Outgoing Wick Academy midfielder Sam Mackay would have loved an opportunity to bid farewell to the Scorries supporters before hanging up his boots.
Mackay announced his retirement at the age of 31 at the weekend having spent the bulk of his career at Harmsworth Park, netting 141 goal in 349 appearances following his move from Deveronvale in 2009.
With the Highland League season ended prematurely due to the coronavirus outbreak, Mackay has now kicked his last ball for the Scorries, but he insists he would have appreciated a final bow in front of the supporters.
He said: “It was always going to be my decision this season – but it would have been nice to repay the fans for supporting me all those 11 years at Wick.
“With the closeness of the fans, and the players being local, it was just like a family club which I’ve had a good strong relationship with.
“It would have been nice to finish on a high with a home win, or maybe even a goal.
“I can’t complain though. I’ve had a great career.”
Golspie-born Mackay was on the books of Aberdeen as a schoolboy, and netted in a victory for Scotland schoolboys over Canada at Kynoch Park.
Mackay followed that up by netting a double for Scotland’s semi-professional team against Gibraltar at the four nations tournament in Wales in 2008.
Mackay is proud of his international recognition, adding: “Looking back, my biggest achievement was probably getting the cap for Scotland schoolboys.
“I scored for them as well as the Scotland semi-professional set up. I don’t know if anyone else has managed that.
“It’s a nice feat to have.
“I must give credit to a chap called Davie Macleod who brought me in when I was seven or eight.
“He was the coach for Golspie’s Aberdeen set up they had, and he invited me along. Ever since then, football has been in my life. Looking back I owe a great deal to him.”
Mackay’s Highland League career began in December 2004 when he was handed his debut for Brora Rangers as a 15-year-old in a 7-1 home defeat to Keith.
Mackay made the switch to Deveronvale in 2008, before moving to Wick 12 months later, and he added: “My debut was on a freezing cold night, back when Brora were fighting down at the bottom end of the table. We were less fortunate then they are now.
“Keith had a really strong team, they were winning titles.
“It was obviously a learning experience, but we kicked on from there.
“I spent a year at Deveronvale who had a fantastic team at the time. They were pushing for trophies, but unfortunately we didn’t win any trophies in the season I was down there.
“It was a really hard commitment to give to them, with all the travelling involved. It just wasn’t possible.
“Fortunately Wick were still interested in buying me, so I went up there and here I am.”