SPFL Trust Trophy Draw Reaction

14/12/22: Assistant manager Dave Mackay gives his thoughts on the quarter final and semi final draws

Having been drawn to face a Championship club in the quarter final and one of another two in semi final draw for the SPFL Trust Trophy, Dunfermline Athletic Assistant Manager Dave Mackay agreed that they had been selected in the tougher side of the draw. The other side of the draw saw Championship Hamilton Academical, drawn with three League One sides. Reflecting on the quarter final away to Dundee he said:-
 
"It`s probably as tough as you can get - especially away from home as well - but it`s one we look forward to and it`s a good one to test ourselves in to see where we really are. It was a great performance and result against Arbroath the other night. They made a few changes, right enough, but were missing a number of players ourselves. If that`s anything to go by then it should be a close encounter.”

MacKay started his senior career at Dundee and after making his first start against Dunfermline on 13th October 2001 he went on to make over 100 games for the Dark Blues.

In June 2019 when he was appointed first team coach and head of opposition analyses for Dundee under manager James McPake. Together they guided The Dee to achieve promotion to the Scottish Premiership via the play-offs. In June this year Dave left Dundee and took up the position of Assistant Manager at Dunfermline but claims that he is now looking forward to going back to Dens:-

“There are still loads of people there from my time - it wasn`t that long ago that we did leave! I`m looking forward to going back and seeing a lot of faces that became real friends up there, so I`m looking forward to going back to Dens. 

"I think James will be looking forward to going back as well. Again, it obviously didn`t end too well but we had some great times there, both of us as players, and then as part of the coaching staff, promotion back to the Premiership was the highlight of it. We enjoyed really good times there and there`s a lot of good people at the club. "

The Rutherglen born Pars assistant manager optimistically looked beyond the quarter final singling out his local club, Queens Park as another possible major obstacle to their final ambitions but that’s for another day.

Related Stories

• SPFL Trust Trophy Draws
• Todd Up For The Cup
• Arbroath 1 Dunfermline 5
• Preview Airdrieonians
• 13/10/01: Dunfermline 1 Dundee 0