Mark Reynolds feels it is the perfect time for him to go part-time with an “exciting project” at League One side Cove Rangers.
The 34-year-old has returned to the north-east where he spent seven-and-a-half years of his playing career with Premiership neighbours Aberdeen.
Reynolds penned an 18-month deal with League One leaders Cove earlier this week and feels energised by what he has been sold at the Balmoral Stadium.
He said: “When I was at Aberdeen I did a degree at Robert Gordon’s, part-time for six years in mechanical offshore engineering.
“I’ve always had an eye on doing that. Football coaching is interesting but it’s never had that great a pull. I love playing but transitioning out of it, I looked at forging a different career.
“Aberdeen is the perfect place to do that. It suits me. There was options to stay full-time but it suits me, my family and my lifestyle.
“It’s a project that excites me. When I went to Aberdeen it was an exciting project – they were languishing ninth or 10th before I came then under Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty, we competed, won a trophy and were in Europe every year.
“It was the same at Dundee United. They were a team languishing in the Championship and to get promoted and compete in the Premiership, in the three years I was there.
“At Cove it’s a different challenge. They were in the Highland League a couple of years ago and are now in League One, having just gone toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country.
“They’re on a journey and want to keep going. Who knows how far we can go? It’s excited me and I want to have a purpose.
“If I can go and help them kick on this season then that’ll be great for me.”
Reynolds started Thursday’s Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian on the bench but came on in the second half of Cove’s heart-breaking extra-time defeat.
He added: “You can watch clips and watch games but once when you’re in the heat of it with them, you appreciate the quality they’ve got and the level they’re operating at.
“I’ve been lucky to be in football for my full career and spent all-bar two seasons of my career in the top-flight in Scotland. There’s guys that can comfortably compete at that level.
“If you want to win trophies and be a successful team, you can have all the talent you want but you need a good group of boys and be able to work for each other. The boys left it all out there and more.”
Reynolds revealed he had little time to meet his new team-mates but was given a lesson in how quick the game of football can move on – given he played with Robbie Leitch and Jevan Anderson’s fathers earlier in his career.
He said: “I met them on the bus driving down. But I know a lot of them. Fraser Fyvie was at Dundee United. Jamie Masson and Mitch Megginson were at Aberdeen when I was there.
“I played with Robbie Leitch’s dad and I played with Jevan (Anderson)’s dad. It’s unbelievable how quickly the game moves on.
“Robbie was the same age as my boy is now when I was playing with his dad. Football flies – they always say that as a young boy it passes in the blink of an eye and I can testify to that.”
Meanwhile, Cove’s SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final against Queen of the South on Tuesday March 1 will be shown live on BBC Alba (kick off 7.30pm).
The other semi-final between Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers will take place the following night and also be screened live on BBC Alba.