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Young Magpies Heading For Hong Kong
Written by Newcastle Utd
United have flown to the Far East to compete in the Hong Kong Football Club Citi Soccer Sevens
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
Newcastle United's Under-21s are en route to the Far East to compete in the Hong Kong Football Club Citi Soccer Sevens.
It is the fifth time the Magpies have competed in the seven-a-side tournament, and football development manager Peter Beardsley has taken a squad of ten players for the tournament, which kicks off on Friday.
United won the cup on their tournament debut in 2012, lost to Leicester City in the 2013 final and have suffered back-to-back semi-final defeats in the last two years.
This time around they have been drawn in Group A alongside Aston Villa and two local sides - Kitchee and Hong Kong Football Club.
Three of the Newcastle squad played in the 2015 tournament - Dan Barlaser, Callum Williams and Jack Hunter.
And they have been joined by goalkeeper Ben Smith, defenders Michael Newberry and Liam Gibson, midfielders Sean Longstaff and Dan Ward and forwards Jamie Holmes and Luke Charman.
"It's a great tournament in which we are always made to feel very welcome," said Beardsley.
"It's something the kids to look forward to and they are all desperate to be selected because it's such a good trip for their development as footballers and as young men.
"It's been a long, tough season for the lads and this is a great reward for them at the end of that.
"We're going out there to try and win it. It's a fantastic place and a brilliant experience, but at the end of the day it's a cup competition and we want to win it if we can."
Newcastle United Hong Kong Football Club Citi Soccer Sevens squad
Ben Smith, Michael Newberry, Liam Gibson, Jack Hunter, Callum Williams, Dan Ward, Jamie Holmes, Sean Longstaff, Luke Charman, Dan Barlaser