'I'll never get back what I've missed': Portsmouth's Luton loanee on Arsenal frustrations and being inspired by ex-team-mate and Aston Villa's World Cup winner Emi Martinez

At the age of 28, the towering Pompey loanee has amassed 87 career appearances in league football.

It’s a small return which does not accurately reflect the ability of a goalkeeper who has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Fratton Park.

The source of the problem can be traced back to joining Arsenal from Bristol Rovers as an 19-year-old in October 2013.

Over the next seven years, Macey featured just twice for the Gunners, while was sent out on three loan spells in search of regular football to aid his development.

It was a period which coincided with Martinez’s presence at the Emirates Stadium, who endured similar frustration with 12 Premier League starts in eight seasons.

Now he’s a World Cup winner with Argentina and an Aston Villa first-team regular.

Macey told The News: ‘It’s always different for goalkeepers, everyone has their own journey, their own way of navigating their career.

‘There are plenty of goalkeepers who have played 200-300 games at my age and for whatever reason I haven’t.

‘That’s not for the want of trying, I have always been looking to try to play, but the reality is, if you’re a younger goalkeeper coming up through bigger clubs, you have to play a role of supporting the first-team and developing in their system. Which is what happened with me.

‘I was at Arsenal for seven years and learned an awful lot there, but there comes a point where you need to move on.

‘You look at the amount of goalkeepers to come through the system at any of those big clubs and, while it’s difficult to break into the first-team, a good majority have gone on to have good careers elsewhere, which is what I will be looking to do now.

‘Emi Martinez was at Arsenal with me. I learnt a lot from him and spent a lot of time with him, it’s amazing to see where he’s gone now.

‘He always had such belief in himself that he could go and do it – and I’m delighted he has backed it up.

‘Emi waited his turn and never lost that belief he could go and do it, he just needed an opportunity. Then a couple of injuries and got his chance, took it with both hands and has never looked back.

‘He’s a great guy, always had a lot of time for the young lads and obviously has a personality which is coming out on the pitch nowadays.

‘Emi’s a good example of just hanging in there and getting the opportunity.’

Martinez left Arsenal for Villa in a £17m deal in September 2020 – with Macey following him out the exit door six months later.

He joined Hibernian before arriving at Luton for an undisclosed fee in June 2022.

Now the keeper is on loan to Pompey for the remainder of the season.

He added: ‘In terms of games, I’m never going to be able to catch-up on what I have missed out on.

‘There are only so many years I have left in me, but I am still young and fit and have plenty more to come.

‘I had loans in between and wanted to play a little more, but that’s just the way it happens. I absolutely loved my time at Arsenal and now I’m loving playing more football.’