The scoreline read Newcastle United 2 Manchester United 0 on Saturday.
Ahead of Eddie Howe’s team winning 3-1 against Brighton, the United youngsters showing their star quality against Man U.
This has gone a little under the radar, exciting times at the Newcastle United Academy.
Saturday meant four home wins in a row for the Newcastle United Under 18s and the latest proof of the progress that is happening.
The previous weekend it was a home win over Wolves, with seventeen year old Alfie Hutchison who was stolen away from Rangers, scored the opening goal. Whilst blossoming talent Muawiya Ghanem got the winning goal, he was picked up from West Brom and is still only aged fifteen, he was making his very first start at this under eighteen level.
On Saturday it was Rory Finneran (pictured below) who opened the scoring against Manchester United. Facing competition from across Europe, it was Newcastle who signed the very exciting left-footed midfielder from Blackburn at the age of 16 in summer 2024, Finneran has been training with the NUFC first team recently.
Kacey Wooster got United’s second goal on Saturday against Man U, he was signed from Southend in summer 2023 and is now on double figures when it comes to league goals this season.
As a backdrop to how things had gone previously with the Newcastle United Academy and the NUFC Under 18s.
This is the Newcastle Under 18s league table (North) from the last 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
After this latest win at the weekend against Manchester United.
That result leaves the Newcastle United Under 18s positioned like this today (Monday 4 May 2026), the Under 18s league split into North and South:
Saturday’s result means that Manchester United have been denied any chance of the title, the Newcastle United victory confirming Manchester City as champions, whilst now NUFC all but guaranteed third spot with games against Leeds and Middlesbrough left to play.
The progress is stunning.
With two league matches remaining, Newcastle United only have Man City and Man U above them.
Two clubs that have for years and years poured so many resources into their Academies, creating such a chasm to be closed by Newcastle United.
This was always going to be a very long and ongoing process BUT undeniable progress under these Newcastle United owners and their staff, with the massive turnaround that was needed.
Patience has to be shown and a massive shake up and upgrade increasingly put in place for the Academy, essential investment to repair the damage of 14+ years 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.
This isn’t about individual coaches or the individual young players, with the situation the new Newcastle United owners inherited, it is a total failure from Mike Ashley to in any way allow the club to properly invest in its 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.