Former Rangers midfielder Graham Dorrans has explained his decision to reject MK Dons in order to sign a contract extension at Dundee, as quoted by the Dundee Courier.
Fans were shocked but delighted when the 32-year-old put pen to paper on Wednesday, extending his stay until the summer of 2021.
Amid interest from MK Dons, many had clearly expected the Scotland international to up sticks if not this month, then at the end of the season. Yet, for both family and footballing reasons, he decided to stay put.
“I am pleased to know what is happening with my foreseeable future,” he said, as quoted by the Dundee Courier. “I had a chat [with MK Dons] and went down and had a look.”
“It is a great stadium and they are a lovely club but I just thought for family reasons it was more suitable to play here.
“If I had been moving back down south then I probably would have been going on my own. So that was something that came into it but it wasn’t the only decision.
“I have enjoyed the four months I have been here, I have played 16 times for Dundee and am back enjoying my football again. That was the main reason for staying here.”
Verdict
Dorrans was plagued by injury during his two-year stint at Ibrox and unfortunately, Bears didn’t manage to see him in full flight.
Having been a near ever-present for the Dee over the first half of this season, though, he’s very much back up to speed and tying him down to a longer deal is a real coup.
Few would try to claim that the Scottish Championship is of a higher standard than EFL League One, but it’s clear that the player feels relatively settled and didn’t want the upheaval of a return to England, where he has spent the bulk of his club career.
You would imagine that the ideal scenario for Dorrans is for Dundee to earn promotion via the playoffs so that he can spend the second year of his contract, back in the Premiership.