What would Newcastle United’s team look like with a line-up made of entirely of home grown players?
Fraser Forster – After signing to Newcastle United’s academy in 2005, the current Southampton stopper failed to make a single appearance for the Magpies during his six years at St. James’ Park – which were permeated with loan spells at Stockport County, Bristol Rovers, Norwich City and two years at Celtic.
Aaron Hughes – In contrast to Forster, Northern Ireland international Hughes made more than 200 appearances for his hometown team after graduating from the club’s academy in 1997. Hughes, now 37-years-old, is still playing first team football, for Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts of Midlothian.
Steven Taylor – Another Newcastle youth product who would play over a double century of games for the club is Steven Taylor. The defender endured a 13-year career at St. James’ Park, including their relegation to the Championship in 2009. Taylor departed for Major League Soccer in 2016, but has since returned to sign for current side Ipswich Town.
Paul Huntington – The defender joined the Newcastle academy in 2004 and, despite initial signs of encouraging potential, would make just 11 Premier League appearances – scoring once – before being transferred to Leeds United in 2007.
Paul Dummett – The current Newcastle left back recently made his hundredth league appearance for the Magpies and has been a consistent presence throughout Newcastle’s quest to return to the Premier League. Whether Dummett has the potential to succeed in the top flight remains to be seen, but the 25-year-old will certainly give his all for his home club.
David Edgar – The Canada international now plies his trade in MLS for the Vancouver Whitecaps – after a ten year nomadic career in England. Edgar, who progressed through Newcastle’s youth set-up between 2001 and 2005, made less than 20 league appearances for the Toon before leaving for Burnley in 2009.
Shane Ferguson – All of Ferguson’s 23 league games for Newcastle came in the top-flight. As a result of being unable to regularly break into the line-up since making his debut during the 2010-11 season, Ferguson has periodically departed for loan spells at Birmingham City, Rangers FC and current employers Millwall, where he signed permanently in 2016.
Sammy Ameobi – The younger of the two Ameobi brothers, 24-year-old Sammy is another local lad who has struggled to make an impact on the Magpies’ first team. Ameobi made his Newcastle debut alongside his older brother, Shola, in 2011 – with the pair becoming the first set of siblings to play in the same Newcastle team since 1952. The winger has mostly been utilised as a substitute at St. James’ Park, but has experienced plenty of league games whilst on loan at Middlesbrough, Cardiff City and most recently, Bolton Wanderers.
Adam Armstrong – Prolific forward Armstrong has shown his ability to find the net at various England youth levels, in addition to a fruitful loan spell at Coventry City in 2015-16; which saw Armstrong bag 20 goals in 40 League One games. To date, the 20-year-old has made 17 appearances for his home town club, including displays earlier in the current campaign. After signing a new contract at St. James’ Park, Armstrong moved on loan to fellow Championship side Barnsley until the end of the 2016-17 season.
Andy Carroll – The one-time hero of the Gallowgate End, Gateshead native Andy Carroll enjoyed an admirably prolific spell at Newcastle – scoring 31 goals in 80 league appearances between 2006 and 2011. A big money move to Liverpool followed, before Carroll ended his Anfield disappointments by transferring to current side West Ham United in 2013. Regularly linked with a return to St. James’ Park, many Newcastle fans will wonder whether they have actually seen the last of Carroll in the famed black and white stripes.
Shola Ameobi – Despite never really being considered as Newcastle’s main striker at any point of his time at the club, Fans favourite Shola Ameobi made more than 300 appearances for the Magpies between 2000 and 2014. Ameobi, now aged 35, is still going strong with current club Notts County – with a scoring rate of a goal every three games for the League Two side this season.
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