Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is happy to have kept hold of James Perch during the January market.

The Evening Chronicle says Pardew snubbed a bid from an unnamed club for Perch on deadline day.

He said he has been encouraged by the ex-Nottingham Forest captain's recent contributions.

He said: "I would like to have had a defender, but Perch did well at Brighton.

"You have to say that when he has come in he has done OK. He has boosted me a little bit on that front."