The Plymouth Argyle defender talks through his career and how he's loved his time at Home Park

Aberdeen is very much a long way from Plymouth, but trading one geographical outpost for another felt natural from day one for Jack MacKenzie.

Both clubs boast passionate fanbases who are used to many miles on the road and tight-knit communities, and for MacKenzie, the similarities made Home Park feel like home immediately, even if his time with the Green Army has been anything but smooth.

The 26-year-old arrived in Devon in the summer of 2025 but has made just 17 appearances since then as he has been hit with a succession of blows, due to tendonitis in his knee and shin splints last season, before the Scot missed the early part of this season with an abductor injury.

But now fully fit and getting close to - but not yet back to his best - he talks through his career, including a bizarre pandemic twist that stopped an American adventure, his reinvention from schoolboy striker to bruising defender, and why the Pilgrims have their sights firmly set on the top end of the table.

"When I knew there was interest from Plymouth, the more I learned about the club, the more I felt there were similarities between Aberdeen and Plymouth," MacKenzie said. "A real good community feel about the place, a real brilliant club, fans who travel up and down the country. I just felt like it was right for me.

"I make zero regrets about the decision I've made because I've loved my time. Although the injuries have caused me a bit of problems, in terms of the club, I'm absolutely over the moon that I'm here."

Injury issues delayed his debut until late January which meant that the Green Army didn't get to know the left-back until the season was more than half over. And he only made 12 appearances in total as he struggled for fitness and form.

"It wasn't ideal," admitted MacKenzie. "Because I don't think I made my debut until the end of January, you kind of feel like a bit of a spare part for so long.

"Last year, I thought I was in the best place possible to deal with that because the support I had off the supporters, the staff, and the players was amazing. It was tricky, but it was all worth it in the end. I’m really enjoying being back fit now."

"I think it makes me sleep well at night knowing that I give absolutely everything," he said of his rehab from the injuries and that he is known as one of the hardest workers and trainers at the club. "Injuries can happen to anyone at any time, but I know that I'm doing as much as I can to stay injury-free. It gives me peace of mind. Sometimes you get unfortunate, sometimes there's things you can change, but I like to give everything in everything that I do.

"When that was my rehab, that was what I had to do. Now it's all about staying fit, and can I give as much as I can on the pitch and on the training pitch as well. Being stuck in that gym on your own... it’s not fun."

But MacKenzie’s career could easily have taken a completely different trajectory long before Home Park ever entered the frame. Back during his Aberdeen days as a youngster, an opportunity arose across the Atlantic that was halted only by the Covid pandemic.

"It was a January first-team trip to Dubai, a mid-season break," MacKenzie said of the opportunity that came up while he was the captain of the club's development side. "Derek McInnes was the manager at the time, and at the airport, he just pulled me to the side and said: 'Look, there's this opportunity to go and join Atlanta's B team for six months.'

"At first, I was like a rabbit in the headlights! But then I really came around to the idea and got really excited about it. I had everything sorted, accommodation sorted, ready to go. And obviously the pandemic hit, so our plans were kind of scuppered from there."

The partnership with MLS outfit Atlanta United meant MacKenzie eventually visited the States years later, getting a glimpse of the facilities he came within days of calling home, but instead of America it was Angus with Scottish League One side Forfar Athletic he spent time on loan at.

"At the time, it was a real sore one to take, missing out on that opportunity," he admitted. "A couple of years later we actually went out as a team to Atlanta, so I could see what the facilities were like. But a year later, I ended up playing for the Aberdeen first team. So I like to think it worked out quite well in the end."

"I was always open to trying new things, and although that fell through, it opened a different door. I went on loan to Forfar Athletic. I think I was only there for about 15 games, but the experience I gained was huge for my development. I had some brilliant senior players there and a brilliant coach who knew the Scottish game inside out. It was exactly what I needed and gave me a massive boost."

While he has spent most of his time in Argyle colours at left-back, and even playing as a centre-back, when he started playing football he played much further up the pitch and gradually retreated back towards the other end.

"I was more of a striker or winger when I was about 10, 11, 12," said MacKenzie. "Then I just started to slowly move back down the pitch. I went to centre-mid, then to full-back, and kind of found my position there.

"Around 16, 17, or 18, I got a real desire to defend and wanted to be this aggressive player. When I was young and going up to train with the first team, you kind of need to find a way to stand out. I wasn't going to do rainbow flicks and bang it in the top corner every training session. I was going to be aggressive and give my all off the ball, and that’s stood me in good stead going forward."

And while impressing with Aberdeen, he got a Scotland call-up back in October 2024, for the Nations League fixtures with Croatia and Portugal, although he didn't get on the pitch and make his debut. While subsequent injury lay-offs have meant he has fallen out of contention, he hopes that one day if he impresses again on the pitch, he will get back into the squad.

"Any Scottish player will always have aspirations of playing for their country, and mine hasn't changed," he said. "I know since then I've not played a lot of football just with the injuries, but my focus right now is just to get back to enjoying playing football. I'm playing with a smile on my face at the moment every day in training.

"I know it will take time for me to kind of get back to the level that I want to be at. But that's kind of just part and parcel of coming back from a long term injury.

"I know that I'm doing as much as I can to, to stay injury free, so it gives me peace of mind and like sometimes you get unfortunate, sometimes there's things you can change. Now it's all about staying fit, it's all about can I give as much as I can on the pitch and on the training pitch as well."

But right now, the primary ambition is at Argyle and to get the Pilgrims promoted from League One. Sitting fifth in the table after 13 games of the season, a victory over Reading, who are a spot behind them, could see them into the automatic promotion places after the weekend, and promotion is very much the target for Tom Cleverley's men.

"We had a strong start, and to be honest, a really strong 2026," MacKenzie said. "We ended off the season in a real good run of form and were unfortunate to miss out on the play-offs.

"We're an ambitious group. We want to be at the top end of the table. We’re probably not going to come out and say 'right, we’re going to win the league', but we just want to be in and amongst it.

"I think we're heading in the right direction. There are obviously a few bumps in the road, but every team has those. We’re doing just fine."