Meet Newcastle's New Scholars

This summer, 12 new scholars will join Newcastle United's Little Benton Academy on a full-time basis. Most of them have been with the Club for several years, attending training sessions after school and around lessons, and now they will hope to follow in the footsteps Paul Dummett, Adam Armstrong, Rolando Aarons and Jamie Sterry, who have all progressed through the ranks into the first team in recent seasons. Here's DAN KING's brief guide to the boys who could be the Magpies' stars of the future...


Thomas Allan - forward
The Whitley Bay-based frontman scored on his Barclays Under-18 Premier League debut, coming off the bench to help Dave Watson's side earn a 2-2 draw against Derby County in January. He went on to make four starts and a further two substitute appearances while still at school. A former Astley Community High School pupil, Allan will now be hoping to add to his goals tally in his first season as a full-time Newcastle United player.

Kieren Aplin - midfielder (above)
A former North Shields Juniors player, Kieren has also tasted Barclays Under-18 Premier League action; he made three starts and one substitute appearance last term. He attended John Spence Community High School.

Lewis Cass - defender
Lewis is a former schoolmate of Aplin's at John Spence Community High School and made two appearances for Newcastle's under-18s team last season. He lives in Tynemouth.

Isaac Gamblin - defender
A former Redby CA Whites player who hails from East Herrington. Yet to make his under-18s bow, although he was an unused substitute on two occasions last term.

Lewis Gibson - defender (below)
The younger brother of Liam, who is a regular at left-back for Newcastle's under-21 side. Not only has Lewis played for the under-18s - he made five starts in the second half of last season - but he has also made two substitute appearances for Peter Beardsley's under-21s. His second-string bow came in a 3-1 home loss to Derby in January. Lewis is from Stanley in County Durham and studied at Tanfield School.

Mace Goodridge - midfielder
The 16-year-old holding midfielder has arrived at Little Benton from Manchester City, just as Gideon Adu-Peprah did last summer. He's a former pupil at Failsworth Sports College, near Oldham, and played for Reddish Vulcans in Stockport.

Matty Longstaff - midfielder
Another player whose elder sibling is on the Club's books; big brother Sean is a goalscoring midfielder for Beardsley's under-21 side. Matty, a central midfielder, made a total of ten starts for the under-18s last season and scored once, in a 1-1 draw against Norwich in March. He's another former John Spence Community High School student and his dad, David, played ice hockey for Great Britain.

Jack Robson - forward
The Gateshead-based frontman attended Whickham School. He's yet to feature at under-18 level but has been a prolific scorer for the under-16s.

Kurtis Russell - forward
Capable of playing up front or out wide, Stanley-based Russell is awaiting his under-18s debut but was an unused substitute on one occasion and was part of the side which won the Tournoi International de Football U17 in Saint-Andre-Lez-Lille, France, last summer. He has just left St. Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Lanchester.

Ollie Walters - defender
Intelligent off the pitch as well as on it, Ollie received an award for his school work at St. Thomas More Catholic School in Blaydon in 2013. He made three Barclays Under-18 Premier League starts last season.

Kelland Watts - forward (above)
A former Ponteland High School pupil who lives in Cramlington, Kelland was involved in last year's Tournoi International de Football U17 success and went on to make two substitute appearances for the under-18s last term.

Adam Wilson - forward
Equally comfortable on the wing or up front, Wilson made two starts for Watson's under-18s last season. He lives just a long goal kick away from the Little Benton Academy and attended St. Mary's Catholic School.