On-loan St Mirren midfielder Conor Newton is desperate to make the same kind of impact as Newcastle team-mate Paul Dummett.

Newton has followed the lead of close friend Dummett by swapping the black and white stripes of Newcastle for those of the Paisley side in a bid to gain top-team nous.

Both players moved north following a newly-struck affiliation agreement between the clubs and it has already paid off for Dummett after he impressed with Danny Lennon's team.

The 21-year-old left-back was recalled to St James' Park for the Magpies' FA Cup third round clash with Brighton on Saturday before making his first-team debut as a second-half substitute.

Now Newton, who is also 21, hopes to make a similarly big impact.

He said: "That's why I am here, to make a name for myself and get first-team experience.

"I had the choice of staying at Newcastle and playing reserve team football or coming up here to play in the SPL – the SPL wins every time.

"I'm over the moon for Paul. He did so well when he came on against Brighton and you can see he has improved a lot during his time with St Mirren.

"He was more composed and confident and that is what 19 games in a competitive league does for you."

Dummett has already expressed a desire to return to Paisley when the SPL resumes action after its mid-winter break to continue his development.

"Paul wants to come back to St Mirren and that is great news for the club and for me," said Newton. "It's always nervous going to a new club but having him there on my first day really helped me settle in."