Callum Roberts at a trial at Championship outfit Boro after being released by Premier League Newcastle United.
Callum Roberts has sealed a shock move to non-league Blyth Spartans shortly after the former Newcastle United winger underwent a trial at Middlesbrough, as reported by the club’s official website.
The Hartlepool Mail claimed just two weeks ago that a player who was released by Newcastle after 14 years in the youth system on Tyneside was on the radar of local neighbours Boro.
Jonathan Woodgate’s took Roberts on trial with the view to offering a contract to a former England U20 winger born in South Shields.
But, for whatever reason, Middlesbrough have decided against handing the 22-year-old a chance in the Championship.
And, just days later, Roberts has dropped well down the footballing ladder to join a side who finished sixth in the National League North last season. This is quite a coup, then, for Blyth Spartans.
Based in a former mining town on the Northumberland coast, Blyth are currently plying their trade in the sixth tier of English football. Interestingly, they are currently managed by former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark, who once signed Roberts on loan during a spell at Kilmarnock in 2017.
Is this a classic case of a player taking a step back in order to move forwards?
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