New Aberdeen signing Hayden Coulson says he has arrived at Pittodrie with a point to prove.
The 24-year-old, a former England under-19 international, has joined the Dons on a season-long loan from Middlesbrough.
Coulson is in the final year of his contract at the Riverside and Boro boss Chris Wilder had already said that the defender was not part of his plans for the upcoming season.
The Englishman is determined to use his time at Pittodrie to show what he can do.
He said: “I’m looking forward to regular football as it is what I have needed.
“I have struggled to get that over the past couple of years.
“I am ready to crack on.
“With the size of the club and the fans, it is a good move.
“I had a chat with the gaffer and it was about the chance to play regular football.
“I’m going into my last year at Middlesbrough. I had a few chats with them and I wasn’t in the plans so I needed to go play at a good level and show what I can do.
“Then we will go from there.
“Aberdeen is a huge club and we need to crack on and get up that table.
“This is a huge year for me.
“I need to prove to myself and other people – but mainly myself – that I am more than capable of playing at a good standard.
“If that does mean next year here or elsewhere then so be it.”
Coulson, who has made 49 appearances for Middlesbrough, has spent time on loan at St Mirren, Cambridge United, Ipswich Town and Peterborough United.
The defender believes his previous experience at St Mirren will stand him in good stead for the challenges ahead.
He said: “I was still a young one then but I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the league.
“I only played 12 or 13 times but I enjoyed my time in Scotland and it is good to come back.
“This is a good little league and it is getting bigger in world football.
“It is a good move.
“My focus is getting my head down and trying to get games.”
Coulson believes he can be an asset to the Dons as a natural left-sided defender.
He said: “I am a modern day full back.
“I like attacking but I don’t mind a good challenge now and then.
“I like crossing the ball, I’m quick and I have fast feet.
“I think it will work out well.”
Coulson is looking forward to linking up with winger Cal Roberts who joined the Dons from Notts County in a £100,000 move earlier this week.
He said: “He was at Newcastle and I have played against him many times at youth level.
“I played up against him. He is a good lad.”
Good luck @Haydencoulsonn 💪 #UTBhttps://t.co/Mlagsa7zOo
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) July 26, 2022
Coulson is Aberdeen’s ninth summer signing and it is the second summer in a row he has joined a club in transition having undergone a similar experience at Ipswich Town last summer.
He said: “I think I was the 14th or 15th signing and they were still bringing in players after that.
“It was a full, new turnaround.
“From the fans’ point of view, it was certainly on paper a top team, especially for (English) League 1 and they thought it would happen straightaway.
“But if you bring in that many players it takes time to come together and work on a style of play.
“It was carnage in pre-season with that many players coming in.
“It will happen once it clicks with the squad and you know how certain players want to play.
“Everyone will come together and I believe this is a tight-knit group of players so I think it will work well.”
Dons boss Goodwin was keen to bring in additional cover in defence with defender Jack MacKenzie’s start to the season disrupted by injury. Liam Scales is ineligible to feature for the Dons against Celtic on Sunday under the terms of his loan agreement.
Coulson trained with the Dons at Cormack Park on Tuesday and will go straight into the squad for Aberdeen’s opening match of the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership season at Celtic Park on Sunday.
