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Defender Dummett Heading Stateside
Written by Newcastle Utd
Paul Dummett is to leave Development Squad's Dutch tour and join up with Alan Pardew's squad in America
By Dan King - Newcastle United Communications Officer
In Santpoort
Teenage defender Paul Dummett has flown out to the United States to join up with the first-team's American tour.
Former Kenton School pupil Dummett, 19, was with the Development Squad in Holland when the call came to tell him he'd be meeting up with Alan Pardew's senior party ahead of their game against Columbus Crew on Tuesday evening.
The team coach had just left United's Dutch base for Amsterdam city centre, where Dummett was planning on doing some shopping with team-mates Greg McDermott, Conor Newton and Ryan Donaldson, when Peter Beardsley broke the news to him that he would be heading Stateside instead.
And despite the long journey ahead, the tough-tackling left-back could not hide his excitement when nufc.co.uk spoke to him just before he boarded the plane.
"I wasn't expecting it at all," he said. "I'd got a knock in the first game in Holland, missed the second game and was looking forward to playing in the third and final game - but now I'm going to America.
"I was just about to go shopping in Amsterdam, then I was told to get packed up and head to the airport so it's all happened really quickly.
"But that all adds to the excitement and I'm really looking forward to it. I've never played in the kind of heat they're experiencing out there, so it'll be a new experience for me and it's great to be given the nod."
The Welsh under-21 international made his senior bow as a substitute at Darlington this month, having been part of the squad for the Fulham away game and epic Arsenal home fixture last season.
He was rested for Saturday's 3-2 win over FC Utrecht after a slight injury sustained in the final minutes of Thursday's draw with Hollandia, but is now fully recovered.