“It’s a new challenge and it’s exciting.

“I’ve done the Championship in England, I’ve done League One so it’s a new challenge.

“Speaking to people about the club and coming up here everyone was positive about the area and the City. At the start I was a bit 50/50, but the more people I talked to the more I thought it was an exciting challenge and I love a challenge. It was a no brainer coming here in the end.

“He’s (Derek McInnes) is one of the most impressive managers I’ve ever spoke to on the phone.

“I haven’t met him face to face yet, but we’ve had numerous phone calls and it was really impressive the way he sold the club to me. His ambition and everything he wanted to do this year really made my mind up and was the final decision to come up here. I think he’s someone who will improve me as a player and I think we’ll get on really well on and off the pitch so I’m excited to start working with him.

“I knew about the interest (from Aberdeen) maybe two months ago so I kept an eye on them. I watched the final game of the season against Celtic where they were really impressive.

“Obviously, I know back when Sir Alex was here how successful they were as well as the last few years they’ve been Celtic’s biggest rivals.

“It’s definitely a challenge coming up here, but I know speaking to the manager he wants to bridge that gap and with the other teams this year, everybody’s going to improve, so it’s going to be a good challenge.

“(As a player) I’m quite aggressive and like to pass the ball, get on the ball and dictate play. If I can chip in with the odd goal, which hasn’t happened probably as much as I’d like to, then great. I’d say I like to make players play better around me and to give them the ball and let them do what they’re paid for. I’m just trying to dictate play and be that aggressive type in midfield.

“I think I’ve probably scored two goals inside the box as everything has been outside the box. Fortunately, when I have scored they’ve been pretty decent and hopefully it’s something I can show the fans in my time here and it’s always nice to score goals, but if it’s my teammates are scoring goals and I’m contributing on the pitch, it doesn’t really bother me who finds the net.

“Hopefully I get to play in one of the European ties. When I finally retire and I speak to my kids, if I could tell them I’ve played in Europe then it would be magnificent. When me and the manager spoke, it was again a new challenge and something I’ve never done before. As player you want to look back on your career feeling you have done many things in the game.

“Me and Adam Rooney go back probably 15 or 16 years. We played against each other at schoolboy level, we played with each other for our school teams, we’ve been involved in underage Irish teams and senior International teams so I know Adam quite well from growing up. I spoke to him a little bit and although I am my own man, I did want to speak people because it’s a massive change for me.

“I’ve never played up here so I did speak to him a little bit was very good.

“It will be nice to have that friendly face there when the squad finally meets up. It will be great to see him after all these years.”