Life at St Johnstone has “reinvigorated” Andy Considine.
And as the Perth centre-back prepares to make a Pittodrie return this weekend, he has no regrets about his summer career choice.
Considine thought he would be a one-club man after spending the best part of two decades on the books of his home-town club.
Life at McDiarmid Park, though, has shown he made the right call in deciding to continue playing when thoughts of retirement crossed his mind.
“I was scared because I didn’t want to leave,” said the former Scotland international.
“I wanted to finish my career up the road but it wasn’t meant to be, simple as that.
“The bottom line was my services were not required at the club any more.
📸👏|| #Aberdeen legend Andy Considine bows out of Pittodrie 18 years to the day that he made his debut for The Dons. The big defender leaves having made over 570 appearances and scoring 41 goals for his boyhood club. pic.twitter.com/natUtS9pcT
— Ross Parker (@RossParkerPhoto) May 15, 2022
“I did think ‘do I just leave it?’
“But I love football so much and wanted to keep playing at this level.
“I got the opportunity to continue my career here, which is something I am very grateful for.
“It wasn’t meant to be up the road, but I’m getting to play football every week here so what more can you ask for? I was more than ready for the change.”
Out of his comfort zone
Considine, who was an ever-present in Callum Davidson’s starting line-up until illness kept him out of the defeat to Dundee United earlier this week, added: “Sometimes change is good for you – getting out of your comfort zone.
“I feel it has improved me as a person and a player as well.
“It’s getting to meet new people, seeing how the manager here does things and how another club works.
“I had been staring at the same four walls at Pittodrie for 16 or 17 years then we moved to Cormack Park, which was great getting to experience a proper training ground.
“But the change I felt I needed, I see that now.
“This is a fantastic club full of great people and that’s something I was used to up the road.
“I didn’t want to drop down the leagues. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it.
“Playing week in, week out was number one in my mind and I’m getting to do it, which is great.
“I feel reinvigorated by it. I love it. I love the excitement of it. I love training with the boys.
“I’m going to be 36 in April, I’ve played almost 600 games. It’s great, it’s what I love and what I wake up for in the morning.
“Hopefully once I’m done I’ll have a career in it as well.
“I’ve done my badges and want to go into coaching, but I want to keep playing as long as I can at the highest level.”
Dressing room standards
A three-game losing run won’t dent Considine’s faith that Saints have the dressing room character to make this a successful season.
“There are other guys who are around my age and have experienced a really high level of football,” he said.
St Johnstone have made a LOT of St signings in 2022. There are two players I can't split when it comes to signing of the year. *loans aren't allowed (my rules) https://t.co/0xqsmK65Ds
— Eric Nicolson (@C_ENicolson) December 30, 2022
“If we can have that mentality, even in training, then we will bring that into games on a Saturday.
“We have shown as weeks have gone by that we’re not accepting of poor performances.
“We don’t accept them on the training pitch either.
“I think if you have that on a Monday, Tuesday or any day before a game, where everyone knows what’s expected, then it makes Saturday’s better.
“I have played with many excellent players and seen how other managers have expected standards.
“The manager here expects high standards, everyone knows that.
“To be successful you need to have those demands on yourself and then on everyone else.
“The one route to success is having standards and the right mentality.
“I can’t imagine how much hurt everyone at St Johnstone was going through last season with where the team was.
“But it’s clear nobody wants to go through that again.
“We’re all in it together to make this club as successful as we can be.”
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