Ben Braced For Black Cats Battle

By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor

Ben Drennan will run out against his boyhood club this week - and is desperate to get one over on the side he supports.

England under-17 international midfielder Drennan was born in Sunderland and was a regular at the Stadium of Light as a youngster.

But he was released by the Black Cats seven years ago and would love nothing more than to make them regret that decision when Newcastle travel to Wearside in the FA Youth Cup fifth round on Wednesday (kick-off 7pm).

"I'm buzzing to play at the Stadium of Light," Drennan, who came off the bench for the Magpies in last season's 4-0 fourth round victory over Sunderland at St. James' Park, told nufc.co.uk.

"I've never played there before, it's my home club and all my friends and family will be there.

"I've been going since I was little, since the age of four or five with my dad, and I know their centre-back Ross Colquhoun.

"But when I was younger, Sunderland released me so I want to prove them wrong - and I know we can beat them."

Drennan grew up idolising the likes of Kevin Phillips but now his aim is to one day pull on the black and white shirt of Newcastle in the Barclays Premier League.

And, having seen the likes of Rolando Aarons and Adam Armstrong come to prominence during last season's run to the last eight, he knows that the FA Youth Cup offers a great platform to shine for United's class of 2015.

"The team spirit is great," he explained. "We're all close, we're all friends together.

"We're all one big unit and that showed in the last round against Middlesbrough when we came from behind to win.

"It was good to score in the last minute. It was a hard game and I thought in the second half we didn't play as well as we can but there's still more to come from us."

Admission at the Stadium of Light is £3 for adults and £1 for under-16s and over-65s. Entry for Newcastle supporters is through turnstiles 57-58 from 6pm.