2018-19 Season Review: Paul Dummett

As a part of our off-season coverage members of the Coming Home Newcastle staff will be reviewing the campaigns of all the Newcastle United first team players who made appearances in the 2018-2019 season. Continuing the series, Cameron Johnson reviews bleach blonde Newcastle defender Paul Dummett.

Over the past five years, Newcastle supporters have gotten the full Paul Dummett experience. Dummett has been a symbol (warranted or not) of our club’s recent mediocrity. Making his first team debut in the 2013-14 Premier League campaign which saw Mike Williamson start 32 times, Dummett has been part of disappointing season after disappointing season. The unassuming defender is one of a few remaining members of the Pardew crew. Though Dummett may be a reminder of past chagrin and frustration, we must recognize his great improvement.

Paul Dummett made 26 Premier League appearances this season and started for 21 of them. Before the season, I expected an adequate, unremarkable performance from Dummett as a left back. Toward the end of the season, Dummett was starting as the left side center back in a back five (or three). He even wore the captain’s armband a few times this season. Dummett shattered my expectations. He was fantastic at center back when I saw him this season and it is unreal to see Paul Dummett captaining a team managed by Rafa Benitez.

Dummett is playing his best football right now. It is difficult to have watched matches in the second half of this season without being impressed with how far Dummett has come since 2014. I am happy to see him succeed and receive praise from pundits. He made crucial interventions and only saw one yellow card all season. His shining moment was an acrobatic goal line clearance against Bournemouth.

Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Paul Dummett was impressive this year, so I hope he sticks around despite a potentially turbulent offseason. He is going to be a great asset next season. Be sure to vote on Dummett’s 2018-19 performance grade below.

Fun fact: Paul Dummett and I share the same September 26th birthday.