ATHLETIC midfielder Matty Todd has become the latest player to commit his future to the club after he put pen to paper on a new contract.

The 20-year-old, who was one of six players who moved up from the Fife Elite Football Academy ahead of the 2018/19 season, has agreed a deal that will keep him at East End until May 2024.

Todd, a former Dunfermline High School pupil and Pars fan, has joined forward Lewis McCann, and midfielder Paul Allan, in signing on for a further two-and-a-half years.

Having made one start and one sub appearance last term for the club, he has enjoyed his longest run of starts since being selected to play in November's defeat against Morton - in which he scored - in a game that coaches Greg Shields and Steven Whittaker took charge of following previous manager Peter Grant's departure.

Todd has now made 32 appearances, 17 in the starting line-up, and boss John Hughes is delighted to have secured him, as well as McCann and Allan, on new deals.

"I'm absolutely delighted for these kids, I really am. They've not let me down," he said.

"With young kids, you do have to take them out every now and then, but they're starting to find their way. It's a big ask for them; they're in a team that's at the bottom of the league. We're struggling and they've not let themselves down, and they've not let their team-mates down, that's for sure.

"These guys are the lifeblood and don't forget Miller Fenton. Miller's got a wee bit COVID at the moment, so his deal would probably have been signed.

"He's not too far behind them, maybe Miller will go on loan somewhere just to get that game, but that's the lifeblood of the club.

"They care about the club. They're in the community, they're homebirds, it's important they're getting game time in the first team, and they set the benchmark and have to have a pride.

"Outwith that, good footballers. I think that's been proven over the last 2-3 weeks, and my message to them is, don't sit back and rest on your laurels thinking 'oh there's a new contract'. You'll soon find yourself sitting next to me.

"In everything you do, don't be found wanting, and have a growth mindset in terms of every day, you come into training, how can I get better? Listen, learn and go and implement it. That's the message to them because we're constantly looking at what can we do and how can we make it better."