The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Sandaza to make step up to La Liga
Fran Sandaza is on the brink of rubbing shoulders with Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga by winning promotion with Girona for the first time in their 87-year history.
Four years after being booted out of Rangers after revealing details of his contract in a hoax phone call, the former Terror feels it is poetic justice.
And he is hoping he can savour a dream double with Dundee United winning their way back to the Premiership through the play-offs.
Sandaza had two great years at Tannadice until 2010 when he moved to Brighton before coming back to spend a season with St Johnstone.
And he would love to see the Tangerines get back up after going down under Mixu Paatelainen last year.
The 32-year-old said: “To finally have the chance to play in what I think is the best league in the world would be fantastic.
“And the best thing for me would be if Dundee United win promotion too.
“I wish Dundee United all the best. I was so sad when they were relegated from the Premiership but hopefully that they can get back up.
“I still have a lot of friends in Dundee and United are a great club. They deserve to be in the top division and I wish them every success in the play-offs.
“I’m also glad to see St Johnstone doing so well. They are qualifying for Europe again which is another fantastic achievement.
“The perfect thing for me would be to get to La Liga with Girona and for United to get up too.”
Sandaza remains very bitter about his departure from Ibrox, although Rangers had to pay up the majority of his four-year contract.
He said: “Four years ago I was fired by Rangers in the Third Division and now I’m going to play in the best league in the world.
“It was a terrible decision made by Rangers. I had signed for four years and they didn’t show any patience or loyalty with me.
“It’s not revenge, but for all of the people who have been saying bad things about me and my quality as a player my message to them is – look where I am.
“I’m going to play in the best league in the world – where are you?
“That’s life and this is karma. You cannot behave like that to a human being so good things have come to me.”