They formed an effective partnership in the centre of Newcastle United's midfield in Saturday's win over Everton, and on Monday, Danny Guthrie and Dan Gosling teamed up once more for a very different assignment.

The Magpies' pair turned up at Church High School in Jesmond, on the outskirts of the city, to open a brand new artificial hockey pitch, and also found time to take part in a question and answer session at the all-girls' school.

The players then officially opened the all-weather facility before signing autographs, posing for pictures and even taking part in a bit of shooting practice with a number of pupils.

And after helping his teammate to cut the ribbon, Guthrie said: "This is a really good facility and hopefully the school will get a lot of use out of it and it will benefit them in the long term.

"I was lucky enough to have a similar pitch when I was at school and they really do make a difference. It helped me a lot when I was younger and I'm sure it'll be the same for the girls here."

Caroline Fitzgerald, head of PE at Church High, added: "A huge thank-you must go out to Danny Guthrie and Dan Gosling, along with everyone who has helped turn these dream facilities into a reality.

"The boys are great role models for the pupils and offer a fine example of what can be achieved with hard work."