{{short description|Scottish footballer (born 1982)}} {{Use British English|date=June 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Darren Mackie | image = Mackie, Darren.jpg | caption = Mackie in 2010 | full_name = Darren Graham Mackie<ref name="SFReview 16">{{Cite book | title = The Bell's Scottish Football Review 2005.06 | year = 2005 | publisher = Cre8 Publishing | isbn = 978-0-95485-561-1 | page = 16 }}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1982|1|5}}<ref name="SFReview 16"/> | birth_place = Inverurie, Scotland | height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}<ref name="SFReview 16"/> | position = Striker | currentclub = | years1 = 1998–2012 | clubs1 = Aberdeen | caps1 = 313 | goals1 = 58 | years2 = 2004 | clubs2 = → Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan) | caps2 = 6 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2012–2013 | clubs3 = Phoenix | caps3 = 10 | goals3 = 5 | club-update = 28 July 2013 | years4 = 2013–2016 | clubs4 = Turriff United | caps4 = 87 | goals4 = 32 | years5 = 2016–2017 | clubs5 = Inverurie Locos | caps5 = 54 | goals5 = 32 | totalcaps = 470 | totalgoals = 127 | nationalyears1 = 2007 | nationalteam1 = Scotland B | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }} '''Darren Graham Mackie''' (born 5 January 1982) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a striker for Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League between 1998 and 2012, with a loan spell at Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2004.
Though he was never a prolific goalscorer throughout his career, Mackie is regarded as a cult hero among Aberdeen fans due to his off-field antics and scoring the goal that took ''the Dons'' into the UEFA Cup group stages in 2007.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Keiran |date=2022-05-13 |title=Darren Mackie the Aberdeen cult hero loved by many for his antics |url=https://www.aberdeenlive.news/sport/looking-back-darren-mackie-aberdeen-7074335 |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Aberdeen Live |language=en}}</ref>
==Club career== ===Aberdeen=== Mackie was born in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. A product of the Aberdeen Aberdeen youth system, he started his professional career with the club's senior team in 1998.
====Inverness CT (loan)==== In January 2004, Mackie moved on loan to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/3377491.stm |title=Mackie joins Caley Thistle |publisher=BBC |date=7 January 2004 |access-date=22 June 2011}}</ref> He made six league appearances for Inverness, but failed to score a goal and returned to Aberdeen at the end of the season.
====Return to Aberdeen==== He scored 15 goals for Aberdeen in the 2004–05 season – including twelve in the league – which helped his team to a fourth-place finish, but they just missed out on UEFA Cup qualification. On 22 August 2006, Mackie missed a decisive penalty in a shock 5–3 penalty shootout league cup defeat to Third Division side Queen's Park.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/5271286.stm Queen's Park 0–0 Aberdeen (5–3 pen)] BBC Sport. 22 August 2006.</ref> He finished the 2006–07 season with 13 league goals, including one very bizarre one in a match against Kilmarnock on 28 April 2007. Kilmarnock goalkeeper Alan Combe attempted to throw the ball to one of his teammates, but Mackie, who was walking away from goal, was instead hit on the back of his head by Combe's throw and the ball rebounded over the helpless keeper into the net.<ref>[http://www.afcheritage.org/matches/fixtures/mreport.cfm?fixture_id=4820&season=2006-07&squad=Senior "Aberdeen 3–0 Kilmarnock"] Aberdeen FC website. 24 April 2007</ref>
Aberdeen finished third in the SPL in the 2006–07 season and therefore qualified for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup first round, where they faced Ukrainian club Dnipro. The first leg of the tie on 20 September 2007 at Pittodrie ended goalless,<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/7002775.stm "Aberdeen 0–0 Dnipro"] BBC Sport. 20 September 2007</ref> but in the second-leg, Mackie netted the opening goal, his 50th goal for Aberdeen. He headed in from close range after a pinpoint cross by Ricky Foster. The match ended 1–1 with Andriy Vorobey scoring the equaliser for Dnipro,<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/7019712.stm "Dnipro 1–1 Aberdeen"] BBC Sport. 4 October 2007.</ref> but Mackie's strike ensured Aberdeen's progress to the group stages of the tournament on away goals and secured a substantial financial windfall for the club. Mackie also scored the only goal of the game against Celtic at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay on 18 March 2008.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/7301203.stm "Celtic 0–1 Aberdeen"] BBC Sport. 18 March 2008.</ref>
Mackie scored his 50th league goal for Aberdeen on 20 December 2008 in an SPL match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the Caledonian Stadium and signed a new three-year contract with ''the Dons'' in February 2009.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Daily Record|title=Darren Mackie nets new Dons deal|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/aberdeen/2009/02/09/darren-mackie-nets-new-dons-deal-86908-21110647/|date=9 February 2009|access-date=4 May 2009}}</ref>
On 19 July 2011, Aberdeen played La Liga side Villarreal at Pittodrie in a testimonial match to mark Mackie's thirteen years with the club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/20110617/darren-mackie-testimonial-match_2212158_2378135 |title=Darren Mackie Testimonial Match |publisher=Aberdeen Football Club |date=17 June 2011 |access-date=22 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623155419/http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/20110617/darren-mackie-testimonial-match_2212158_2378135 |archive-date=23 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The match ended 1–0 to Villarreal, with striker Giuseppe Rossi scoring the only goal after 53 minutes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14215906 |title=Aberdeen lose Darren Mackie match against Villarreal |publisher=BBC Sport |date=20 July 2011 |access-date=20 July 2011}}</ref> Near the end of the 2011–12 season, Mackie was advised that his contract with Aberdeen would not be extended.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/17843943|title=Aberdeen striker Darren Mackie among six to exit|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 April 2012|access-date=25 April 2012}}</ref> Mackie played his last game for Aberdeen in a goalless draw against St Mirren on 12 May.
===Phoenix FC=== On 27 September 2012, Mackie signed a one-year contract with Phoenix FC of the USL Pro.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/OdeenDomingoFC/172465|title=Phoenix FC officially signs first player, Scottish former Premier League forward, according to sources|work=Odeen Domingo|publisher=The Arizona Republic|date=27 September 2012|access-date=27 September 2012}}</ref> He was sidelined with a groin injury in the early part of the season, which limited his playing time. His contract was not renewed and he returned to Scotland after the season ended.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/3365239 |title=Aberdeen FC favourite Darren Mackie to head home after frustrating spell at Phoenix FC |work=eveningexpress.co.uk|date=23 August 2013 |access-date=26 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020191958/http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/3365239 |archive-date=20 October 2013 }}</ref>
===Turriff United=== After leaving Phoenix, Mackie returned to Scottish football with Turriff United in 2013,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mackie makes Turriff debut {{!}} SPFL |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/mackie-makes-turriff-debut |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=spfl.co.uk}}</ref> spending three seasons at the club. His spell playing for the Highland League outfit was again blighted by injuries, including a 12-month lay-off following a knee ligament injury in a game against Fraserburgh.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-01 |title=Turriff United's Mackie ruled out for 12 months |url=https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/sport/turriff-uniteds-mackie-ruled-out-for-12-months-164233/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Grampian Online |language=en}}</ref>
===Inverurie Loco Works=== Mackie was announced as a player-coach at Inverurie Loco Works as of 1 September 2016.<ref>[https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/aberdeen-fc/mackie-locos-dons-aberdeen-inverurie/ Former Aberdeen Man Darren Mackie Signs for Inverurie Locos]‚eveningexpress.co.uk, 31 August 2016</ref> In late 2016, Mackie took temporary charge of Inverurie following the resignation of the club's manager, Scott Buchan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Dave |date=2016-12-22 |title=Family first as manager Buchan quits Inverurie Locos |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/1122037/family-first-as-manager-buchan-quits-inverurie/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Press and Journal |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In June 2017, the club announced on social media that Mackie was leaving both roles at Inverurie Loco Works, citing business commitments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 June 2017 |title=Inverurie Loco Works FC - Official Facebook Site |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/inverurielocoworks/posts/pfbid026BSCTsGDyPBbM7ngZYrbNb5HmRprjMNB3HTYPV1Wr5dVWsqGh6vMKjPSePXJ9zdBl?rdid=k0mWzjAgola07P59# |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref>
Shortly after leaving ''the Locos'', Mackie retired as a player.<ref name=":0" />
==International career== On 30 January 2007, Alex McLeish named Mackie in the Scotland B team to play Finland B at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock on 7 February.<ref name="BBC6313333">{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/6313333.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Gow & McGregor given Scots chance|date=30 January 2007|access-date=4 September 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandb/player.php?playerid=233 |title=Darren Mackie |work=fitbastats.com |access-date=10 September 2015}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Scottish Cup !colspan="2"|Scottish League Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!width="40"|Apps!!width="40"|Goals!!width="40"|Apps!!width="40"|Goals!!width="40"|Apps!!width="40"|Goals!!width="40"|Apps!!width="40"|Goals!!width="40"|Apps!!width="40"|Goals |- |rowspan="14"|Aberdeen |1999–2000 |rowspan="13"|Scottish Premier League |4||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||5||0 |- |2000–01 |22||2||2||1||1||0||1||0||26||3 |- |2001–02 |34||8||2||0||2||1||0||0||38||9 |- |2002–03 |30||4||1||0||1||0||4||1||36||5 |- |2003–04 |16||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||18||0 |- |2004–05 |34||12||3||3||1||0||0||0||38||15 |- |2005–06 |27||4||1||0||1||0||0||0||30||4 |- |2006–07 |36||13||2||0||1||0||0||0||39||13 |- |2007–08 |19||3||3||1||1||0||3||1||25||5 |- |2008–09 |29||6||3||0||2||0||0||0||34||6 |- |2009–10 |32||4||3||1||1||0||2||0||36||5 |- |2010–11 |9||1||0||0||3||0||0||0||12||1 |- |2011–12 |19||1||2||0||2||2||0||0||23||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !313!!58!!22!!6!!19!!3!!10!!2!!364!!69 |- |Inverness (loan) |2003–04 |Scottish First Division |6||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||8||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !319!!58!!24!!6!!19!!3!!10!!2!!372!!69 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackie, Darren}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:People from Inverurie Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Scottish expatriate men's footballers Category:Scotland men's B international footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Aberdeen F.C. players Category:Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. players Category:Phoenix FC players Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:USL Championship players Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:People educated at Kemnay Academy Category:Inverurie Loco Works F.C. players Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Footballers from Aberdeenshire Category:21st-century Scottish sportsmen