Archie Macphee feels he is returning to Elgin City with unfinished business in the Black and Whites’ push for promotion to League One.
Defender Macphee last week rejoined City for a fourth spell, signing on loan from Formartine United until the end of the season.
During his first two stints at Borough Briggs, Macphee was involved in two unsuccessful tilts at the promotion play-offs in 2012 and 2016.
ARCHIE MACPHEE
We are delighted to announce Archie MacPhee has joined us on loan from Formartine for the remainder of the Season.
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) March 11, 2021
With Gavin Price’s men second in the table ahead of Saturday’s return to League Two action against Edinburgh City, with five points separating them from leaders Queen’s Park, Macphee feels there is a great opportunity to go third time lucky this time around.
Macphee said: “Hopefully we can either win the league or make the play-offs – the main aim is to get Elgin promoted.
“We just have to try and maintain what has already happened, and just try to get as many points on the board as we can from now until the end of the season.
“We are in a great position, and especially with the first two league games being at home, we will be looking to get off to a great start and set it up for a good remainder of the season.
“We were flying towards the end of last season. We were on course to get into the play-offs, we were hitting form at the right time before Covid came.
“There is definitely unfinished business there. Having got into the play-offs a couple of times in the past as well, hopefully this season is the time we can go even further.”
With the Highland League season having been on hold, Macphee has not played any football since last March when his last loan spell with Elgin was cut short due to Covid-19.
The versatile left-back has played two bounce games in recent days, with a 0-0 draw against his former club Forfar Athletic on Saturday followed by a 3-0 triumph away to Keith on Tuesday, in which Kane Hester, Angus Mailer and Owen Loveland netted.
Macphee, who turns 28 on Saturday, has no concerns over City’s hectic upcoming spell of games despite his lack of action.
He added: “It’s going to be a case of playing every Saturday and Tuesday. It’s not going to be easy, but we just have to prepare properly.
“We played Forfar and Keith, so I got two 90 minute outings and I felt good. I have kept myself fit pretty much every day since the season stopped last March, so I don’t think fitness is going to be an issue.
“We can only concentrate on each game as it comes. We just need to try and focus on trying to get the three points against Edinburgh City.”
Macphee has found himself out of the picture at Formartine, where his contract is up at the end of the season, however, he is putting any thoughts on his future on hold in the meantime.
Macphee added: “Hopefully I can settle in as well as I did last season.
“I’m just going to focus on now until the end of the season. That’s the main thing and I don’t want anything else to interrupt that.
“Elgin is a great club and I have huge respect for the manager and the assistant Keith Gibson.
“I know what the manager wants, I know his style of play and I already know the majority of boys here.
“It has made life a lot easier. It’s just about trying to implement what the manager does, and how he wants us to play.
“We will take it from now until the end of the season and I’m sure we will speak in the summer, when hopefully we are a league above.”