Kieran MacDonald happy to turn his back on full-time football to sign up with FC Edinburgh

Living the life as a full-time footballer isn't the be-all and end-all according to the versatile Kieran MacDonald.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who can also operate at full-back, left Championship side Hamilton Accies in the summer to sign for Alan Maybury's FC Edinburgh and hasn't looked back since.

He is a trained engineer and has taken on a role within his dad's company as he combines a 9-5 job with life in League One.

However, MacDonald admits the change has done him the world of good as he is now enjoying his football again.

FC Edinburgh's Kieran MacDonald. Picture: Tommy Lee.

Ahead of Saturday's visit of Airdrie to Meadowbank, MacDonald said: "I was full-time at Hamilton but I much prefer being part-time if I'm being honest. It just suits my lifestyle better. It wasn't really a big decision despite being full-time since the age of 16 until about 22, maybe 23. I'd then gone part-time and really enjoyed my time with Airdrie and Raith Rovers before I went back to Hamilton full-time.

"But I now have a job with my dad so I work for him. We're always busy, it's non-stop which is good. I just want to enjoy my football again and that's been the case since joining up with Edinburgh. We did okay at Hamilton last season and we just missed the play-offs after making some decent signings in January. I think we probably underachieved. So, I really hope to have a successful time here."

Edinburgh have slipped to third in the standings following last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Dunfermline, skipper Liam Fontaine's own goal sealing all three points for the Pars at East End Park.

"It was really disappointing to lose a last-minute goal in the manner that we did, but we just need to pick ourselves back up," MacDonald explained. "Fonts is experienced enough, these things happen in football. We've got to remember we've only been a League One club since the summer, but the manager has recruited really well. We want to get back to winning ways this week after being on such a good run but Airdrie are a very good side. But we're getting used to the surface at Meadowbank now so go into the game confident."