Dundee United captain Sean Dillon will give his number one fan Lorraine Kelly a call to tell her he is staying on at Tannadice.
The Irishman is the celebrity supporter’s favourite player and she and her family have sponsored him.
Dillon revealed the TV star had shown an interest in his contract situation when they last met and now that he has agreed a new two-year deal with the Tangerines that will take him into testimonial territory he will reassure him that he is hanging around at Tannadice.
“Lorraine is brilliant and I couldn’t say a word against her,” said Dillon.
“Now that everything is confirmed, maybe I will give her a shout and tell her it is all sorted!
“It has been great having such a high-profile supporter.
“She has sponsored me over the past few seasons together with (her husband) Steve and (daughter) Rosie.
“As a family they have been really supportive but I have been lucky because so many other people have shown great support to me over the past few years.
“I had spoken to her briefly about what was going on and then at Jordan Moore’s charity dinner we had another chat.
“I have had a lot of people asking me over the past few months what’s going on.
“It has not been a secret. It’s just that you don’t want to talk about something until it is confirmed.
“There is obviously a sense of relief that it’s done.
“I’m just really happy and buzzing that I’ve got more time at the club.”
As for any future thoughts about a testimonial year for the man who signed for United in January 2007 and will be over a decade at Tannadice by the time this new deal runs out, Dillon said: “I genuinely haven’t given it any thought.
“I think that will take care of itself.
“I don’t really want to go down the road of thinking about that too much because the focus is on Sunday when we play Dundee.
“Not many people manage it, though, so I am delighted.
“The people at the club are great – I genuinely mean that.
“I have gotten to know everyone at the club, from directors to part-time staff. I have a lot of time for them all.
“This is a great place to be.”
A big part of Dubliner Dillon’s happiness comes from being settled in his adoptive home.
He added: “Away from the football, I really enjoy living here.
“My wife Michelle is really settled. She loves being over here and our two boys, Shay and Finn, were born in Dundee.
“We are really happy.”
Meanwhile, United boss Jackie McNamara heaped praise on his skipper, who has made 293 appearances for the Tangerines and, of course, starred in the Scottish Cup-winning side of 2010.
McNamara said: “Sean is immensely valuable to the club both on and off the field.
“On the field, he has a versatility which means I can call on him to cover a number of positions.
“In the dressing room and as an ambassador for United he is the model professional and the ideal role model for our younger players.
“It is very rare in today’s football world that a player commits 10 years to one club and by signing this contract Sean has ensured he will be a United player for that length of time.
“His commitment to United is amazing and I believe he will continue to prove a valuable part of the squad for the foreseeable future.”