SCOTT Fox turned down the chance to re-sign for Ross County and play in the Ladbrokes Premiership again in order to be nearer to his family and see his young daughter grow up.
However, Fox is confident he will be plying his trade in the top flight once again soon enough after signing a two year contract with Partick Thistle.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper was a key member of the Staggies team that won the Championship title and clinched a return to the Premiership at the first time of asking last term.
But the constant commuting to Dingwall proved increasingly difficult for him and he was happy to return to Firhill, where he spent five seasons before joining the Staggies, this summer.
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Gary Caldwell backs Partick Thistle board to make right call on Firhill takeoverHe has been impressed by manager Gary Caldwell’s plans for the future and the calibre of player he will be working alongside at the Maryhill club and is confident good times lie ahead.
Asked if it was hard to turn down the chance to play in the Premiership, he said: “No, it comes down to personal issues as well. Sometimes it didn’t work out with the travelling.
“Family comes first. It’s worked out well for both parties. I made that decision and I’m looking forward to getting started and doing what I did last season.
“I made a decision last year that I wanted to stay and get Ross County back up there. I have done that now so I can end on a high and start a new challenge.
“I was offered a good deal, probably one of the best deals of my career. But it was all about family. It was one of the things that I wanted to do – get another promotion. I enjoyed last year so much.
“I had my mind made up. I wanted to see my daughter Harper grow up. She is at a good age. She will be two in September.When people offer you deals you have a think about it with the family and weigh up the options. But in the back of my mind I knew I was coming home."
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Gary Caldwell hoping Kenny Miller can be his Alan Shearer at Partick ThistleFox added: “It is a club I know well. They probably gave me my first real chance in senior football. I enjoyed playing here and I enjoy playing here as an opponent as well. At this age I want to enjoy my football.
“I just want to win as many game as possible and with the squad we have here I see it happening. That is my main aim – to win as many games as possible and try and get something at the end of the season. I had a few options, a few decisions I had to make. This ticked more boxes than most.”
Fox was a youngster in the Celtic squad when both Caldwell and his new signing Kenny Miller were key players and he is looking forward to working under and playing alongside them respectively.
“You can see from the way the gaffer talks about football that he is enthusiastic,” he said. “He has had that right throughout his career. He wants to play football the right way and he wants to win games. You don’t play at Celtic if you’re not a winner. That is the kind of mentality he wants in his squad.
“When you see somebody like Kenny coming in you know you are at least going to get goals in this team. That is a big part of football, getting goals. That was a major factor.
“The Premiership has to be the aim. We want to win games of football. At the end of the season that is what the target has to be. We will take each game as it comes, the gaffer will set the standards and we have to deliver.”
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