'Second choice' Dons job for McGhee.

MARK McGhee was delighted to be named the new manager of Aberdeen but admitted bossing Celtic would have been his first choice.

The 52-year-old former Newcastle striker has signed a one-year rolling contract to return to the club where he enjoyed a glittering period as a player between 1978 and 1984, that included a European Cup Winners' Cup triumph.

McGhee takes over at Pittodrie following Jimmy Calderwood's departure on the final day of the season.

The former Wolves, Reading and Leicester boss stressed that Aberdeen's supporters should not worry about the fact that Pittodrie was not his initial preference.

He said: "Aberdeen fans know that in Scottish football on a scale of one to three you have Rangers and Celtic and then Aberdeen comes in third. I think that any player or manager has the right to want to play or manage at the best club possible. I have looked at that opportunity, I didn't get that job but I then moved on to come to Aberdeen quickly with a total positive feeling and a total commitment.

"The Celtic thing should not in any way undermine things - quite the opposite actually. Maybe Aberdeen fans should be thinking that they have a manager that was considered by Celtic." The former Motherwell boss revealed that he decided to join the Dons before being told by Celtic that he would not be the man to replace Gordon Strachan.

McGhee explained: "I sent Willie Miller a text last Friday to say that I was at a stage where I was prepared to speak seriously about coming to Aberdeen at the exclusion of anything that was happening at Celtic.

"I didn't actually know that I hadn't got the Celtic job until the Saturday morning.

I had not received any unofficial word from Celtic, it was just at that point I was worried about losing the opportunity of coming to Aberdeen so I sent Willie a text.

I hope that reassures a few of the fans." Aberdeen have reportedly had to pay McGhee's former club Motherwell around pounds 200,000 following lengthy compensation negotiations between the clubs. McGhee was never worried about the deal falling through. He said: "I knew that John Boyle (the Motherwell chairman) understood where I was coming from and that the time was right for me to leave Motherwell.

"I knew that he would drive a hard bargain as he is a good businessman. That is why guys like John Boyle and Stewart

Milne (the Aberdeen chairman) own football clubs. I knew they would get the best deals for their clubs and it just took a little bit of time to get to that but the desire was always there to make it happen." McGhee is not concerned by the fact he has been signed on a rolling deal, and believes it may be the best deal for everyone involved. The contract is the club's doing," he said. "Contracts don't interest me. I come and I do the job for whatever length of time that seems right.

I'm here for as long as it is working, Aberdeen is making progress and the people want me here." McGhee believes he can improve upon the performances of his predecessor Jimmy Calderwood. He added: "I think there are the foundations to develop the team further than Jimmy has taken it.

"I think there is a basis of a team here that can be improved and developed into a team that is good enough to get to a cup final."

CAPTION(S):

ABERDEEN APPOINTMENT Mark McGhee.