Tommie Hoban extended his Pittodrie stay to the end of the season during the international break. Reward for some superb performances. The defender spoke to Rob Maclean this week:

“I am absolutely delighted about it extending my deal till the end of the season.

“If I think back to even four or five months ago, I was not sure if I was going to be able to get back into the game, I was still having my troubles with my injuries. But now, this is everything that I could have hoped for when I came back up here.

“I don’t take anything for granted after what I have been through, you appreciate not only being a footballer but just being fit and not being in pain. I’m relishing coming in everyday feeling good and training. Week by week I feel fitter and stronger and hopefully that will continue for the rest of the season. I want to enjoy playing football again.

“When I was younger my Dad was always big on the power of the mind and staying strong mentally and that has stuck with me. I am not going to pretend that there haven’t been plenty of times where it has been up and down, and I think ‘Is it worth it?’ But I have tried to be mostly positive.

“I’m lucky to have a great family around me.

“If you do lose belief, whatever you do in life, you will struggle. I just kept that dream and kept believing I would get back. I hope now the rewards will come.

“We have started the season very well. I feel comfortable playing in a back three, I played there quite a lot at Watford. There is a lot that we can do as a team this season.

“Even though we have had a strong start, I still feel we can play a lot better.

“The club have been absolutely fantastic with me. The first time I was here it didn’t quite work out because of my injuries but even though I wasn’t here for very long I really enjoyed my time up here. That’s why as soon as I got the call, I didn’t hesitate to come back.

“I don’t know what will happen in the future but if there was an opportunity at the end of the season to extend my deal, it would be something that would interest me. I really like it up here.

“Living in this sort of environment is very different to what we are used to down in London but we really enjoy the lifestyle up here. The main thing for the moment is to stay fit, play well and things will take care of themselves from there.”

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