Smith: I want to stay with the Dons

Smith keen on new deal

 

By Charlie Allan with the Dons in Holland 

 

Published: 28/07/2008

 

JAMIE Smith today confirmed he would be happy to extend his stay with Aberdeen.

 

Midfielder Jamie is the star name among the next batch of Dons players whose contracts will be up for renewal at the end of the coming season.

 

Aberdeen were rocked when Michael Hart, Chris Clark and Barry Nicholson chose not to accept new deals during the course of the last campaign, but Jamie gave the Red Army a massive boost by telling the Evening Express his heart is set on remaining at Pittodrie.

 

He said: ‘‘I want to stay at Aberdeen, there is no doubt about that.

 

‘‘The priority, as ever, will be to look after my wife and family.

 

‘‘But we all love Aberdeen, the kids are settled at school and we have made a lot of friends.

 

‘‘Some players adapt easily to changing clubs every few years but I’m not one of those.

 

‘‘I was with Celtic for six years and Den Haag for one, I don’t enjoy all the upheaval that comes from moving about.

 

‘‘I’m enjoying my football at Aberdeen and I hope things work out the way we all want them to when we finally get down to discussing my contract situation later in the year.’’

 

The 27-year-old Scotland international was speaking after Aberdeen’s 2-1 friendly defeat by FC Zwolle in the second match of their pre-season tour of Holland.

 

While not looking to offer excuses, Jamie admitted the Dons players found the going tough in the intense heat, which was more than 90 degrees.

 

He said: ‘‘It was muggy heat, which make it hard to get breath, so we did well in the circumstances.

 

‘‘We worked hard for the bulk of the game, so we were disappointed to let it slip late on.

 

‘‘It put a damper on a good performance.

 

‘‘We need to learn to close games out but I would rather get a reminder about that out here in Holland than when the real stuff starts in Scotland.

 

‘‘I still enjoyed the workout, because it will help my fitness going into the new season.

 

‘‘I have had a lot of good times over the last couple of years, but also bad ones due to injuries.

 

‘‘All I want now is an injury-free run to finally get the chance to show the Aberdeen fans what I can really do.’’

 

The Dons now face Dutch cracks Vitesse Arnhem at Driel on Wednesday and Jamie accepts they will need to raise their game again to avoid a defeat.

 

‘‘They were always in the top six when I played in Holland, so it’s going to be very difficult,’’ he said.

 

‘‘It’s going to be the toughest match of our tour, but I’m sure we will respond to the challenge of that and do well.’’

 

 

The club's ambition can only be stretched as far as the budget allows, get used to it FFS.

 

Correct! unless everyone would prefer us to go the same way as the likes of Livi?

 

spend loads, win next to fuck all, and back down as fast as they came up!

From what I'm led to believe, Hart wanted parity with Severin and Smith.  Not only wouldn't they give him that, the offer was actually "offensive" to Hart.

 

For what it's worth (fuck all, really!) I'd have given him parity with them both. Cracking player and we've missed him hugely.  But, life goes on etc.

 

Cracking player who if he could cross would be much sought after by bigger clubs.