Eddie Howe believes Dan Burn is a ‘key cog’ for Newcastle after captaincy bow

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Dan Burn briefly got the chance to captain Newcastle on Saturday, and he is very deserving of the opportunity according to Eddie Howe.

The giant defender was given the armband in the 84th minute, after Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson were replaced.

It was a landmark moment for Burn, who is continuing to live out his childhood dreams at St James’ Park.

He was a strange signing in January, costing £13million from Brighton. There wasn’t much fanfare around his arrival, but Burn quickly established himself as a key player.

That has continued into this season, despite the fact he is being asked to play at left-back. Sven Botman’s return to the starting XI has forced Burn out wide, but he has continued to play very well.

Howe is clearly a huge fan of Burn, and has waxed lyrical about the 30-year-old after the game.

Eddie Howe on Dan Burn’s impact

After the 5-1 win over Brentford, Howe spoke to NUFC TV. He was asked about Burn getting the captaincy for the final stages of the game.

“I think he’s been incredible for us,” Howe said.

“On the pitch, off the pitch, leadership, role model, he’s everything. All of those things for the squad. I think he’s been a key cog in our team in terms of the progression that we’ve made.

“So I’m delighted to give him that opportunity to captain the team.”

Burn is living the dream

One year ago, Burn could only dream of representing his boyhood club. Now he is a key player for a team in the Premier League’s top six.

It’s been an incredible 12 months for Newcastle, and the same can be said for Burn. He has had a huge impact in such a short space of time, and that is epitomised by Howe’s post-match comments.

For Burn to become such a key player in the dressing room is a testament to his character, and a credit to the club’s recruitment. He was exactly what we needed when he signed, rather than a fancy name with a huge reputation.

But Burn wasn’t just brought in to keep us up. His role is going beyond that. He’s already played a lot of football this season, starting every league game bar one.

The defender will hope Saturday isn’t the last time he captains Newcastle. He certainly deserves to do it again in the future.