Longstaff Looking To Play Key Role

By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Young midfielder Sean Longstaff wants to play a key role for Newcastle United Under-21s next season.

The 18-year-old, who has netted twice in 17 games for Peter Beardsley's second string this season, is again likely to be involved as United host Brighton & Hove Albion at St. James' Park on Monday night (7pm kick-off).

Longstaff appeared as a first half substitute for the injured Owen Gallacher in the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on Friday and afterwards, he told nufc.co.uk he'd enjoyed playing his part for the Under-21s this term - but hopes to make his presence felt with more goals and assists next season.

"You just want to try and get a level of consistency and just try and play well when you've got the chance, just so you let the coaches know, even if there's a first team player whose come down, 'I've played well enough to be in the team'. That's really what you want to try and do," said the teenager.

"Hopefully next year, for me, might be a little bit better goals wise or assists wise, but as under-21s hopefully we'll have a better season next year.

"We play well some games but we've been conceding too many goals. A lot of the players that have played this year will play next year so everyone's got the experience to play, so hopefully we will have a better season next year."

When Longstaff entered the fray at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night, he found himself up against a central midfield pairing of Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky.

And the teenager says the experience, if not the result, will be one that lives long in the memory and revealed what was going through his mind as he went toe-to-toe with the Gunners' star turns in the middle of the park.

"It was an unbelievable experience, but not the result we were looking for," said Longstaff.

"It was great for me playing against international standard players and established Premier League players as well. It's good because you can learn little things off them. Obviously in the game, they might do you with a little trick, but it's something you can learn from and you can just try and take parts of their game and implement them in yours, because they're established at a top, top club in Europe."

He added: "You've got to think 'he's just another footballer, with a red top on'. He's just another player you're playing against. If you think 'that's Jack Wilshere' or 'that's Tomas Rosicky', you can just be in awe of them a little bit and that's when you don't show them how good you are.

"It's hard, but you've just got to block that out really and just think he's another player and I've got to be better than him."

The Magpies' Under-21s face the Seagulls at St. James' Park on Monday in their final game of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League season.

Callum Roberts' second half strike earned United a point when the two sides met at Crawley Town's Broadfield Stadium last month.

And Longstaff reckons that simplicity could be key as his side look to make the most of their home advantage and finish the season by picking up three points on their own patch.

"We only played them a few weeks ago, so it's good to be finishing at St. James'. It's been a quick season, or at least that's what it feels like, but hopefully we can go out on a high," he said.

"When we played down there, we played well on a difficult pitch, so hopefully at St. James' with a good surface, we'll be able to pass it about properly, get the win and play well.

"If we stick to what we believe, I think we should win the game, but it's all about what we do - setting the tempo off the ball, pressing, and especially at St. James', everyone getting on the ball, doing simple things and keeping the ball, and then a big opportunity to create something will come.

"If we play well and keep everything simple, which we haven't really done in the last few games, hopefully we'll be able to pick up a result and end the season on a high."