Archive
Woodman Enjoying Crawley Experience
Written by Newcastle Utd
Freddie Woodman speaks to nufc.co.uk about his loan spell with League Two side Crawley, where he has kept clean sheets in his last two games
By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor
Freddie Woodman made a brief return to Newcastle United this week - and admitted that he's loving every moment of his loan spell at Crawley Town.
With no midweek game for the Reds following their Capital One Cup first round exit to Peterborough earlier in the month, the 18-year-old goalkeeper has been back on Tyneside since he kept a second clean sheet in four league outings against Cambridge last Saturday.
The flying visit provided him with an opportunity to catch up with the Magpies' recently-appointed goalkeeping coach, Simon Smith, and train with Tim Krul, Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot, and it also gave him the chance to update nufc.co.uk on his progress with the West Sussex-based League Two outfit.
"It's been a good start to the season for me," said England under-19 international Woodman, who has now returned to the Broadfield Stadium ahead of Crawley's game against Wycombe at the weekend. "I wanted to get out on loan - I wanted to get some games in men's football, and I'm delighted that I have now.
"It's tough going into the Football League when you're an 18-year-old keeper, going for crosses against big lads like (16-stone Wimbledon striker Adebayo) Akinfenwa and those sort of people, but I've always said that age doesn't bother me.
"I go into every game feeling confident and thinking that I can deal with the situation. I've felt like I've done well for the first five games and hopefully it can continue for the season.
"We started at Oxford away, a tough place to go. We've had the hardest month, we've had the biggest spenders to play, but I made two good saves against Oxford and we got a (1-1) draw, which I was happy about.
"I've had to come for a lot of crosses because in this league they pump the ball into the box and you've got to come and relieve the pressure from the back four.
"The clean sheet against Portsmouth (last week) was massive - they're expected to win the league, so to get my first clean sheet against them in a tough, tough Tuesday night game where I had a few knocks to the head and people sliding in and smashing me, is all part of the learning curve.
"And against Cambridge at the weekend, 3-0 away from home was a perfect result. It couldn't have been any better; our first win and back-to-back clean sheets in the league.
"I'm proud of that and hopefully I can keep building on these few games. You know me - I pick everything from every game. I watch the games five times during the week and I know the things that I've done well and not so well.
"I learn from everything that I do in the week and I've got good people who advise me. I've got Simon here now; I speak to Simmo (Paul Simpson) after the games; I've got Blackie (Steve Black) and then there's my family, so it's good for me. I've got good people around me who are going to make me better.
"It is nice that people care when you go out on loan - you're not just thrown in at a club and forgotten about. I speak to people at the Club a lot after games and it is nice to know that there are people on your side, reporting back.
"And it's nice to come back to Newcastle for a few days and get some nice training in at the facilities we've got."
When Crawley boss Mark Yates was in charge at Cheltenham in 2011, he gave a teenage Jack Butland (below) his league debut after taking him on loan from Birmingham. That fact is not lost on Woodman, who is keen to emulate the Stoke City shot-stopper - now a full England international and a regular top flight goalkeeper.
"I knew that he'd worked closely with him," Woodman said. "It was one of the things that made me go to Crawley and I was just delighted that he showed faith in me and gave me my chance.
"But I've got to repay him now by keeping clean sheets, like I have done, and putting in good performances."
Woodman made his debut for Newcastle's Reserve team in a friendly against York when he was just 14 years old and, having been an unused substitute in the Barclays Premier League on several occasions last term, appeared as a half-time substitute in United's first pre-season friendly of the summer at Gateshead.
He then featured against Sacramento Republic and Portland Timbers as Steve McClaren's side toured the USA, something that the young goalkeeper admits stood him in good stead for his loan move.
"I came back off the America tour and I'd played three games for the first team, at 18, for Newcastle United," he said. "That's every kid's dream.
"But you have to move on quickly; I've done that, then I was onto the next thing - and my next thing was making my league debut.
"I've done that and the next thing was a clean sheet. Done that. The next thing I want to do is get in the team of the week. I've just got to keep moving forward gradually; gradually getting up the leagues and up the ladder.
"If I keep working hard with the good people around me, I'm sure that I can get there."
That support group includes his new team-mates at Crawley, who have warmly welcomed the Premier League teenager into their dressing room.
"You have to go in there and you have to show a lot of respect to them - and I think you have to gain their respect by putting in performances and showing that you're willing to work for the team and put a shift in for the fans," Woodman explained.
"Once you get their respect, it's good. All the lads are top drawer with me and I'm enjoying my time there.
"And my relationship with the fans has been brilliant. There's a good bunch of people behind the goal in the Bruce Winfield stand, nice people, and when we beat Cambridge away from home at the weekend, the fans were quality.
"They are noisy and I get a lot of good messages on Twitter and Instagram, so I'm just happy that they respect me and show faith in me.
"I'm not sure if they have a song for me yet but someone said the other day that they were making one. It would be nice to hear my name sung. It would be brilliant."