Keith Watson has revealed how his Dundee United past helped convince him on a future with Arbroath.
The 34-year-old has joined the newly-relegated League One side on a one-year deal.
Watson was released by Raith Rovers at the end of last season and has taken his time to decide on his next move.
He had other offers on the table as he weighed up his options.
But the former United, St Johnstone and Ross County defender was persuaded Arbroath was the best option after discussions with manager Jim McIntyre and Ryan Dow – both former Tannadice team-mates.
He said: “Since leaving Raith, I wanted to make sure that I found the right fit for myself and my family, and Arbroath was always somewhere that I was interested in.
“The club has always had a unique family feel and I spoke with Ryan [Dow] about Arbroath as a club and the way it’s developed over the past few years.
“He was really positive above the club and the people, but also about the football and how the club are pushing hard to get to the top of the table.
Offers
“I had offers from a few other clubs but, after chatting to the manager, I was set on being here and I’m really pleased we’ve managed to get the deal done.”
Speaking to Arbroath FC TV, he added: “I think I can make a good impact and I’m looking forward to working with the gaffer, Jimmy [Boyle, assistant] and the rest of the boys.”
Watson suffered an injury-affected campaign last term, with a knee injury sustained in September keeping him sidelined for over four months.
He finished the season having made 21 appearances for Raith as other niggles curtailed his involvement in their promotion push.
But McIntyre is in no doubt just what Watson, a Scottish Cup winner with United in 2010, can add to the Red Lichties.
He added: “We’ve been having discussions with Keith for the past couple of weeks as he’s a player who can bring a lot of experience to the squad and really bolster our defensive options this season.
“We made a commitment that we would work hard to bring in quality players and we wanted to bring someone in who could fit into the back line and form a solid unit.
“There was interest from a few other clubs so we’re delighted that Keith is here.”
