Andy Dawson deal given green light by Hull City boss Steve Bruce
HULL City defender Andy Dawson will be offered the chance to rack up a decade of service at the KC Stadium with Steve Bruce keen to honour the defender's loyalty with a new deal.
The 33-year-old has so far endured an anxious summer as the final weeks of his contract have ebbed away with little clarity over his long-term future from the City board.
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THROWN IN HIS LOT AT THE TIGERS: City’s longest-serving player Andy Dawson is set to be rewarded with a new one-year deal and a testimonial match next summer.
Terms had been agreed on a one-year extension as far back as February but the sacking of former boss Nick Barmby last month plunged Dawson into limbo.
The issue of a new contract subsequently became a decision for Barmby's successor, but the Mail understands Bruce intends to honour the provisional deal and hand Dawson a testimonial year with the Tigers.
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Although the veteran's existing deal is due to expire in just eight days, Dawson is expected to finally see an extension signed off ahead of pre-season training on July 2.
That would grant the popular left-back a testimonial fixture for a decade of service and a likely friendly with Spurs next summer, the club where younger brother Michael is club captain.
Bruce is understood to have made retaining Dawson one of his top priorities.
As well as being a key member of the City dressing room – resuming the role of captain when injury struck Jack Hobbs in March – the experience and reliability of Dawson carries obvious appeal for Bruce.
The left-back was an ever-present after he wrestled the left-back slot away from Joe Dudgeon in December and was part of a City defence that went over 10 hours of Championship football without conceding between early January and early March.
Dawson, who will turn 34 in October, is now the only survivor of City's Championship promotion winning side of 2007-08.
The summer exits of Barmby and Richard Garcia have left Dawson standing comfortably as City's longest servant. Defender Liam Cooper, who made his debut five years after Dawson, is now the closest contender.
With 310 appearances to his name since signing on a free transfer from Scunthorpe in 2003, Dawson is now 20th on the all-time appearance list for the Tigers and should the final details of a new deal be rubber-stamped, Bruce will become his seventh different boss at the KC.
Signed by Peter Taylor, Dawson has also served under Phil Parkinson, Phil Brown, Iain Dowie, Nigel Pearson and Barmby.
Tying up Dawson to a new deal will be Bruce's first piece of business as City boss, but supporters are continuing to await new blood ahead of pre-season training next month.
Bruce has earmarked Brad Guzan as one of his favoured goalkeeping options yet may have to remain patient as the American enjoys a holiday back in his homeland.
A host of players have been linked with the Tigers, including former England striker Emile Heskey, and Bruce will hope to make his first breakthroughs before the Tigers head off on a warm-weather training camp in Portugal in just over a fortnight.
Comments
by HCAFCscarb
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 10:08AM
“Iv not seen Heskey much in the last couple of years.
Must admit Jack I never thought much of him.
Then as I always say I can't even get my team to finish out of the bottom 25 in the 100 team fantasy football league I join on line every season.
alot of people seem to think he will do a great job at setting chances up .
Could turn out to be a brilliant signing maybe .
I'm just going to think along the lines IF players are good enough for Steve Bruce then there good enough for me and see how it works out.
Onwards to the play offs
:-)”
by GeoDriff
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 7:39AM
“JR2 - "Amongst them was the Emile Heskey Subbuteo playing piece and the likeness was uncanny........ especially that big block of concrete around his feet."
Love that !
"Seriously......SB should know better if he thinks big Emile could do a job for us..." - Agreed, but the key word is "should". Nobody really knows till he puts his boots (shoes?) on. He might be another big puddin' like Cousins - Big name, but ... Every manager has a long list of poor signings, even Sir AF.
Sir SB ticks a lot of boxes for me. But his record means little unless he reproduces it here. We've had high flying names before with with very mixed results - Barmby, Terry Neill, Mark Hateley, Eddy Gray, Mike Smith, Jan Molby, etc. And probably the most successful but the most boring, Peter Taylor. Some of them were international managers. We've tried young and up and coming (Parkinson) and allsorts. Surely this lad is worth a go if the Board will back him.
Whilst I want success, whatever that means, I do want to be entertained too. Above all, I want to come home on Saturday afternoon with a smile on my face having had value for money.
Am I asking too much ?”
by Jack_Russell2
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:23PM
“When I was younger I used to have the England Subbuteo Team and the wee plastic players were hand painted to resemble the England players at that time.
Amongst them was the Emile Heskey Subbuteo playing piece and the likeness was uncanny........ especially that big block of concrete around his feet.
Seriously......SB should know better if he thinks big Emile could do a job for us....UTT!”
by HCAFCscarb
Monday, June 25 2012, 7:28PM
“Doh
A done deal to be finalised this week.
So my last post was wrong.
oops
Hey I never said I am always right.
Far from it ...”
by HCAFCscarb
Monday, June 25 2012, 7:21PM
“Heskey a done deal on many sites across the Internet .
Same journo who posted the Steve Bruce and the Andy Dawson news
Before anyone else ..”
by HCAFCscarb
Monday, June 25 2012, 7:04PM
“If a player is good enough for Steve Bruce , then he is good enough for me.
After all like most of us on here iv Never been a footy manager,
Steve Bruce on the other hand Twice took Birmingham City from the championship to the premier league , and has managed in the premier league.
I'm pretty sure that makes him more in the know then us mere supporters
Interesting to see LcFc have also been chasing Heskey as well.
In Steve Bruce I trust.
Roll on the coming season when we can get back to watching City play .”
by piddsta
Monday, June 25 2012, 3:08PM
“4-4-2 with Heskey as strike partner - I bet Fryatt can't wait! 2 brummies up front - bostin!”
by OaktownTiger
Monday, June 25 2012, 2:35PM
“like it or not the game now is about speed and speed of movement the days of immobile big center forwards is coming to an end, if any one thinks that Heskey is worth a punt is crazy, his salary alone must be the equivilent of King and another young Manchester player possibly Brady, or more.
I'd rather have King and Brady playing in a 4-4-2 than Heskey, maybe if Barmby had tried it we would have made the play offs, him going 4-5-1 was the problem, just my opinion before you shoot me down guys !”
by GeoDriff
Monday, June 25 2012, 1:25PM
“To be fair, Phil Buck has posted some helpful comments at the end of this article as an update.
Looks like wait 'n see.
Yes EH has lotsa european/international experience. So did Barmpot.
So EH will be invaluable when we are in Europe next season ! Another friendly at Ostend in the offing ? Or The Cup Winners Cup - Wow.
Methinks Sir SB is ahead of the game !”
by HCAFCscarb
Monday, June 25 2012, 12:58PM
“I would love to see Josh King back at the KC.
he has great speed....and will get better...in my opinion..”