Wideman Jonny Hayes says he was determined to stay at Aberdeen because ‘there is still so much to achieve’ at the club.
Hayes has signed a one-year contract extension tying him to the club until 2023 – and will make his first steps into coaching with the club’s youth academy as part of the deal.
The 34-year-old is the latest Dons player to secure his future under new boss Jim Goodwin, with midfielder Ross McCrorie also extending his deal in recent days.
Irishman Hayes is in his second spell with the club, having returned from a three-year spell at Celtic in 2020 – a move made possible amid the financial ravages of the Covid pandemic when Hayes agreed to defer his wages for a year.
Hayes first signed for Craig Brown’s Dons from Inverness Caley Thistle in 2012, before going on to win the League Cup under Derek McInnes in 2014.
In total, he has made 284 appearances for Aberdeen, scoring 35 goals.
Hayes, who has played at both wing-back and in a more attacking role since returning to Pittodrie, said: “There are many reasons why I have signed a new contract.
“This season has been disappointing so far and it is not where we want to be as a football club so from a personal point of view, I couldn’t leave here when there is still so much to achieve.
“The manager will be looking for a positive reaction from the team over these next three games and working under him will be a new chapter for me in my continual need to learn about the game.
“The club have also been brilliant and have given me a chance to do a bit of coaching within the Youth Academy, which I really appreciate.
“I feel that I owe the club more than the club will ever owe me. They gave me a platform to show what I could do when I was signed from Inverness back in 2012.
“My family love living here. My son is in the pre–Youth Academy and my daughter loves the area. My wife loves it as well. It has always been a family-orientated decision to be here.
“Not just the club, the city itself has been great for me.
“I always feel that I have got on well with the supporters. They have been brilliant with me throughout. I now have a personal relationship with a lot of the fans as well, and other people that I have met at Pittodrie.”
Manager Goodwin believes it is important to see influential senior players like the Republic of Ireland international remain at the club.
He added: “I’m very pleased Jonny will be remaining at the club. He is a fantastic role model for the younger players in the squad, but there is still a real desire there from him to continue improving as a player.
“He’s a player who enjoys training every day and clearly wants to make a genuine contribution to the team and to deliver success for Aberdeen.”
