July 2012 saw Newcastle make a first return in seven years to the popular youth football event staged annually in Northern Ireland that celebrated its thirtieth staging this year.

Entering once again in the Premier (U17 section), Dave Watson and Joe Joyce travelled with the following squad as they attempted to win the title for the third time, following United's 1985 and 1989 triumphs: 

Aidan Grant, Freddie Woodman, Macauley Booth, Lee Desmond, Ryan McKinnon, James Morgan, Alex Kitchen, Lubomir Satka, Jamie Sterry, Jordan Storey, Greg Olley, Esteban Cardona-Lopez, Liam Smith, Rolando Aarons, Adam Armstrong, Adam Campbell, Jonathyn Quinn and Alex Gilliead.

United also took part in the 1986, 1990, 1995, 1998 and 1999 tournaments and in addition to featuring prospects including Lee Clark, Alan Thompson and Michael Chopra over the years in our squads, a clutch of future Magpies have also appeared for other sides, including the likes of Damien Duff, Nicky Butt, Keith Gillespie, Joey Barton, James Milner and Craig Bellamy.

Newcastle also signed defender Aaron Hughes (Boys Brigade) and forward Michael O'Neill (Coleraine) after they both impressed whilst playing against us at the event. Now Northern Ireland senior team manager, the latter was in evidence throughout the tournament which was opened this year by Everton's David Moyes. 

Joining the Magpies in the Premier Section were: Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, Desportivo Brazil (Brazil), Benfica (Portugal), Otago (New Zealand), South Coast Strikers (USA), CSKA Moscow (Russia)  Pachuca (Mexico), Revo Express (Norway), Ichifuna (Japan), Etoile Lusitana (Senegal), Cherry Orchard (Ireland) and county sides from Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone & Londonderry.

One thing that has changed since United last carried off this trophy is the venue for the final game, with the facilities at Coleraine now no longer apparently sufficient to host this event and the showpiece finals now staged at Ballymena - a decision which is widely held to have reduced local interest in the final, although the traditional Sunday parade of all the teams through the centre of Coleraine remains a well-attended event.

Group Game 1 (Saturday): Newcastle U17s  4  Fermanagh U17s  0

Team: Woodman, McKinnon, Kitchen (Booth 60), Satka, Desmond, Aarons (Lopez 60), Olley (Sterry 65), Armstrong (Storey 75), Smith, Campbell, Gilliead (Quinn 50). 

Subs n/u: Grant, Morgan.

Scorers: Olley 2, Gilliead, Campbell 

Booked: none

Venue: Ferney Park, Ballinamallard

Crowd: approx 350





United were quickly into their stride and grabbed a tenth minute lead when Greg Olley finishing low past McDonald from outside the six yard box. Fermanagh tried to respond and Jamie Lee Fawcett found himself one-on-one with Freddie Woodman four minutes later, but the Newcastle 'keeper stood up and was able to block the danger at the expense of a corner. 

The black and whites remained firmly in the ascendancy however and came close to doubling their lead when Liam Smith cracking his shot off a post on 35 minutes, an effort warmly applause by the appreciative crowd.

Into the second half and Newcastle continued to dominate, with Adam Campbell in particular menacing opposing defenders and he set up fellow England youth international to stroke home on 50 minutes for 2-0.

Rolando Aarons and Greg Olley were a constant threat from wide positions and more goals always looked likely. The latter was rewarded on 53 minutes, converting a low strike from just inside the area which McDonald was unable to handle and the ball trickled over the line. 

And with United's substitutes maintaining the pressure on the home side, the hard-working Campbell capped a man of the match display with a well deserved strike, volleying home from close range after a goalmouth scramble. 

At the other end meanwhile, a defence marshalled by Captain Lee Desmond kept Fermanagh at bay, Lubomir Satka and Ryan McKinnon both looking strong and comfortable as a clean sheet was duly registered. 
 
This was the third meeting of Newcastle and Fermanagh over the years in this event, with United registering a 5-0 victory back in 1998. However, the lads from Ulster gained revenge in 2005 by winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 stalemate.

Group Game 2 (Monday): Newcastle U17s  6  Pachuca U17s  0

Team: Woodman (Grant 55), McKinnon, Kitchen (Sterry 40), Satka, Booth, Aarons, Olley (Morgan 60), Armstrong, Smith (Quinn 50), Campbell, Gilliead (Lopez 50). 

Subs n/u: Desmond, Storey.

Scorers: Campbell 2, Gilliead, Aarons, Olley, McKinnon

Booked: none  

Venue: Ballymena Showgrounds, Ballymena.

Crowd: approx 200




Newcastle's youngsters again hit the goal trail on Monday, notching half a dozen without reply against their shell-shocked Mexican opponents. Once again the black and whites dominated from the off and were ahead within five minutes, Adam Campbell smashing the ball home from just inside the box.

Camping in the opposition half, both Ryan McKinnon and Greg Olley then saw goalbound efforts cleared off the Pachuca line before Campbell centred from the left for Alex Gilliead to convert with a powerful header. 

And with 'keeper Freddie Woodman and the rest of the Magpies defence having the easiest of nights, Newcastle made it 3-0 just before the interval when Rolando Aarons buried a fine left foot volley. 

The Mexicans emerged for the second half with a new goalkeeper, who was powerless as McKinnon crashed a header off the crossbar. More Newcastle goals were inevitable though with Aarons a constant threat on the wing and a fourth duly arrived on 51 minutes courtesy of a neat close-range finish from Greg Olley.

Pachuca then introduced their third custodian of the game and he was soon also picking the ball out of the net, after his defence were unable to clear their lines and Ryan McKinnon took advantage to grab a deserved goal. Having started the rout, Campbell then completed the scoring on 68 minutes by converting a spot kick, after the match referee had spotted a handball.  

Group Game 3 (Tuesday): Newcastle U17s 3 CSKA Moscow  1

NUFC: Woodman (Grant 55), McKinnon, Kitchen (Sterry 40), Satka, Booth, Aarons, Olley (Morgan 60), Armstrong, Smith (Quinn 50), Campbell, Gilliead (Lopez-Cardona 50). 

Subs n/u: Desmond, Storey.

Scorers: Campbell 2, Smith.  

Booked: Armstrong, Campbell, McKinnon.

Venue: Riada Stadium, Ballymoney. 

Crowd: 300+ including Shane Ferguson's parents. 




The young Magpies made it three wins out of three on Tuesday evening, coming from a goal down to beat their Russian opponents. CSKA went ahead in the first half when United 'keeper Freddie Woodman failed to cut out a corner and Denis Masyutin was on hand to convert with an opportunist header at the back post.

However that inspired the black and whites into action and by half time they'd drawn level and gone ahead, thanks to a brace from Adam Campbell, who has now scored five goals in three games at this tournament.

With the Russians becoming more and more physical, Campbell first of all equalised with a close range effort before knocking home the loose ball after Alex Gilliead went one on one with the CSKA 'keeper and saw his goalbound effort parried. 

At the other end meanwhile, Slovakian centre half Lubo Satka popped up to make a great last ditch interception in his own box, nipping in ahead of the onrushing Moscow striker Islam Mashukov to clear. 

And coping with a more cynical game plan from the Russians, Newcastle retained their composure after the break and were rewarded when Liam Smith grabbed his second goal of the event with a free kick.

That proved to be the end of the scoring but not the action on the field, with a CSKA player dismissed in the closing stages for dissent. That came after United substitute Jamie Sterry took a boot in the head after an attempted overhead clearance and required medical attention, with some argy bargy between the sides before the referee took exception to a comment and showed his red card.

Another OTT tackle then cleaned out Rolando Aarons and caused a further face-off between the sides, but United made it through to the end with no further casualties save for Macauley Booth who limped off earlier.

The league table following the third game was divided into five sections of four and as well as the main Cup, semi finals & finals are played for the Globe, Vase, Bowl & Plate. United were joined in the top four by Bolton Wanderers, Desportivo Brazil and Dublin-based Cherry Orchard, with the draw paired us with the Trotters.

Semi-Final (Wednesday): Newcastle U17s  2  Bolton U17s  0

NUFC: Woodman, McKinnon, Kitchen, Satka, Desmond, Aarons, Olley, Armstrong, Smith Campbell, Gilliead.

Subs n/u: Grant, Sterry, Storey, Morgan, Quinn, Cardona-Lopez.

Scorers: Campbell, Aarons.  

Booked: none

Venue: Riada Stadium, Ballymoney. 

Crowd: 300



Taking to the field at the Riada Stadium for the second time in 24 hours, United thought that they'd grabbed an early lead when Adam Campbell was brought down in the are and fired home the resultant penalty.

However the referee inexplicably ordered a re-take for encroachment by a Bolton player and the 'keeper guessed right the second time, as Campbell went the same way.

Campbell wasn't to be denied though and struck his sixth goal of the tournament soon after with a well-judged header. And that lead was doubled before the interval when Rolando Aarons waltzed through the Wanderers rearguard before shooting home.

A more committed Bolton assault in the second half put Newcastle on the back foot for a time, but they were equal to various long throws and set pieces and saw out time with something to spare.

Final (Thursday): Newcastle U17s  0  Desportivo Brazil  3

NUFC: Woodman, Desmond, Satka, McKinnon, Kitchen (Sterry 61), Olley (Cardona-Lopez 57), Smith, Campbell, Aarons, Armstrong. Gilliead.

Scorers: none

Booked: McKinnon

Crowd: tbc including United boss Alan Pardew and Magpies Development Coach Peter Beardsley who flew in for the game. 

Toon old boy Michael O'Neill meanwhile was one of the BBC Northern Ireland TV pundits. 

Venue: Ballymena Showgrounds, Ballymena.

After the game Pardew commented:

"They were brilliant. Young Adam Campbell winning the player of the tournament was a real coup for us and for him personally, so we're very, very pleased with that.

"I thought they did particularly well to get to the final. They got to the final in style but in the final they came up against a very good side.

"Three-nil flattered the opposition actually, but I thought they gave a great account for Newcastle and we made some friends over there, and that's always nice to do."

Newcastle's hopes of lifting the Milk Cup for the third time evaporated as a combination of fatigue and the superior skills of the opposition left them looking distinctly second best. 

After a scoreless first half in which they held firm but struggled to create much of substance in the opposition half, the black and whites conceded early in the second period to a well-worked goal.

Some neat footwork down the Desportivo right from Yan Oliveira on 44 minutes saw him send over a deep cross despite the attentions of Lee Desmond and Greg Olley.

Lanky striker Bruno Conceição made his way into the Magpies box and was left unmarked as he headed past Freddie Woodman from six yards.

Oliveira then menaced down the right again just before the hour mark and although his low cross was missed by Conceição in front of goal, substitute Aguilar Oliveira popped up to fire home, despite the presence of Woodman and a clutch of defenders on the goal line.

The Brazilians then wrapped up the win in the closing seconds of normal time, after United cheaply lost possession in their own half to Caio Ramalho.

The substitute then played an 1-2 with Arthur Bonaldo to get into the box and although his first shot was blocked by Woodman, an unfortunate deflection via Ryan McKinnon allowed Ramalho to poke home a third and complete a full house of victories in the tournament after beating Armagh (5-1), Benfica (6-0) and Ichifuna (5-2) and Cherry Orchard (3-0).

United coach Dave Watson gave an honest assessment after the final whistle, when he commented that:

"It wasn't through a lack of effort from our lads - I think they gave all they had - but they just weren't good enough on the night."

There was one small consolation for Newcastle, with Adam Campbell named as the Man of the Tournament for the Premier Section.

Thanks to NUFC.com reader Wayne Allen for providing updates and images of United's Milk Cup campaign.