Lewis Miley received his first start of the season for Newcastle United in their goalless draw against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Given that Eddie Howe has never won at the Vitality Stadium, there was a sense of pessimism on the South Coast.
While it was not the defeat that some fans thought it would be, the Magpies held a lively Bournemouth side to a goalless draw, thanks to the brilliant performances of centre-back trio Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman and Dan Burn, who earned a third clean sheet in as many away games.
Newcastle United’s starting XI was almost completely different to the game against Barcelona just a few days ago, with Howe making seven changes while opting for a more defensive formation to thwart Bournemouth’s attacking threat.
Lewis Miley was handed his first start of the Premier League season, partnering with Sandro Tonali in the middle of the park. It was a fairly promising performance from the 19-year-old, but the game will hold much more significance for him for other reasons.
Lewis Miley makes 50th appearance for Newcastle United
It has been an eventful three years for Miley, who graduated from Newcastle’s academy at just 17 years old.
Now 19, Miley has played Champions League football, won a trophy with his boyhood club and established himself as a clear contender to replace the likes of Joelinton or Bruno Guimaraes in the future.
Miley could have left Newcastle on loan in the summer, with Ipswich Town making an offer. However, Howe was adamant that he should stay on Tyneside for the season.
With his start at Bournemouth, Miley has now hit 50 appearances for Newcastle, a brilliant achievement for the academy ace. Miley was one of Newcastle’s youngest debutants, claiming sixth spot on the all-time rankings when he came off the bench against Chelsea at the end of the 2022/23 season.
To celebrate the achievement, Miley posted on social media saying: “Very proud to have made 50 appearances for my boyhood club!! Amazing travelling support today.”
The post received comments from several Newcastle players, past and present, including Guimaraes, who said: “Top player and guy. Congrats bro.”
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Lewis Miley is an inspiration for young Newcastle United stars
It is a great time to be an academy player on Tyneside, with new coaching staff coming through the door and many opportunities to make a name for yourself with a busy fixtures schedule this season.
Miley has managed to become an established name in Newcastle’s first team squad over the last couple of years, and there is no shame in the young stars in the U21s and U18s thinking they can do the same.
Howe is known for giving young players a chance by including them in a matchday squad or simply inviting them to train with the senior team to get a closer look at them. Sean Neave was a regular on Newcastle’s bench last season, while Trevan Sanusi made his competitive debut in the FA Cup against Bromley.
Seeing Miley hit his milestone is brilliant, and the academy players who are in with a chance of playing for the first team should look up to him as an inspiration.
Whether it is Cathal Heffernan, Kyle Fitzgerald or Seung-soo Park, they should feel more motivated than ever that Newcastle is the right club for them to begin their careers and hopefully become a regular under Howe in the future.
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