Shay Logan may sign new contract if Dons secure title win

Shay Logan knows that Aberdeen will be top of the Premiership if they win their next two games. Picture: SNS Group

The Dons full-back’s contract ends in the summer and he is facing a personal dilemma regarding whether to agree an extension or return to England and spend more time with his children.

Logan is enjoying life with the Pittodrie club but the 27-year-old father of three is finding it increasingly tough to cope with missing so many important times in his kids’ development.

They are back in the Great Manchester area where the defender started his career at Manchester City, before moving to south to Brentford then on to Aberdeen, so now the pull of home is strong.

Derek McInnes has been as supportive as possible and will do all he can to keep the player, but Logan himself admits the Dons manager’s task would be easier if the club win a first league title in 31 years given what comes with it.

“Champions League might make a heck of a difference. That would be a massive thing,” stressed Logan. “I love playing for Aberdeen. I love the city and the people in it.

“I’m part of a great bunch of lads and I get on with everyone, from the cleaners who come to my house to the ground staff who I talk to daily. I love it – and that’s why it’s going to be a big decision.

“Yeah, people say my family is down south, but I played down in London for three years before I came here so I have been away for a long time.

“People need to understand that football is a short career. My family will always be there but football won’t. Anyone who has kids knows it’s tough.

“It’s not like people who work offshore and don’t see them for two or three weeks. Obviously it’s not the best but you have to think of your career.

“I don’t know what I am going to do yet. I just take every day as it comes. I’ve always got a smile on my face because I enjoy being in this place.”

There’s certainly a lot to enjoy at the moment with Aberdeen on a 12-game unbeaten league run that has included nine wins, in the process reducing Celtic’s lead to three points.

Now the strength of their title challenge faces the sternest test with matches away to Inverness tonight and Partick Thistle on Friday. Victories in both would move the Dons three points clear at the top before the defending champions play again.

Inverness, meanwhile, are sitting just outside the top six, three points behind St Johnstone. But midfielder Ross Draper believes Caley Thistle can hit the right notes and finish the season strongly after forcing their two recent signings to sing in front of their new team-mates.

Former Brentford midfielder Ryan Williams and ex-Cambridge United forward Liam Hughes both checked into the Highland outfit earlier this month. But before either could make his debut, they were ordered to carry out a cringe-worthy initiation ceremony on the team bus.

Both took the jape in good spirits and now Draper believes they will fit in well with the rest of the squad. He said: “They are two good lads. They are big characters and have settled in well.

“They had to sing on the bus down to Motherwell last week. Both of them were garbage, utter rubbish.

“Liam sang Frozen but I can’t tell you what Ryan sang, but they were both rubbish.

“Things like that are good for helping the guys settle in. They took it on the chin and realise it’s something we do with new players. They both gave it their all.

“On the pitch, too, both have looked sharp in training. Hopefully they will be two good additions to the squad.”