Dimitar Mitov delighted Aberdeen FC move comes with mentor reunion as he targets 'even better' year

Dimitar Mitov was one of the top performers in the Premiership last season and is confident that his Aberdeen move can take him up a level.

The goalkeeper cleaned up at St Johnstone’sPlayer of the Year awards and his impressive displays also saw him make his long-awaited breakthrough into the Bulgaria squad. The 27-year-old’s heroics also convinced new Aberdeen coach Jimmy Thelin to trigger his release clause and bring him north in a six-figure deal.

It has also helped that Thelin moved to bring in goalkeeping coach Craig Hinchcliffe from Saints to give Mitov some stability and continuity. Mitov said: “I had a lot of offers before I went to St Johnstone. I had offers from teams in England. I spoke to Hinchy and what he predicted has happened. I was really chasing that Bulgaria call-up. I wanted to become an international player and for him to take my game to another level was huge.

“I am always going to be grateful but I have other levels in my game. I feel with him being my coach again that we can achieve that. He rang me and told me he was joining Aberdeen. I was really surprised but really happy. He is great because he knows how to get the best out of me.

“We had a good year, him and I together, but that is in the past and now we want to have an even better year. He is a great guy and a really good coach.”

Mitov insists last season at St Johnstone was no flash in the pan. He reckons he was just as good the previous season for Cambridge United but didn’t get the same exposure playing in England’s League One.

He said: “The season before I joined St Johnstone I had a really good year but people don’t see that as much. Coming to Scotland gives you the opportunity to showcase your talents and to get into Europe.

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