after refusing a move to Austria Vienna in January, MacDonald was given an extended run and with the Slovak leaving the club yesterday, and Balogh already away, the former Scotland under-21 player looks set to keep the jersey.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Dunfermline at East End Park, MacDonald reflected on his career to date.

“It’s probably the longest apprenticeship going – about ten years – but finally I’m playing,” he said. “But it’s been great. To play for Queen of the South for a year and a half was fantastic and I was fortunate we got to a Scottish Cup final.

“But there were times over the last couple of years when I thought: ‘Is it ever going to happen?’ It got to the stage where I thought I might have to look for pastures new just to get games. You want to play and being a goalkeeper you don’t get a 20-minute run-out.”

A win for Hearts tomorrow could put a nail in the coffin of struggling Dunfermline, who are six points behind second-bottom Hibs.

MacDonald takes no pleasure in the difficulties Dunfermline goalkeeper Chris Smith has had after taking over from injured Paul Gallacher at the end of last year.

He said: “You don’t want to see any goalkeeper make a mistake because we all make them, I make them myself, and it is something you have to deal with.

“I know Chris very well. I was at Scotland under-21s with him and I know his position, coming in from the cold. The problem now is there is no reserve football. You don’t play games, but you are expected to come in and be top performer straight away and it is difficult.

“He had a couple of bad games at the start but he has been fantastic recently.

“When I first came back in to the team I struggled a bit but I have felt a lot better recently. For a goalkeeper, it is all about confidence.”