Life through a lens: Sean Longstaff

A baby Longstaff showing his allegiance

I can't remember much about this one, obviously... but being from the North East, being from Newcastle, everything revolves around the football club. It's instilled in you from a young age what the club's about - probably not this young, because you still don't really know what's going on! But I think everyone from up here was probably the same, being brought up in Newcastle stuff, tops or strips or bibs.

Football probably wasn't the dominant sport in our house then though. With my dad, David, playing ice hockey, we spent more time spent at the ice rink. But my dad's dad, who passed away before I was born, was a massive Newcastle fan and my mam's sister's husband - my uncle - was as well. They used to get me a lot of football stuff. My dad was more about ice hockey, but everyone else nudged me towards football.

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Sean, his father David and brother Matty on the ice rink

This is Matty, my dad and me, in Sweden. We moved there in 2001 so my dad could play ice hockey for a team called Djurgårdens, and we lived there for a year in a place called Huddinge, just outside Stockholm. I laugh with Alexander Isak about this all the time - his team is AIK in Stockholm, and my dad played for their rivals.

That rink was just down the street from us. I'm three or four here. When we first went there, there were kids playing a game and they wouldn't let us join in - until they realised who my dad was, and that he played for their team!

We had a lot to do with the sport growing up and got to travel around Europe watching dad play. Whenever you were outside ice skating, it was such a surreal feeling. Football seemed a million miles away at that point. Seeing that photo makes me smile.

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Sean, left, with a future Magpies teammate

It's a mix and match kit that, isn't it? That's a Celtic shirt, because my uncle, Alan Thompson, was playing for them at the time. And that's (former Newcastle United player) Owen Bailey. We've been friends since we could walk. We played together in every team for almost 20 years I reckon. Pretty scary.

He's a lifelong friend and for us both to get to play at Wembley in the same year, so many years later, is amazing (Bailey played there for Gateshead in May's FA Trophy final). I don't know why he's wearing a Manchester City shirt there though. Maybe he knew they were going to be bought and become a top team so he was getting in there ahead of the curve. A glory supporter.

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In North Shields Juniors colours

That's me playing for North Shields. I'm about eight or nine here, maybe a little younger, and it was the only year I got to play boys' club football. I was playing up an age group. That's where I started and I still have a massive affinity for them. I still go back and do stuff for them and watch games in their little sports bar, so they're still a massive part of my life.

In defensive action at United's academy

I joined Newcastle when I was nine, and I won't have been too much older than that in this photo. I was a centre half back in those days, having been a striker for North Shields. I'm trying to clear it away at the front post there, probably missing it as usual. I remember my coaches from around this time; Doug Thoburn was one who stood out. He helped me a lot and I'm still in contact with him now.

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An early cup win in another sport

So that's at Tynemouth Cricket Club. I'm about 12, probably in the under-13s. The cricket club's a place I feel like I can go to get away. As soon as I drive in the cricket club I don't feel like Sean Longstaff, the footballer - I just feel like Sean Longstaff, who's been going to the cricket club since he was nine or ten. I still see the same people and still go there every weekend in the summer, pretty much, to watch as many games as I can. If I don't go back I feel like I'm missing out on something.

That team had Owen Bailey in it, my brother was in it too, and I was a wicketkeeper back then. We had too many good players for me to get to bowl, so I thought the only chance I'd get to be in the game was to get the gloves on. We got to national competitions, North of England finals. I loved it. I've no idea what the cup is - it might be the league, it might be a cup, I might just make it up...

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Celebrating a penalty shoot-out victory in a Wear-Tyne derby with the under-18s in February 2015

I was a first year scholar at this time and you're just excited to leave school and play full time football. That's from the penalty shoot-out against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the FA Youth Cup - we had a run to the quarter-finals that year.

It's funny when you go full time. You don't know what to expect. That first year, I used to go in every day and have a laugh, just thoroughly enjoying being around a great group of lads. You're learning what it's like to be a professional footballer. At that point, playing for the first team seems so far away. I was a tall, skinny, lanky kid then. I was quite a young 17-year-old - I had a lot of learning and growing up to do.

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Scoring against Middlesbrough at St. James' Park during a prolific spell for the under-23s in 2016/17

I'm just screaming here I think! I'm in what was the under-23s at this point as a third year scholar. At the end of my second year as a scholar, I thought I deserved what would have been my first professional contract, but the club offered me a third year instead. I remember being so ****** off about it.

I went away, had a really good summer and came back wanting to prove a lot of people wrong. The only way to do that was to play, and to make a difference when I did. I scored a lot of goals in the first half of that season and it was about proving to people that what the club had offered... we were on different pages. But I just wanted to show my worth and show how good I am.

At that point, I wasn't thinking I was going to play at Newcastle. I was just doing everything I can, thinking, 'these people don't think I'm good enough, so I need to prove to whoever it is that I'm worthy of being taken on'.

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An unusual start to his loan spell at Kilmarnock in January 2017

This is an odd one. It's my first game for Kilmarnock - I'd only been there a week - and it's against the under-23s at Newcastle's training ground!

I needed that loan. I'd played a year and a half in the 23s and thought I'd done enough there to take the next step towards being a professional footballer. Lee Clark was the manager at the time and he took me, Freddie Woodman and Cal Roberts there, and they played a big part in helping me - we weren't alone. We had a really young team - there was a stat saying we were something like the 18th youngest team in the whole of Europe.

Kristoffer Ajer, Greg Taylor, Longstaff, Jordan Jones, Cal Roberts and Martin Smith in the Kilmarnock changing room

This dressing room was amazing. Kris (Ajer) is at Brentford now, Greg (Taylor)'s playing for Celtic in the Champions League and Scotland, Jordan (Jones) went to Rangers, there's Cal and Martin Smith, who's from round here. We had a few old heads too - Kris Boyd, Gary Dicker and Scott Boyd - to keep us in line when we needed it. It was a first taste of playing in front of crowds, scoring a few goals, and I loved every second of it.

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In action for Blackpool at Bloomfield Road during his season-long loan with the Tangerines in 2017/18

It was really different there, an older group, but I loved it as well. This was the loan move that made me. I started like a house on fire and scored a few goals at the start, but then you realise the grind of playing Tuesday-Saturday and how tough that is. It probably turned me from a boy to man. They had us in the gym all the time. Gary Bowyer was the manager - he was amazing, I still speak to him now, and I got to learn off the likes of Jay Spearing, who played for Liverpool.

I scored a lot of goals from outside the box that year. I just hit one at Doncaster and somehow it went in, so I thought, 'I'm going to do this a bit more'. They kept going in so every time I got it, I thought, 'I'm just going to shoot now'. When they didn't go in, I think people got a bit annoyed!

The way to get your name out there is to go, play and score goals, and I did that. I thoroughly enjoyed it and if it wasn't for that loan move, I would have never got a chance at Newcastle.

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Longstaff returned to St. James' Park that summer and netted in the Magpies' opening pre-season friendly win at St. Patrick's Athletic in Ireland

I got a call from my agent at the time saying I would be going with the first team for pre-season. I remember thinking, 'this is the chance you've asked for - this is the opportunity you've wanted, and now it's down to you. It's make or break - you're probably only going to get one chance at it, and you'll either be good enough or you won't'.

I made sure that was the hardest I'd worked over a summer at that point. I felt really good going into pre-season and confident after what I'd done at Blackpool, but then you rock up on the first day and you're not sitting with League One players anymore - you're sitting with established Premier League players.

I was supposed to go to Portsmouth on loan the day we got back from Ireland. Tony Toward (team operations manager) said to me, 'we're back in on Tuesday', and I told him, 'I think I'm off to Portsmouth'. He was like, 'erm... I don't think you are'. He spoke to the manager, who wanted me to stay for another week.

I knew at that point I'd done well, and I sort of broke it down into a week at a time, short-term goals - 'can I stay here for another week, then another week, and another week?' It meant I stayed for the first half of the season and I got to make my debut for Newcastle at Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup.

On his Newcastle United debut at the City Ground in August 2018

A few years earlier, when they told me I was going to be a third year scholar, I never thought this moment would happen. To rock up there and see 'Longstaff' and my squad number on the back of the shirt was such a proud moment. That was when I thought, 'no matter what else happens in my life, I can always say I played a competitive game for Newcastle'.

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A Premier League bow followed at Anfield

There was a bit of a gap between my debut in August and my Premier League debut at Anfield on Boxing Day 2018. I was training really well at the time and that's all I could do. I made sure I was out early to hear their fans sing You'll Never Walk Alone as I didn't knew if I'd get the opportunity to play there again.

It wasn't the best situation - the game was pretty much done, we were losing, and I remember the manager turned around and said I was going on. I just froze and thought, 'oh my God, this is nuts'. I think I was on for 15 minutes. I nearly scored as well - Alisson made a good save. I remember the fans singing my name and how emotional I felt. It was better than I ever could have imagined. I loved it.

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After netting his first Newcastle goal in an FA Cup replay win at Blackburn Rovers in January 2019

There were a lot of milestones for me in a short time. I scored early on in this one - there was a bit of a deflection on it - and it settled me down and got us into the game. Me and Cal Roberts played as two of the three centre midfielders and we both scored. Two academy lads doing it on the same night was really special. Our journeys had been intertwined from the age of nine through to going out on loan to Kilmarnock together, so to both score for Newcastle in the same game was amazing.

Alan Shearer tweeted me after the game when I was sat on the bus. I was living the dream, really - it's a moment I'll never forget. We won the game as well, which made it even better. A young Murph (Jacob Murphy)'s there as well, which makes me feel old - Murph looks so young. There's Matt Ritchie, Manqui (Javier Manquillo) too, lads who are still here today.

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Longstaff's impressive emergence earned him plenty of attention, which he had to get used to

At the time I still lived with my mam, so I think a lot of it was quite easy - I'd just go home and whatever people were saying, I'd roll with it. I remember saying to myself, 'this is what you've always wanted - it's here now'. I was playing every week, really enjoying it, feeling full of confidence, so I knew I had to just keep focusing.

The manager at the time, Rafa Benítez, did a really good job of keeping me grounded and not letting me get too ahead of myself. He was always speaking to me or pulling me up, trying to explain something to make me better. It was a great time for me, the start of a mini-run in the team which helped me to establish myself as a first team player at Newcastle. In this photo, in that moment, I was just revelling in it, taking it all in.

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With ex-United boss Rafa Benítez, who brought Longstaff into the first team fold

I'll be forever grateful to him. He was the one who saw something in me and gave me a chance. He's the man who gave me the chance to fulfil my childhood dreams and if it wasn't for him, that might not have happened. We still speak now, we still text, and the one thing I can say is how grateful I am for everything he gave me. For him to have worked with some of the top players in the world and then still see something in me to suggest the lad from North Shields is good enough to play was a massive confidence boost. Most of my football knowledge came from him, and I really appreciate it.

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A first goal at St. James' Park, which was also his first in the Premier League, followed against Burnley in February 2019

Everything was happening so fast. I'd gone from playing for Newcastle - ticked that off - to playing in the Premier League - tick - to scoring for Newcastle - tick - and then in this one, scoring for Newcastle in the Premier League - all ticked off.

It was all a bit of a blur. The bit I remember is walking back to the halfway line with the whole stadium singing my name. I was getting so emotional. The next ten minutes was another blur - I don't even think I touched the ball because I was just in shock. I had to get myself out of that state to carry on playing the game. We were playing really well at that time and it's probably the most positive things had been for us before the takeover I'd say, in that little spell.

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The following month, Longstaff suffered a season-ending knee injury in a defeat at West Ham. At the time of his injury, both the Magpies midfielder and his opposite number Declan Rice were in fine form

Things were going well. You'd heard a bit of chatter about us beforehand. For it to end the way it did was never nice - we got beat, I got injured and I think he scored as well, so it couldn't have gone much worse!

I actually get on really well with Dec - we still speak quite a lot actually. He was probably one of the first people to text me after the game and ask how I was. I've got massive respect for him and what he's gone on to achieve. Everybody's journeys are different.

I knew at the time it was the end of my season, which was a killer for me. But everything I'd done up to that point had stood me in good stead. That was the first big low point of my career.

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His recovery from injury in the summer of 2019 coincided with his brother Matty's step up to the first team. They are pictured after playing together at the Premier League Asia Trophy in China

That was so special. It was a nice distraction as well as I was coming back from my injury, but to be there and watch your brother play for Newcastle was so special. We never knew what was going to happen going forwards but we'd played together for the under-18s and the under-21s, so to do it in the first team was amazing. I'm so proud of him. To be able to watch his journey to the first team was special for me.

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Matty's memorable winner against Manchester United in October 2019 came on his own Premier League bow - with Sean lining up alongside him

Still, to this day, that's my favourite moment ever in a Newcastle shirt. To see him do that, to know how hard he'd worked and for it all to culminate in that night and that goal was so, so special.

When he found out he was starting it was a bit of a shock - 'oh my God, we're actually going to play together in the Premier League'. That day couldn't have gone any better for the club. Matty's such a likeable character - he's so happy and smiley, happy-go-lucky, so everyone was so happy for him. Without a doubt, that's the best day I'll ever have in a Newcastle top.

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Later that month, Longstaff was dismissed for the first time in his career after a foul on Wolves' Ruben Neves

This one makes me sad. It's not a regret, because you can't regret doing a tackle, but it's the moment in my career I beat myself up about the most. Me and my brother had played the two games before it, and he got taken out of the team after that. There's a million reasons as to why that could happen but I beat myself up about that because I feel as though if I didn't get sent off, we would have kept playing together - he would have stayed in the team for longer, and would have been able to establish himself more.

It's a weird picture. I'm getting punished there, but I don't think I got the most punishment in that moment. I feel like Matty got more than me.

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Longstaff is an ambassador for Newcastle United Foundation, the club's official charity arm, and is pictured on stage in 2019 at their annual dinner

They do such an amazing job. It wasn't until they helped my next-door neighbour out that I realised how much great work they do. He got cancer and it was a massive shock, but the Foundation helped him along the whole process, picking him up from when he was down, and you've seen him grow since then. He actually has a job at the Foundation now, so it's come full circle. I can't speak for him but from speaking to his family, I know they've played a massive role in his life.

I just try and help in whatever way I can but they're the ones who do all the hard work. To see how many people they help from different backgrounds and areas across the city is an amazing thing. They're so unselfish, they give up so much time, and it's great that the club and new owners are doing even more to help them. They can go unnoticed but the work they do should be seen by everyone. It makes you proud to be from the area.

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On the front cover of UNITED, the club's official matchday programme, for the first game post-takeover in October 2021

It's always nice to be on the front cover of the programme. That one's going to go on for years as it's the first programme after the takeover, for the Spurs game at home. For me to be on the front cover... it's always a bit weird, isn't it? But it's a nice thing to have. My mam keeps loads of stuff - she has a scrapbook, and some of these photos will be in it. I'm sure this programme will be in there as well.

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Congratulating Jonjo Shelvey after his winner at Leeds in January 2022 - the turning point in a season which helped put a smile back on Longstaff and his teammates' faces

In the dressing room, we always thought we had enough to stay up. I'm looking at Jonjo (Shelvey) there, and remembering how good he was - he played a big role, scoring that goal at Leeds, and it got the ball rolling. When the manager came in and set out his intentions, plans and philosophies, I think you saw a group that became a lot more together but also, at the same time, a lot more loose - there was a lot more laughing and joking. It was a great time. It felt like a weight had been lifted off everybody's shoulders.

Meeting new signing Bruno Guimarães for the first time in January 2022

In the January, we signed some top players. I met Bruno at the stadium there, we were training there on his first day, and you don't really know what to expect - you don't think you're probably shaking hands with one of the best players that's ever going to play for Newcastle! We've played a lot of games together now and I feel we compliment each other really well. He's someone I look up to and try to help out as much as I can, and game-wise I hope he feels comfortable when I'm playing next to him.

The subsequent months after that photo were all positive. We kicked on and laid the foundations for a massive jump this year.

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Some of the local lads - Longstaff, Dan Burn and Paul Dummett

I think this plays a massive part - Burny and Dummy are part of our leadership group, really important cogs in the wheel. When we signed Burny I remember thinking, 'I wonder what he's going be like'. The first time I sat down next to him and we spoke to each other, it was like we'd known each other all our lives.

They're two people I look up to. Dummy was someone I wanted to emulate - he was the last local player to come through and establish himself in the team, and I wanted that as well. We're really good friends; if I ever need any advice or anything he's always right there.

Burny's the same, and I think he's a bit like my dad. He doesn't like it when I say that though - he prefers it when I say that he's like an older brother, so maybe I'll say that instead. I love him to bits. I speak to him loads - sometimes it's advice about life or things outside of football - and I appreciate everything that he's done for me. He's another part of why I'm a lot more happy and smiley. Him and Popey (Nick Pope) are people I lean on a lot and they bring the best out of me. Apart from when Matty scored against Manchester United, I've never been as happy as when Burny scored against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup.

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The 25-year-old's brace against Southampton in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg made sure of the Magpies' place in the final

To be the person who got the goals to get us to Wembley for the first time in 24 years was nice and it's something I'll never forget. But I think that night felt like the culmination of all the down times, when I wasn't really enjoying it - that was the night that I knew I'd come full circle. I was back to being me; a better version of me.

It was definitely an emotional night, with everything going on before the game and then scoring the goals, and then even in the interview with Burny after I could have burst out crying. I felt as though, personally, all those moments where people have doubted me, said I wasn't good enough, said I wouldn't be here under the new owners - because you do hear it - that was probably the biggest '**** you' to all of them, to see that I'm part of the team, a worthy member of the team. I think that helped me to get rid of all the times that hadn't been as good in the couple of years before.

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He started the subsequent final at Wembley in February, where Newcastle were beaten by Manchester United

A really weird day, I think, for me and the team. It was our first time in that situation and it felt like the whole of Newcastle was in London. I saw all the videos of Trafalgar Square and it looked amazing.

It was disappointing not to get the result, but I feel as though teams who do win have to lose first before they win - that's how I see it. We've gained so much experience of what to do on the day, what not to do, how to deal with it all... I learned loads.

It showed how far we've come as a group. Playing in a cup final for Newcastle... I never thought I'd be doing that in previous years. It went by really fast but we got to spend time with our families afterwards, meet everyone else's families too and share a really nice night together. I look at it like it's a building block in our process to become successful and next time, when we get back there, hopefully we can win.

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With goalkeeper Nick Pope, another of Longstaff's close friends

I'm loving every second of it here. I told myself at the start of the season that I needed to enjoy the moment, live it every day and take everything in, because you don't know how it's going to last for.

Popey's been a massive part of it as well. When we signed him, I wasn't too sure what to make of him - I think I've said that before - but the person you think he is from afar is totally different to how he is when you meet him. I gravitated towards him straight away and we spend pretty much every minute of every day in the training ground together. Matt Ritchie says to Popey all the time, 'you don't know what you've done for Longy - we've never seen him this happy'. Popey just sort of laughs - I don't think he knows what to say to that.

He's been a massive influence on me, not just as a person but as a player - you can see how good he is. For him to be, in my opinion, England's best keeper and for me to be able to ask him questions and speak to him is only a good thing for me. I love him to bits. I was gutted for him when he missed the cup final but hopefully there'll be more finals and memories for him to be a part of here.

The club's so positive at the minute and it's down to the group, the manager and the environment that's been built. I just want to be part of it for as long as possible.