In recent years, the Newcastle Academy teams have been disregarded and received little investment from the previous owner Mike Ashley.
However, a renewed wave of hope has blown across Little Benton, where the U21, U18 and youth sides have shown remarkable improvement over the last few seasons.
Despite former U21 manager Ben Dawson joining Leicester City's coaching staff, the side remains undeterred, and with a new permanent manager coming in sooner rather than later, the U21 team can look up, instead of down, which had been a recurring theme in recent seasons.
This piece reviews the U21 and U18 side's start to the season, and which players could make their mark in the first eleven sooner rather than later, following in the steps of previous academy youngsters Elliot Anderson and Lewis Miley.
-
Under 21 team
The under-21 side has had a solid if unremarkable start to their PL2 campaign, picking up four points from the first three games.
Alongside the youth leagues, they also won their first Bristol Street Motors Trophy game on penalties, meaning they will have picked up more points from this year's edition, than in any of the last five seasons.
The young Magpies were able to defeat a strong Bradford City after a tense penalty shoot-out, winning 4-3 thanks to Aidan Harris, the 17-year-old shot-stopper saving two penalties in the shootout, getting the Toon off to a positive start.
In PL2, where Newcastle finished a mere 22nd place last term, a win, loss and draw from the first three games, is a promising start for the team, led by pre-season first-team regulars such as Trevan Sanusi, Ben Parkinson and Alfie Harrison.
The first game was an eagerly anticipated first tyne-wear derby of the season, held at Whitley Park. First-team star Kieran Trippier started, looking to gain match fitness, while there was an appearance for Matt Targett, who had not been seen since he hobbled off from Old Trafford last November.
However, the returning full-backs could not provide an opening day three points, instead having to settle for a draw against the Black Cats youth. Anthony Munda's first half goal was cancelled out by a late equaliser from Timur Tuterov.
It was the next game, however, that caught the attention. Away at last season's champions Tottenham, the Magpies came away with an impressive 1-0 victory, thanks to a goal from Ben Parkinson.
A clean sheet for the first time since October 2023, and seemingly the only way was up for the Toon.
However, there was a reality check in the next game as the Magpies youth lost 1-0 to Derby County's second string, with a goal from Lennon Wheeldon in the first 10 minutes.
-
The Standouts
Trevan Sanusi
The 17-year-old brought in by Dan Ashworth as part of the Newcastle academy rebuild, has been incredible in his first season in the North-East. Six combined goals and assists in his first season, including one in just three games in PL2.
The Englishman was given an opportunity in pre-season and impressed in games in Japan and as part of the Sela Weekender, where his substitute appearance in particular against Girona.
With another season of PL2 soon to be under his belt, the teenager will only improve and may be a well-known name in the first-team squad in the near future.
He could even play a similar role to last season's breakout star Lewis Miley if a similar injury crisis hits the Magpies with the 17-year-old a raw, but remarkable talent for his age.
Alex Murphy
More of a fringe first-team squad player than a U21 now, with only one appearance this season, in the game away at Derby.
That is down to his excellent performances for the second-string squad over the last few seasons, however, ever since his arrival from Galway United in March 2021.
An excellent reader of the game, and a very similar profile to Dan Burn, the Irishman's ability to play both left back and centre back is highly valuable in the modern game.
Making his first-team bow in the heavy 4-1 victory over Chelsea last term, the 20-year-old has been training with the senior squad for a couple of seasons now, and is surely next in line, to break through to the senior squad.
Leo Shahar
A more surprising inclusion into this list, the 17-year-old joined from Wolves last summer.
The right-back has already been capped by England at the U17 and U18 level and made his break into the U21 squad towards the end of the last campaign.
Now the first team regular right-back for the young magpies the Englishman will be looking to carry on his strong momentum from the last campaign and start to make into the thoughts of Eddie Howe.
-
U18 Team
The Under 18 side has been renowned for yielding weaker results than the Under 21 team, and unsurprisingly that has been the case so far this campaign.
One draw and two losses have meant that the Magpies remain in the bottom half of the table after three games, while a draw in the U18 Premier League Cup against Millwall.
A tyne-tees derby loss against Middlesbrough was a poor start, but an exciting 3-3 draw against Derby County ensured spirits weren't dampened too much.
Another draw followed in the first game of the U18 Cup, before a 3-1 loss on their travels to Lancashire, as Blackburn blew the young Toon players away.
Overall, not the first four games the Magpies were looking for, but players like Michael Mills, Sean Neave and Mason Miley, another one of Lewis Miley's brothers, alongside Jamie Miley in the U21s
