Newcastle: Paul Dummett grateful to St Mirren for loan spell

Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett has said a loan spell at St Mirren has given him the grounding for first-team football at St James's Park.

The 21-year-old was a success during two spells and helped the Buddies lift the Scottish League Cup against Hearts.

Dummett has one Magpies first-team appearance to his name, as a substitute at Brighton in last term's FA Cup.

"I played 36 first-team games, I played against Celtic, played at Hampden Park," Dummett told BBC Newcastle.

He added: "Tommy Craig and Danny Lennon take some credit, they took me up there and trusted me to play week in, week out."

Regular first-team football has led to Dummett's increased participation in Alan Pardew's pre-season plans, including a 45-minute run-out in Saturday's friendly with Braga at St James' Park.

"Playing games, getting my fitness and knowing what it means to the fans all together has built us up to play in the Premier League," the Wales under-21 international continued.

"In reserve football you can make a mistake, concede a goal but go to training the next day and not think about it.

"But doing that in front of fans, you get grief from newspapers, Twitter - everywhere - and it has bedded me in.

"It's bedded me into come back here and make something of my Newcastle United career."