Glenn Whelan says there was a possibility that he could have departed Stoke City, before signing a new deal last month.
The Ireland midfielder, who captained the team yesterday, discussed his situation with Off The Ball's Nathan Murphy after he and his Potters team-mates came from behind to earn a draw at Newcastle.
"There was always the possibility I was going to leave if I wasn't offered a contract. So I'm delighted to get all that sorted now, not just for myself, but for my family and friends. It gives me a little bit of security over the next two years," he said, adding that his performances for Stoke are key in terms of his Ireland future.
The 31-year-old also gave an insight into his mindset when he gets an early booking.
"I think there were one or two chances in the second half where I could have went in a little bit earlier. But I did have that in the back of my head ... 'if I don't get in here first, I could be off' ... so it's disappointing. Last year I got sent off on the same ground and then we got hammered afterwards. I didn't want that to happen again."
Listen in to the full interview below via the podcast (17 minutes in) or on iTunes:
