February 2022. David Mackinnon fell down a flight of stairs and the injuries he sustained almost cost him his life. During his recovery, David reflected on his life and reconciled some of the episodes from his football career that still weighed heavy on his mind. The result is Slide Tackles and Boardroom Battles, the incredible story of Glasgow-born David Donaldson Mackinnon. Beginning his career with Arsenal, David spent four years at Highbury where he was taken under the wing of the legendary Alan Ball. After spells at Dundee and Partick Thistle, Mackinnon eventually fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing for his boyhood heroes Glasgow Rangers for four years, making almost two hundred appearances, before a knee injury forced him to revert to part-time football. But David’s story doesn’t end there. He netted the decisive penalty kick when Kilmarnock won promotion to the First Division in 1990 and, after hanging up his boots Mackinnon embarked on a successful business career before returning to football, taking on executive roles with Clyde, Kilmarnock, Dundee, Hamilton Academical, and Greenock Morton. In the latter role, Mackinnon was a key protagonist in the voting fiasco that controversially ended the Scottish football season during the COVID 19 pandemic. Open, honest, and insightful, Slide Tackles and Boardroom Battles reveals the challenges Mackinnon has faced during his eventful career in football and business and the often-brutal impact these have had on his physical and mental health and well-being. Slide Tackles and Boardroom Battles isn’t simply a football book. It’s a memoir that will raise awareness of the trials and tribulations footballers face, while also giving a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on the business side of the game. Mackinnon’s story, told with refreshing sincerity, is a must-read for all fans of the beautiful game.
