THE EVE OF the new season has brought good tidings for Dundalk fans, as talismanic midfielder Chris Shields has signed a contract extension with the club. 

The 29-year-old today penned a deal which keeps him at Oriel Park until the end of 2021. Shields joined Dundalk in 2012 and has become an integral member of a squad now burdened with silverware. 

“Since day one I’ve been happy to be here and who would have thought I’d be going into 10 years at the club! That’s very rare in the League of Ireland and I take real personal pride in it”, Shields told Dundalk’s official website. 

“I’ve seen so many players come and go over the past decade so to be a constant is nice and it’s great knowing that I can just concentrate on my football now for the next two years.”

Manager Vinny Perth hailed Shields contribution to the club. 

“Chris Shields sums up everything about Dundalk Football Club”, said Perth. “He has been through the good times and the bad. He was here for the relegation play-off game in Waterford in 2012 and he has been here for all of the success we’ve had over the past seven years.

“This will be his ninth season at the club and he has gone from being a squad player to becoming one of the most decorated players in the history of the League of Ireland. It’s a testament to Chris and how hard he works, both on and off the pitch. He is a true legend of the club and long may that continue.”

Shields has won five league titles with Dundalk, along with two FAI Cups. He has been included in each of the previous two PFAI Teams of the Year, and was shortlisted for Player of the Year in 2018, beaten to the gong by team-mate Michael Duffy. 

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