Mackenzie Olden had the worst possible start to her time at Cardiff City – but she’s finding a rich vein of form now, two years on.
She signed for the club from Barry Town United as an 18-year-old in July 2023 – but by Christmas she was ruled out for the next 12 months, suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Aberystwyth Town.
It meant the next year was filled with gruelling rehab, and missing out on a successful season as her team-mates celebrated winning the league.
“The club were so supportive,” she recalls. “They got me a scan straight away, considering it was around Christmas, they got me a surgery by the February, and I was straight onto the road of recovery, so I really did have that support from everyone around me.”
But she reveals that she found it challenging to be sidelined.
“I did struggle mentally because football is all I ever knew,” she admits. “But the club offered me services, with the chaplain and a well-being officer, and they really helped me, and the girls tried to keep me all involved.
“I feel like with an injury like that, it’s almost more mental than physical because you can do all your rehab, and if you do all your rehab correctly and you do try push yourself, you will be back and you will become better.
“But you just get through the mental blocks. You’ve got to make sure you have the right people around you as well.”
And she adds that she was nervous to go back on to the training pitch after her rehab was complete, fearful of not being able to trust her knee.
“I was putting off training with the squad for quite a while, and my manager [Iain Darbyshire], he was like, ‘You can do this. I believe in you. You’re strong, and I want you to show everyone what you can do,’ and that really pushed pushed me to go and just join in.
“And now I go every training session, every game, and I don’t even think twice about it anymore.”
Mackenzie Olden: We want to be challenged
Olden is off to a fine goalscoring start in the Adran Premier this time round – with six goals and three assists in her five matches so far.
“We’re all buzzing – it’s a good start to the season,” she says.
Cardiff City currently lead the standings, as might be expected from the team that has won three league titles in a row.
But they are currently only top on goal difference from second-placed Wrexham, who have also won four and lost one.
“The league is competitive as it’s ever been, and it just keeps getting more competitive,” says Olden, “and it’s a good thing because as players ourselves and as a club, we want to be challenged.
“We want to be part of this league that is improving, and it’s just going to better us as players and everyone around us.”
And Olden hopes she’ll continue to improve – and help the Bluebirds to more glory.
“I always set myself targets,” she says. “I always set myself that I want to be up there with top goalscorer, I always want to have the assist.
“But I’m happy for anyone to score, so as long as we’re getting the points on the board!”
