We spoke to Paul Dummett after he agreed a short term deal with the Blues.
Paul began by saying: “I’m happy, I’m motivated to try and do well. It's happened very quickly, so I'm happy it's all done.
“Now I can try and help the team as much as I can for the rest of the season.
“I only learned of the interest just a couple of days ago actually. I knew my contract at Wigan was coming to an end.
“As you probably know, I know the manager from his playing days. We spoke the other day and it happened pretty quickly actually.
“He mentioned about the owners, how good they are, how much they've invested in the club and where they want to take the club.
“Obviously at the moment we’re not in a great position but everyone, the owners, players and staff are trying their hardest to take the club in a better direction and take the club from the bottom of the league.”
After featuring in the Premier League last season, we asked Paul what it was that made this the right move for him, he answered:
“I was without a club after I left Newcastle at the end of the season.
“I've been to Wigan and it hasn't quite worked out. As I said, I knew the manager from his playing days when we played together. I know the ambition the club have got to try and get up the league and get promoted in the longer term.
“Obviously the short term is to try and take the club from the bottom of the league. It was attractive for me. I'm not far from the area and I know I've still got a lot to give on the pitch.
“I come here with a lot of experience and on a top level so hopefully I can bring that and show it on and off the pitch and try and help everyone the best I can.”
Paul then spoke more on his relationship with Mike:
“When I was a young player, playing with him we used to actually sit together on the bus.
"So it's quite strange to then come and play for him as a manager. I'm looking forward to seeing exactly how he works on a daily basis. Like I say, we know each other from the past so hopefully the relationship can work well.
“To be honest, he hasn’t changed. I think he looks exactly the same. He still talks just as much so nothing has really changed.
“I remember he was always quite a deep thinker and a deep talker about a lot of things.
“Everything that he would eat, he was always looking at everything on the label. A lot of detail in everything he does.
“I guess in terms of football he would be very detailed in the work he does on the pitch for the team to make sure there's a clear plan on how the team wants to play.”
Another connection to the club is former goalkeeper, Mark Gillespie. Paul spoke about him.
“Mark's actually one of my best mates.
“I used to come to watch Mark when he was a player here a lot of years ago. We used to travel up the A69 with a few of our friends to come and watch. When I told him that I was going to be coming here to sign he was buzzing, he said he was so happy.
“I think he'll be up the A69 doing the opposite of what I was doing for him coming to watch me.”
Speaking on his career in a bit more detail, Paul said:
“I went to Gateshead when I was 19 or 20 I think I was and to St Mirren when I was 21. Both were successful moves and that created a pathway for me to play for Newcastle for a number of years.
“They were really good moves for me.”
Paul tried to sum up his time at Newcastle, saying:
“It's difficult actually. As a young boy from Newcastle, supporting Newcastle, it's everyone's dream to play in the Premier League and for your hometown club, such a passionate city.
“Everyone's desperate to do that. I look back with fond memories. Fortunate and privileged to have worn that shirt so many times.
“It was a brilliant time in my career but now there's a new chapter for me and I'm really excited to get going here and hopefully push the club in the right direction and take the club to the league.”
We asked if anything really stood out to him from his tenure at Newcastle, he responded:
“The fan base when you’re walking out into the stadium. I think that roar and the sound of the fans singing every time you walk out in the stadium is unmatched.
“There's not many places like St James' Park. I think especially being from Newcastle, it drags you in even more and you have that feeling every time you walk out there. The hairs stick out on your chest and you get goosebumps every time it happens.
“No matter if it's one time or 100 times or 200 times, you still have that same feeling every time it happens.”
Paul was on the bench during Newcastle’s Champions League campaign last season, which he spoke about:
“That's one thing I'm gutted about actually.
“I was in the Champions League squads, on the bench most of the games and I was just desperate to get some minutes last season. That didn't happen but I still look back with fond memories and the experience I've had there is something I could only ever have dreamed of. I never thought that would happen, playing for Newcastle for so many years.
“I look back with amazing memories and I'm grateful for everything that happened.”
With so much experience, we put it to Paul that applying that here could be huge in our current situation, he said:
“Yeah, definitely. I've got experience in the Premier League so hopefully the way I do things on the pitch, off the pitch, preparing for games, I can use that experience and know how to try and help everyone here.
“I know they've got some good players here, so I'm just here to try and bring my experience to my colleagues on the pitch to try and help the team as much as we possibly can. As we all know, we're not in the position we want to be right now.
“I'm in here ready to go, ready to play. As long as the manager wants me to play the first game, then I'm the kind of player that will never turn down the opportunity to play straight away.
So I'm ready to come in and kick on as quick as I can.”
Paul finished with a message to the fans:
“I’m an honest player. I’m hard-working, I will always give my best and I will do everything I can to help. Me, the team, the manager, we’ll all try and take the team in a positive direction.”
