New deal for Dummy?

It looks as though Paul Dummett's reward for an impressive pre-season and an encouraging introduction to the first team, culminating in Saturday's goal against Liverpool, will be the offer of a new contract. That's if the Silver Fox gets his way - and you'd imagine Jabba wouldn't be inclined to quibble given that the young left back is just the sort of cost-free homegrown player he wants us to be producing.

Here's an interview Dummett gave in the summer to the Ronny Gill, in which he talks about the importance of self-confidence when you're training with your idols, the value of last season's loan spell at St Mirren and the encouragement he's received from the Silver Fox.

Dummett has said he'll be involved on Sunday whether as a player or a supporter - in truth, it looks like being the latter, with the Silver Fox saying a fit-again Saylor would "get the nod over Paul because you need experience in the derby". Saylor obviously greater experience, but you do wonder whether he's not actually the greater liability in the circumstances - a player who is just returning from injury, who is always liable to do something daft and rash (see the sending-off in his one appearance of the season so far, at Man City) and who will be given a particularly torrid time by the Mackem crowd...