THE TEXT SAID 'STUART IS IN ABERDEEN UNDERGOING A MEDICAL' I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!

After helping launch Armstrong's career as a boy, Len’s delighted his old player now a Don

- BY SCOTT BURNS

IT had been 17 years in the making before Stuart Armstrong finally became an Aberdeen player.

The text message dropped late on Tuesday night: ‘Stuart is currently in Aberdeen undergoing a medical’. It was sent to the phone of Len Nicol, a founder of Dyce Boys Club, where the Scotland star had come through the ranks before stepping up into the professional game.

The text had come from Armstrong's dad, Guy, but still Len wasn't entirely convinced, until Aberdeen officially confirmed the signing later on Tuesday night!

The Dons had taken a young Armstrong on a couple of trials when he was at Dyce but decided against signing him.

Now after a glittering career that saw him win everything at Celtic then move to the Premier League with Southampton and win 51 Scotland caps, the 33-year-old midfielder has signed a two-year deal at Pittodrie.

Nicol said: “I'm very pleased and it was a complete surprise. I got a message from Stuart’s dad to say that Stuart is currently in Aberdeen undergoing a medical.

“Of course I didn't believe him and said so and he replied ‘Believe!’.

“Then a couple of hours later it was confirmed by the club that Stuart had signed. I honestly couldn't believe it.

“It just seemed to be something that we all hoped to see him in an Aberdeen shirt but I don’t think we ever expected it to happen.”