Dummigan 'encapsulates the modern full back' - Dyche

Dummigan, 19, was out with a groin problem that required surgery from September until May, but yesterday signed a new two and half year contract, after last week going back out on loan to League 1 Oldham Athletic for another month.

The Northern Ireland Under 21 international would have been in and around the first team last season, but after injury halted his progress, Dyche reacted to the sale of Kieran Trippier to Spurs by bringing in Lowton from Aston Villa, and then Darikwa from Chesterfield as competition at right back.

Dyche admitted: "If Cammy hadn't had injury problems last year, I don't think one of the two lads we signed would have signed.

"We think he's a very good player, but he's missed out on a big chunk of football which he's catching up with now, which is great.

"He's someone we feel is a very good player, which is why we're delighted we've put him in a position to stay with us, and he's a good example of some of the players just under the radar at this club, because there are a few others we really like.

"He encapsulates the modern full back, he's got things he can improve, for sure, but he's got good energy, quality with the ball, predominantly right footed but can definitely strike a ball with his left, he's understanding better the defensive side of the position, and he's got a will and thirst to get forward. He's what you would describe as a modern young full back.

"We're pleased with his professionalism, the way he's learned about his profession and the way he's learning about himself, and making sense of it all."

Dummigan is highly-thought of at the club and has his admirers outside Turf Moor, with Dyche delighted to extend his contract: "We've signed him on a longer contract because the development idea is a process which aligns players for when we deem they are ready to go and play.

"We've got to give them the best chance to play, people will ask 'why aren't you playing the young lads?'

"Because if they're not ready, it can really damage them. Crowds are crowds, people are people, they don't always expect the fact they are young lads, if it's not quite happening, they don't always treat them kindly, so we've got to make sure they are ready to go and deliver performances.

"That's part of their natural maturation into being first team footballers.

"We're really pleased. Last season we were really gutted for him because he would have been in and around the first team squad a lot more. He would possibly have figured in the cup games, almost definitely, and he unfortunately had a really tough injury.

"He's done fantastically well to come through that injury. The phases he's going through now in terms of his development would have been done at some point last year so we've had to put it all back.

"But we believe in what he is as a person and a player, he's going along well with his football at Oldham, they like him there and he's delivering good performances, and he's among quite a good group here.

"We have a number of that group now out on loan for different reasons, and we want to expose them to first team life as early as we feel they are ready.

"Cammy is definitely good enough, as he's showing, for what he's doing now, and beyond, and that's why we pitched him at that level."

Dummigan is one of a number of development-type players giving cause for encouragement at the club, and Dyche added: "I spoke earlier about, the thing the financial structure of the club has allowed us to do after the Premier League, is build layers of players, not carrying players for the sake of it, not massive numbers for the sake of it, but we can be more serious about the second layer of player who are now developing, hopefully into the first team.

"That's the nirvana project, to not just buy in, we have to do that with immediacy and we're still looking to do that now, but there have to be players behind that who can add to the longevity of the idea of the club.

"The development layer has improved significantly I feel in the last season, added to by a couple we've brought in under the radar.

"There's been a real good stimulus within that group to push each other, and there's been a good demand from that group."