On January 6, the San Jose Earthquakes announced they had signed Simon Dawkins to a Designated Player contract just over three years after he left the club following the magical 2012 Supporters' Shield season, and the fans were ecstatic.

He's been busy settling into a new club and a new country, in addition to his pre-season playing duties, so he hasn't had time to sit down for a one-on-one interview with San Jose media members until now. "The Aftershock," therefore, is proud to present the first exclusive interview with Dawkins since re-joining the club.

In the interview, Dawkins answers a wide range of questions that cover his experience of MLS as a league, his relationship with San Jose in particular, representing Jamaica at the international level, how Quakes supporters influenced his decision, why he chose the number 49, and how personal difficulties in the past and present have shaped him as a footballer and a man.

Listen with the audio player below or subscribe via iTunes and Stitcher.

"The Aftershock," the leading media-style podcast about the San Jose Earthquakes, is hosted by Colin Etnire and is entering its second season. You can find out more about the podcast at theaftershock.net.

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