Dominic Ball

“I found out on the morning of transfer deadline day about the interest from Aberdeen. I heard there had been a few enquiries before but nothing concreate. So when I first heard in the morning I was very interested to find out a bit more. I then spoke the manager and after that I was very keen to come up and be an Aberdeen player. At around 9.00pm it looked as if it would not happen but thankfully a few things got sorted, I signed the paperwork and we managed to get everything done in time.

“The reasons for coming, firstly Aberdeen is a massive club. They have a big support every game, home and way. Also the league this season is going to be very competitive and from what I have seen over the past couple of days, Aberdeen have a very good squad of players here. “I have really enjoyed my time in Scotland before. It is a harder challenge this time because it is a league higher. The competition in the league this season is a lot tougher. I am looking forward to that.

“I want to play as many games as I can, play as well as I can. I also want to win trophies. The opportunities here are very good. We are in a good position to go and win trophies.

“Alan Stubbs brought me to Rotherham and it was a tough six months. A whole new squad was brought in. At that level trying to get a team together, it is tough. There are so many games in that league and that is where we struggled, gelling as a team. I went to Peterborough after that and I enjoyed my time there. It was cut short but that is football. I am here now and I am really looking forward to it.

“I think Aberdeen are getting a defensive minded player. When the gaffer spoke to me about coming up here, he said this summer the club had signed a lot of attacking players, a lot of creative players. Sometimes that can lead to the team being very attacking but leave the defence open at the back. That is what I am going to bring. I am going to try and create a solid defence whether I play as a defensive midfielder or at the back.

“I don’t really mind where I play, as long as I play. My job is to play as much as I can to help the team. My aim is to play as much as I can but it will come down to my performances. I will have to perform each week if I want to keep my place in the side.

“I want to be as mature as I can. Playing in the positions that I play in, whether that be as a holding midfielder or a centre half, you need that maturity, that discipline in that role. The standard in training has been very good. It has impressed me. It is my job now to try and fit in there.

“I only found out a couple of days ago that the game on Saturday is at Murrayfield. That is an experience in itself. I am looking forward to that. I am looking forward to hopefully making my debut for Aberdeen.

“In training we have been looking at our shape and analysing their strengths and weaknesses. We have a good idea of the team we will be playing. We are training hard so we can play to our strengths, identify where we can infiltrate and go from there.”

“In training we have been looking at our shape and analysing their strengths and weaknesses. We have a good idea of the team we will be playing. We are training hard so we can play to our strengths, identify where we can infiltrate and go from there.”