Geordie Starlet Nets Wor Jackie Award

GEORDIE striker Andy Carroll has become the latest United Academy starlet to pick up the Wor Jackie award.

The 18-year-old frontman was presented with the prestigious trophy at Monday night's sportnewcastle dinner at the city's Civic Centre.

Carroll, who became the Toon's youngest ever European debutant in the 1-0 win over Palermo in November, follows in the footsteps of Matty Pattison and Paul Huntington as past winners of the accolade.

He said: "It is great to pick up such a prestigious award. As soon as I found out about it I had a fantastic feeling.

"I felt a bit stupid to go up and receive the award, but when I look at the trophy I am so proud.

"I hope somebody from the academy gets it next year and the year after because we have a bit of a conveyer belt going now at Newcastle.

"There are one or two players coming through who are more than capable of picking up the award.

"I had to ask Matty and Paul about the speech. I wanted to win it last year to be honest but I was working so hard to win my professional contract with Newcastle."

Carroll's senior team-mate Peter Ramage also sang the praises of the centre-forward. Ramage said: "Andy deserves his award and he has a massive future ahead of him."

Carroll, who has 14 strikes for the Juniors and Reserves this term, was on the scoresheet in Saturday's 4-2 FA Youth Cup semi-final first leg defeat against Liverpool, and is expected to travel with Glenn Roeder's senior squad to Holland for the second leg UEFA Cup tie with AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

Follow Andy Carroll and the senior squad to Holland for their Round of 16 second leg clash with AZ Alkmaar. The Geordies have a 4-2 lead from the tie at Gallowgate last week, and our cameras will be travelling with the team to bring you exclusive interviews and footage of the lads training in the DSB Stadion ahead of Thursday's crunch clash.

Click below to sign up to Newcastle World for just £11.99 - Can you afford to be without such unrivalled coverage of NUFC?