"I had a better contract offered me by Charlton - signi"cantly better - but this was very much a football decision, " said the 33-year-old.

"My heart was telling me to come here. Obviously I have a good relationship with Gordon and the coaching staff and the pull of this club was too great for me to turn down. But going to the Premiership and not facing Hearts was a consideration.

"When you've spent such a long time and have such an affection for a football club then it's hard to go back representing another team, but my passion is football and I've been given an opportunity at this stage of my career and one I'd certainly relish. "