IT'S good to feel wanted.
Joe Lewis was encouraged to become part of Derek McInnes’s Aberdeen revolution last summer after the goalkeeper had spent two seasons playing second fiddle to Scotland international David Marshall at Cardiff City.
If that gave Lewis a glow of satisfaction, it got better with his manager keen to persuade him to extend his contract, even though it still has
18 months to run.
Marshall, the Scotland goalkeeper, has since moved on to Hull City but his erstwhile understudy is enjoying life in the north-east and it’s not just because of his excellent form – he’s lost just 23 goals in 26 Ladbrokes Premiership fixtures – but because of the quality of life he and his family enjoy there.
That there are any number of top quality golf courses on his doorstep may also have a bearing on where his future lies when he gets round to having a serious chinwag with his manager about it.
For the moment, his thoughts are on facing Hamilton on league business at New Douglas Park tonight and the opportunity it affords the Dons to go 12 points clear of Rangers.
"I am enjoying it fantastically at Aberdeen. I have a good relationship with the club and the fans," he said. "My family love it here as well so we're in no rush to move anywhere. You never know what can happen in the future but I have no desire to look elsewhere.
"The club have been in touch with my agent but I've not got too involved in it at the moment because there are eighteen months left on my current deal.
"It's good to know that the club want me to stay; it makes you feel good that the manager obviously thinks you've done something right.
"I am enjoying it here as much as I have done anywhere. I came here to play regularly, got the shirt early on and have managed to hold on to it.”
The 29-year-old admitted he is fortunate to have such good quality defenders protecting and positively beams with delight as he assesses his team-mates and that they have notched-up ten wins from their last eleven games.
Such form, he concedes, makes life and work more enjoyable, especially as he has been an ever-present in McInnes’s side since his summer move.
"You constantly have something to prove in football,” he said, “And because I hadn't played regularly for a while I had to become a number one somewhere.
"As a goalkeeper, you are reliant on someone having bad form or an injury before you get in. Sometimes that comes, sometimes it doesn't.”
His chance did not come at Cardiff. Former Celtic goalkeeper Marshall saw to that. He needed to find a regular place and that was available at Pittodrie, though he had recognised beforehand that usurping Celtic would be an impossible task.
Still, he feels privileged at being protected by so many highly-competent defenders, picking out Andrew Considine for special mention.
"This club has been in second place for the last few seasons,” he said, “So the aim was to kick on with that again. We have been improving throughout this season and the hope is to keep that going and build something special. Defensively we have been brilliant this season.
“The lads at the back all have a good understanding with each other. For me, Andy Considine has been our stand-out player this year because his consistency has been incredible.”
“I love it up in Aberdeen. It's a beautiful part of the world and I like my golf so it's ideal. I'm not a member anywhere at the moment I've been going round a few different courses.
"I play off a handicap of twelve when I'm getting regular games and it's great to have so many opportunities around here.”
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