Aiden McGeady has revealed his desire to be remembered as a Celtic legend helped convince him to sign a five-year contract.

The Republic of Ireland winger committed his long-term future to the club yesterday, disappointing clubs such as Sunderland and Newcastle who were reportedly interested in his services.

The 22-year-old could have held out for a shorter deal or allowed his contract to run down and taken his pick of some of Europe's richest clubs.

But he wants to be held in the affection of the Celtic support.

"I want to be remembered in the club's history rather than just a player who had a couple of good seasons and then jumped ship," he said.

"The thought of being a legend is a bit far away just now, but that's what I'd like to be remembered as.

"I am happy here and I feel I still have a few years left here to develop and hone my game.

"This is the perfect place for me to progress as a player and achieve everything I want to achieve.

"Of course, you have ambitions and would consider playing elsewhere in the longer-term, but I've just signed a five-year deal and my immediate future is here.

"There have been cases of players leaving clubs too early and I want to become a better player as well as helping Celtic to more success."

While McGeady is keen to write his name in the history books, he knows he can never inspire the adulation that former mentor Tommy Burns did.

But McGeady would be happy to receive a fraction of that admiration.

For he himself has so much respect for former Celtic player, manager and coach Burns, whose funeral cortege was met by around 20,000 fans at Celtic Park in May.

"If people could remember me with even 5% of the affection he received, I'd be happy," McGeady said.

"Tommy was called the fan who got lucky by playing for Celtic, but he was a real legend here.

"Tommy was the buffer between me and the manager when things maybe weren't going so well.

"If the manager didn't think I had played well, he would stick up for me.

"He was always there for me on the training ground and he had so much time for the younger players because he'd been there himself.

"I don't really have a buffer these days, but Tommy was there at a time where things weren't always going great for me and I needed someone to take me aside and put an arm round me.

"Things are going well right now, but I'd still like him there.

"It still doesn't seem real that he's not around."

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