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Beardsley: Danny's Sim-ply The Best
Written by Newcastle Utd
United legend and Reserve Team Coach admits he hadn't realised just how good returning defender is
By Dan King
Two Reserve team outings over the past couple of weeks have seen right-back Danny Simpson come into contention for Saturday's match with Wigan - and left Peter Beardsley singing the defender's praises.
Simpson played 75 minutes against Aston Villa and the full 90 minutes against Blackpool in midweek to prove that he is now fully recovered from an ankle operation over the summer.
Reserve Team Coach Beardsley made the 23-year-old his captain at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday and revealed that seeing Simpson at such close quarters has made him realise exactly how good a player the Salford-born star is.
He told nufcTV: "Danny Simpson was fantastic against Blackpool. He led by example and I thought he was fantastic.
"They played a lot of diagonal crossfield balls and he coped with them very well. He is a shining light because of his attitude alone.
"He's obviously got ability and the sooner he gets back in the first-team squad, the better for everybody.
"I'm not sure, with the Reserve game being on Wednesday and the first-team game being on Saturday, if he'll be ready for Wigan. That's not my call but the way he's talking, he's hoping to have another Reserve game. He's got that kind of attitude.
"He's a good lad and I have to be honest, he's an even better player than I thought he was. I knew he was good but now I think he's excellent. In the two games he's played for me, he's been outstanding."