Newcastle United have had some fantastic players pass through their youth ranks over the years. With this – here are Newcastle United’s best academy players of all time.
A well-run academy is integral to any football club. Whilst it’s all well and good going out and splashing the cash – there’s nothing better than having a home-grown player emerge.
Luckily, Newcastle United have managed to pluck out some gems over the years, who have gone on to be successful at the club, or elsewhere.
Here are the very best of the best to grace the youth ranks on Tyneside.
Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne, commonly known as Gazza, started at Newcastle United. He joined the club as a youth player before making his professional debut in 1985. In 1988, he was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for a British transfer record fee at the time. He went on to become one of the greatest English players to ever grace the beautiful game and probably Newcastle United’s best academy player of all time.
Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley enjoyed two spells at St James’ Park that saw the striker-cum-attacking midfielder become a Newcastle legend. The gifted and skilful operator remains one of the Toon’s all-time top goalscorers after scoring 119 times in 326 games.
Jackie Milburn
Newcastle legend and academy graduate Jackie Milburn was a ridiculous talent. Between his arrival at the Toon in 1943 and retiring in 1957 aged 33, the striker penned 200 goals. He also scored 38 times in wartime games, while his efforts earned the nickname ‘Wor Jackie’.
Andy Carroll
It never quite worked out as well as everyone thought for Andy Carroll in football, did it? But the Geordies sure did reap the rewards. He still to this day is the club’s most expensive ever sale, transferring to Liverpool for a whopping £36.9 million.
Steve Howey
Academy graduate Steve Howey was a fine centre-half on Tyneside. He spent the majority of his career at Newcastle United from 1989 to 2000, making over 200 appearances for the club.
Shola Ameobi
Emerging as a youngster, Shola Ameobi looked to be one of the finest threats going forward a Newcastle side has ever produced. He spent 14 glorious years around the Newcastle United Training Centre, cementing himself as a bit of a cult hero in the club’s history.
Steve Harper
Steve Harper made 157 league appearances over twenty years between 1993 and 2013 for Newcastle after graduating from the academy. The now-retired goalkeeper spends his time as a coach and was once part of the Newcastle United coaching staff.
Lee Clark
Lee Clark, now a manager, came through United’s youth ranks as a speedy right-winger. He spent seven years at a professional level on Tyneside, before making the short journey to bitter rivals Sunderland in 1997.
Robbie Elliott
Robbie Elliott is another academy player to have two stints at the club. He returned to United in July 2001 from Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer after spending eight years at the club before leaving in 1997.
Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor was a fine servant at St James’ Park. He played over 200 games and 13 seasons in the Premier League with Newcastle United. He also captained England at under-21 level.
Lewis Miley
Lewis Miley is Newcastle United’s latest academy wonderkid, who has been lighting up St James’ Park from a ridiculously young age. Miley became Newcastle United’s youngest-ever Premier League first-team squad debutant when he featured for his boyhood club on the final day of the 22/23 season away at Chelsea.
That was Newcastle United’s best academy players of all time.
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