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Aberdeen defender Ash Taylor says club must come before contract talks

Dons defender Ash Taylor.
Dons defender Ash Taylor.

Aberdeen defender Ash Taylor insists the focus should be on football rather than his future at Pittodrie.

The Dons defender, who is in his second spell at the club, is out of contract at the end of the season.

A mild calf strain meant the 30 year-old watched Saturday’s Betfred Cup exit at St Mirren, his club’s third away game in a week without a win, from the bench and he says his attention is firmly on helping the team.

Taylor said: “There’s nothing at the moment and we’re just concentrating on the football at the moment.

“I wasn’t playing a few games at the start of the season, but I’ve managed to get myself in the team again.

“I’m fully concentrating on helping the football club.

“I came back here because I fully enjoyed myself in my first spell. My first child was born here and we’re fully integrated in Aberdeen.

“We know the city and I’ve enjoyed every minute of my second spell.”

Aberdeen’s away form had been impressive until their first away defeat at Rangers on November 22, which has been followed by a draw at Hamilton and Saturday’s disappointing cup exit in Paisley.

Aberdeen’s Shay Logan, Funso Ojo and Ash Taylor after going 1-0 down against Rangers.

The switch to a back three had been key in Aberdeen’s strong start to the season. The absence of midfield lynchpins Lewis Ferguson and Ross McCrorie resulted in Dons boss Derek McInnes switching to a back four for the second half of Saturday’s cup tie, but Taylor believes the three-man backline remains a potent tool for the manager.

He said:  “I’ve played in a back three numerous times down the road and I’ve enjoyed it.

“I think a back three suits us as a squad and it has let the likes of Ryan Hedges and Scott Wright focus on the attacking side of the game while we have stayed strong defensively as well.

“It has helped that guys like Greg Leigh and Tommie Hoban were here before. It was the same when I came back to the club.

“I knew the club and the expectations and fitted in seamlessly. Tommie and Greg know what is expected of them too and they’ve settled in quickly.”

Former Don Scott McKenna was a key figure in the defensive line prior to his move to English Championship club Nottingham Forest.

Taylor knows how important Scotland international McKenna was to the side, but believes the defenders still at the club can fill the void.

He said: “Scott was a big player for us. He has gone down to Nottingham Forest, but we’ve made sure we have the players here to cope with losing him.

“There’s myself, Andy Considine, Tommie and Mikey Devlin is back, too, so we have the players to cope in that position.”