Dummigan signing tonic for Latics

CAMERON DUMMIGAN

ATHLETIC'S squad came of age late last night as Cameron Dummigan moved on a permanent deal to become the 21st signing of boss Stephen Robinson's reign.

Robinson flew back to Belfast yesterday in order to tie up a deal for the former Burnley full-back, who is currently training with Northern Ireland's under-21s squad ahead of their game against Iceland in Lurgan tomorrow night.

With an undisclosed fee agreed with the Premier League new boys, highly promising full-back Dummigan has signed a deal running to the end of the 2017-18 season, with the option of a further year.

It's quite a deadline-day coup given Dummigan's impressive time on loan last year within a struggling Athletic line-up.

The 20-year-old, who only signed a contract extension at Turf Moor back in January, made 27 appearances across three separate loan spells and scored once in a 2-1 win at Peterborough.

COMMITMENTS

He was also named as the club's young player of the year. International commitments mean Dummigan won't play against Shrewsbury on Saturday, but he will be available for the home clash with Chesterfield seven days later.

On a day when out-of-favour duo Jake Cassidy and Connor Brown saw their contracts cancelled, allowing them to find new clubs, Robinson was left pleased with the work done in a hectic transfer window.

And he said that given the chance to sign Dummigan, he felt he could not turn it down.

"Working with him before may have persuaded him to come," said Robinson, who has known Dummigan since he was 16 and playing for him in age-group sides at international level.

"He gives us another option on the right-hand side and also some more pace out there as well.

"Burnley and (manager) Sean Dyche have been very good with us to get the deal done. The boy needs to play and he wasn't going to get that opportunity at Burnley.

"He now has to come to us and fight to get a place in the team.

"He is a player with a lot of potential, but he has to get up to speed fitness-wise to reach the level we need from him."

Cassidy will now rebuild his career elsewhere after Athletic struck a deal with the 23-year-old allowing him to become a free agent before the 11pm deadline, meaning he can find another club outside of the window.

PRODUCTIVE

A summer signing last year, the former Wolves striker who had a productive loan spell with Tranmere, started well with an assist on opening day at Walsall before succumbing to a serious injury in the first home game of the season against Fleetwood.

In total, Cassidy made 23 appearances for Athletic without scoring.

Brown, who had been Athletic's second longest-serving player after Carl Winchester, also has the chance to find another club after his contract was terminated.

The 24-year-old made a total of 98 appearances for Athletic over four seasons and is credited with one goal, a match-winner at Colchester two years ago.