JAMIE Mackie believes his injury issues are in the past as Oxford United’s newest signing aims to make an impact throughout the season.

The forward agreed a two-year deal on Wednesday, following his release from Queens Park Rangers.

Fitness problems limited him to 56 appearances in three years at Loftus Road, with a back issue ruling him out for several months last season.

But Mackie, who has made more than 450 appearances in his career, is confident about his chances of staying in good shape.

The 32-year-old said: “Unfortunately the last few years different injuries have come up, but none of them are ongoing.

“They’re fixed and I’m raring to go, so there’s no reason why I can’t be fit for the whole season.

“When you’ve got a character like mine where you always want to play, it’s hard to hold yourself back.

“But you learn and you might have to do a gym session instead of a training session, so we’ll manage it.

“Whatever it takes, the most important thing for me is playing on a Saturday.

“That’s the switch when you get a big older.”

Mackie’s commitment is shown by his willingness to sign a contract where the emphasis is thought to be on appearance-related bonuses rather than a basic wage.

“His contract reflects that – he’s willing to back himself and we were cute with that,” U’s boss Karl Robinson said.

“His desire and fight is exceptional and I think it’s a coup for Oxford to get a player of that quality. It shows the direction we’re trying to go in.”

Mackie trained with his new teammates at their temporary base at Abingdon School for the first time yesterday.

But United’s home friendly with Crystal Palace tomorrow will come too soon for the Scotland international, who will be given time to get up to speed.