What Has Gone Wrong With The Academy?

Last updated : 26 February 2014 By Footy Mad - Editor

Not just the fans, too, Mike Ashley thinks it's about time the manager started seeing results with his youth policy.

So far this season just eight British players in total have appeared for Newcastle United out of the 28 different players overall who have taken to the pitch at some stage.

Many of the Brits have been seen a just a handful of times.

Home-grown players in the Newcastle sides of 20 years ago included Steve Howey, Steve Watson, Lee Clark, Alan Thompson and Robbie Elliott.

Compare that to the current squad and academy players are few and far between.

Just Paul Dummett, Steven Taylor, and the Ameobi brothers, have become key members of the Toon’s match day squad – to different levels of success and credibility.

And Pardew can't really lay claim to any of them, because they were all at the club before he arrived.

Currently, the Magpies couldn’t be further away from former Chairman Sir John Hall’s dream team of Geordies, or even producing quality players from our academy who can make a place in the first team their own.

But, could Adam Armstrong be the next big thing at Newcastle?

The Geordie boy, aged 17, recently signed a full-time contract with the Toon.

He has been prolific at Under 18 and Under 21 level for Newcastle this season and is pushing for place in the misfiring Toon strike force.

But Pardew is under pressure, and although United have nothing to play for between now and May, he has resisted the temptation throw the kid to the wolves.

He could be just what the doctor ordered, because so many players have under performed in recent weeks.

But there is a time and a place - and even experienced players like Papiss Cisse and Vernon Anita have buckled under pressure.