ℹ️ PERS. INFORMATION
Name: Mackenzie Lemon
Date of birth: 19-11-2002
Place of birth: Sydney, Australia
Language: English
Club: Forfar Athletic FC
Favourite position: Left back/centre back
Favourite foot: Left
⚽️ CLUB HISTORY
| Club | Years |
|---|---|
| Dundee United FC | Youth – 2021 |
| Dundee North End | 2020 – 2021 (on loan) |
| Falkirk FC | 2021 – 2022 |
| Cowdenbeath FC | 2022 – 2023 |
| Werribee City FC | 2023 – 2024 |
| Lochee United FC | 2024 – 2025 |
| Forfar Athletic FC | 2025 – |
🎙️ INTERVIEW
Introduce yourself…
Mackenzie Lemon, 22 years old from Dundee. Defender at Forfar athletic FC.
Can you describe your approach to organizing the backline and maintaining defensive solidity during high-pressure matches?
Organisation between the back line is essential to keep a solid structure defensively. The more you talk the more you are focused on the game and help keep you concentrated for the full 90 minutes especially when under long spells of pressure form the opposition.
Mackenzie, what were your goals during your loan spell at Dundee North End? And what key lessons did you take from that experience?
Going on loan to North End was my first opportunity to go and play men’s football at a young age. It helped me massively adapt to the physicality of men’s football compared to playing in youth games. Unfortunately I couldn’t play as many games for them as I would’ve liked due to the league being shut down due to Covid but still gained valuable experience in the time I was there.
After your time for Dundee United FC. You started your journey at Falkirk FC. What was the environment like for young players there, and how did it prepare you for the professional game?
My move to Falkirk was massive for my development as a player getting my first taste of playing first team football in a professional environment. I loved playing for a club the size of Falkirk and the pressure that came with it. It was a tough time for the club with a lot of change going on at the top. It was a disappointing season for the club in the end not achieving promotion, however personally I loved playing in big games for the club, although I wished I had been able to get more gametime.
How did the move to Cowdenbeath FC come about, and what convinced you that it was the right step at that point in your career?
After my deal with Falkirk ended, I thought Cowdenbeath would be a good to go and play as much as I can at a senior level. They had just dropped down from League 2 to the lowland league which is a tough and competitive league, so I wanted to go and show why I was capable of. The main thing for me at this point was to play week in week out and build consistency to develop my game.
You spent two years by Cowdenbeath FC. How did you evolve as a centre-back during your time with the Blue Brazil, especially under the pressure of regular senior football?
During my one season at Cowdenbeath was a tough spell for the club after relegation from League 2 in the previous campaign. It was also a tough spell for me personally as I didn’t get the game time I wanted out of the move and felt at the time I had made the wrong decision. My time there did help me build resilience when things aren’t going your way in football when you are out the team or injured and feel I cope a lot better with the downs in football. Although, by the end of the season I was playing every week and results had improved, I decided I wanted to leave to take up an exciting opportunity to play in Australia. I felt it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down so I decided to cut my 2 year deal with Cowden short in the summer. However I met some great people during my time there and hope the club do well in the future as a lot of people out in a huge effort for them behind the scenes.
What attracted you to Forfar Athletic in 2025? Were there other offers on the table, and what made this move stand out?
I signed for Forfar in January 2025 after returning from playing in Australia. I felt it was a great opportunity to get back into Scottish football at a good level although I knew I would have to work hard to show the manager I deserve gametime. With the help of my agent I’d got the chance to trial with the team when I returned to Scotland so I was fully focused on getting a deal at station park as my goal was to play at this level and the move to Forfar made perfect sense.
Every transfer brings new challenges—how do you mentally and physically prepare for the transition into a new squad, system, and community?
I’d been training with Forfar before officially signing for the club, so I already knew the rest of the boys and had previously played with a few of them at old clubs. It always a big change moving to a new team but the boys have always welcoming at all my clubs and after a couple of games together it’s like you’ve known each other for years. It’s important to know how my teammates play and the strengths/weaknesses of the players around me, especially as a back line.
Playing at Station Park, known for its unique atmosphere, how does the home crowd influence your game?
I’ve loved the games I’ve played at Station Park. We’ve got a brilliant fan base of loyal supporters. They have been massive for us home and away, especially on the last game of season where needed a draw to stay up. The boost from the crowd was massive to get the result in the end and confirm our status as an SPFL club.
What are your short-term and long-term goals in your football career? Are there specific leagues or clubs you aspire to join?
Short term I want to get as many minutes as possible for Forfar and really cement my place in the team. We had a really positive 2nd half to the season and we need to build on that for next season. Hopefully a deal will be sorted for next year as I’ve really enjoyed my time with the club and want to be part of the project going forward. Long term, of course I’d love to push myself to play at the highest level I can and challenge myself against the best, however my current focus is getting consistent games in League 2.
