Defender Signs On The Dotted Line

Roeder: "You could see young Hunty has been playing in our first team because he was a class above any other player on the field last night.

"Going back, he was one of my academy boys when I first took over and while some people may not have been sure about him, I took a shine to him straight away.

"At the start of the season, I had him pencilled in to blood him in a couple of games, but because of our injury crisis, he is into double figures.

"He has had a longer run in the first team than even he expected and he has not let anyone down.

"Yes, he found it hard in Holland last Thursday night, but it is tough in Europe and that boy Jenner is a very, very good young winger indeed. And let's not forget, Huntington was playing at left-back which, if the truth was known, is his least-favoured position.

"But like the rest of the players we have had to ask to stand in at full-back, he has never complained.

"When he was given a chance to play in his best position of centre-half against West Ham at St James' Park at end of January, he did very well alongside David Edgar when he came on as substitute.

"He has a lot of qualities. He is 6ft 4 ins, but needs to improve on his heading. He has pace and is decent enough on the ball. But he wants to learn and as a coach, I have to say he is easy to work with.

"While he is nowhere near the finished article, I expect him to be challenging our two central defenders next season - whoever they are."