The future at Newcastle United is very bright.
Major changes have taken place.
It is so often the very hardest thing to put effort and resources into something that you know won’t stand a chance of showing positive results until some time in the future…
This was always going to be a very long and ongoing process in terms of transforming the younger age groups at NUFC BUT undeniable progress has been made under these Newcastle United owners and their staff.
Patience needing to be shown and a massive shake up and upgrade increasingly put in place for the Academy, essential investment to repair the damage of a decade and a half of Mike Ashley.
This couldn’t be sorted overnight, especially when you are talking about bringing kids/young players through, it is a situation where you put the right things and investment in place and then in the years ahead you potentially reap the benefits.
Still a long way to go but when making the essential progressive investment in facilities and coaching, the outlook can look ever better with each passing season, as what happens now can produce the stars of the future.
Numerous times, Mike Ashley, either directly or through one of his minions (Charnley, Llambias etc), would state that the Academy was the way in which Newcastle United could compete, bring local talent through etc etc, as well as the best young players from elsewhere.
Sadly and predictably, this was never ever backed up with proper investment in infrastructure/facilities and the overall coaching set-up.
The Newcastle United owners inherited a total failure from Mike Ashley to in any way allow the club to properly invest in its future.
This has gone a little under the radar but exciting times at the Newcastle United Academy.
Here’s the backdrop to how things had gone previously with the NUFC Under 18s.
These are the league finishes for the Newcastle Under 18s from the most recent previous four seasons:
2021/22 – Newcastle United Under 18s finished 14th of 14 with 17 points.
2022/23 – Newcastle United Under 18s finished 12th of 13 with 24 points
2023/24 – Newcastle United Under 18s finished 8th of 13 with 32 points.
2024/25 – Newcastle United Under 18s finished 5th of 13 with 35 points
2025/26 – Newcastle United Under 18s finished 3rd of 14 with 49 points
Indeed, last season, only Manchester City and Manchester United finished above Newcastle United in the Under 18s (North) league table.
This season couldn’t have started any better for United’s future prospects.
Last weekend, despite going a goal down in their opening league match to Derby, the Newcastle United Under 18s bounced back to win 3-1. Thanks to goals from striker Alfie Hutchinson, Theo Benjamin and Alfie Seldon.
Then on Saturday, this time the NUFC Under 18s found themselves conceding within 30 seconds to Stoke City. Despite that very early setback, they once again bounced back to win and score three goals in a 3-2 victory. Alfie Hutchinson equalising and then Alfie Seldon scoring twice to win the match.
As I say, early days, but great to see the Newcastle United Under 18s at the very top of the table and continuing the excellent form of last season.
Premier League U18 North Table 2026/27
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle United U18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Manchester City U18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest U18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| 4 | Everton U18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 5 | Burnley U18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | Stoke City U18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Leeds United U18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 3 |
| 8 | Blackburn Rovers U18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 3 |
| 9 | Middlesbrough U18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Leicester City U18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Liverpool U18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 1 |
| 12 | Sunderland U18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Manchester United U18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
| 15 | Derby County U18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 0 |
Two games, two wins, just 28 left to go and a potential Under 18s league title for the NUFC stars of the future…
The progress is stunning after the Mike Ashley depressing decade and a half, building blocks now put in place to give United every chance of a successful future with young players recruited locally and from the rest of the UK and overseas, to give hopefully a production line of talent coming through to the first team in the future.
It was always going to be a very long process for these current Newcastle United owners to build a proper professional top level set-up, to support the younger age groups.
However, we are now seeing real green shoots of progress, thanks to the much needed investment in coaching, facilities, scouting and bringing in the very best possible young players both locally and further afield.