Tony Watt insists he has no regrets over making the lucrative Dundee United move that was just too good to turn down.
But the St Mirren striker says he’s now realised money can’t buy him happiness after revealing he rejected bigger cash offers to hook up again with Stephen Robinson in Paisley. The much-travelled 29-year-old seemed to have finally found a home when the Northern Irishman lured him to Motherwell this time three years ago.
The good times continued even when Robinson was replaced by Graham Alexander, with Watt enjoying a blistering start to last year’s campaign as he netted 10 goals before Christmas. But the striker stunned the Steelmen support in January when he opted to follow the cash on offer at Tannadice. It proved to be anything but profitable for either party and Watt has now joined Saints on loan for the reminder of the season having fallen out of Liam Fox’s plans after managing just five goals during his year on Tayside.
Watt - who joined the 13th club of his career on deadline day - said: “I was settled at Motherwell and got a good opportunity to go to United. I just couldn’t turn it down.
“There was an opportunity under Tam Courts we had a plan - but things change. Tony Asghar appointed Jack Ross who was the best manager out there and it didn’t work. It’s the same for me, Jack Ross is a good manager, I’m a good player.
"It doesn’t work sometimes and you move on. I was going to stay but I wasn’t going to play. That was clear.
“The manager has his own ideas and I don’t have a problem with that. Now I've come to a place where I knew the manager here plus most of the squad who I played with at Motherwell.
“So I’m settled. It’s not like I’ve uprooted. I had a chance to go abroad and chose not to because I wouldn’t be settled.”
The former Standard Liege ace added: “I had a good opportunity to go back to Belgium but it wasn’t for me. I could have sat at Dundee United and took the wage – but that’s not me either.
“Money doesn’t make me happy. In life you need to go and better yourself and get a better wage and a better contract of course. When an opportunity comes up sometimes then of course you need to take it.
“But I couldn’t sit there and not play, just earning the money. That’s why I’m at St Mirren and why I want to work with the manager.
“I could have gone abroad to Belgium and made better bonuses and had a different life. But I’m here and it makes me happy because I’m at home.”
Watt knows he’ll still be treated like the pantomime villain when he returns to Fir Park with his new side tonight. But he’s ready to play the part of the baddie and heap more misery on his old side, who sit bottom alongside his parent club.
Watt - whose side can leap up to fourth with a win on Wednesday - said: “I don’t hold any ill feelings towards my former clubs. I hope Motherwell and Dundee United do well.
“It’s difficult to see because the two clubs I’ve had most recent history with are down there at the bottom of the table. I’ve been back to Fir Park once with United and we drew. Hopefully we can better that.
“I got a lot of abuse! But I accepted that and moved on. That’s why I celebrated when I scored against Motherwell at home.
“The amount of abuse I was getting, I thought it was time to give a bit back. But there’s no hard feelings and I understand why they’re angry. It’s just part of life.
“Do I thrive on the stick? I like to have a laugh and a joke. It’s part of football. You can be the villain or you can be the hero. In the space of a month I went from the hero to the villain at Motherwell.
“But that’s life. It’s a great club with great people. It’s a club that should be doing better and I’ve now doubts they will.”
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