Toon Stars Honoured At Sport Newcastle Ceremony

By Craig Hope

STARS past and present of the Newcastle United Academy were honoured during this week's Sport Newcastle annual ceremony at the Civic Centre.

Geordie ace Steven Taylor (pictured above) took home the night's top award as he was named Newcastle's Sports Personality of the Year.

And the 24-year-old said: "It's always an honour to get awards, especially regional ones such as this with being from the area.

"If you look back at the people who have won it before it's an illustrious list so I'm proud to be part of that."

Australian-born starlet Brad Inman, currently one of the leading lights in the United junior side though to the last four of the FA Youth Cup, collected the Wor Jackie Award; a prize for outstanding, young footballing talent previously won by the likes of Taylor and Andy Carroll.

And 15-year-old schoolboy Remie Streete, currently on the books of The Magpies, was presented with the inaugural Jack Hixon Award by Toon legend Alan Shearer.

Hixon, the scout who unearthed scores of North East footballers including Shearer, died in December at the age of 88.

STREETE WISE ... Remie collects his trophy from Alan Shearer

WIZARD OF OZ ... Evening Chronicle editor Paul Robertson presents Brad with his prize