Ross County defender Paul Quinn has no regrets about leaving the Staggies to join Aberdeen in the summer before completing his return to Dingwall this week.
Quinn has rejoined the Dingwall side in time for tomorrow’s League Cup semi-final against Celtic after a six-month stint with the Dons.
The 30-year-old captained County to Premiership survival last season, leading the Highlanders on an excellent run of 10 wins from their last 14 matches.
After leaving for Pittodrie in the summer, however, Quinn found opportunities limited, making only nine league starts.
Despite leaving the Reds with 18 months of his contract still to go, Quinn says the opportunity to switch last summer was too much to resist, but he is thankful tomanager Jim McIntyre for giving him a second chance at Victoria Park.
Quinn said: “I certainly don’t regret going to Aberdeen. It was a tough decision, based on the relationships I had here. That had a huge influence on whether I would leave or not. But the temptation of going to a club like Aberdeen was far too big to turn away – great club, great city and great supporters.
“I don’t regret it and at the same time I don’t regret the decision to come back here.
“I would have regretted it if I hadn’t tried it, and that would have been the biggest thing, and it’s testament to the manager and the chairman that they’ve not held that in any regards against me.
“They realised the opportunity and my decisions behind it. They backed me all the way. I’d spoken to them before, during and after I’d signed for Aberdeen and I got their full support.”
Once he was set on leaving the Dons, Quinn says there was only going to be one destination. He added: “It wasn’t an easy decision to leave in the first place. It was pretty similar to Aberdeen, it wasn’t an easy decision to leave a club like that – it’s a fantastic club.
“It was a good opportunity for me to get back here, though. The manager asked the question and Aberdeen had a chat with me.
“We had a lot of in-depth discussion. To begin with it wasn’t easy but there were other factors behind football.
“Everyone made the decision and I think it’s the right one. I’ve just got to go on to the pitch and prove the manager and chairman are right to bring me back.
“That’s my main focus now. I want to be able to sit at the end of the season and say it was the right decision.”
Quinn netted the winner for Aberdeen in a 2-1 Premiership victory against Celtic at Pittodrie in September and, although he admits he is short on match fitness, he says he is ready for action and would love to be the Staggies’ Hampden hero tomorrow.
Quinn added: “I’ve been working hard with the physios here and at Aberdeen. A few slight niggles have upset my rhythm. Being on the bench a few weeks grinds you down a little bit
“But I’ve come here and trained, worked hard with the physio here, who has been magnificent already – I feel a good improvement. I’ll be available for selection whatever happens.
“The goal is going to be brought up every time we play Celtic now. There aren’t many winners scored against Celtic when the team is down to 10 men.
“I’m pretty sure scoring at the weekend would comfortably top that.”