PSG, Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle Blue Star. An illustrious list of clubs that Newcastle United’s younger contingent will be playing against this autumn, and the latter of the names in that list provide the opposition in midweek.
Even though this is not a fixture that is steeped in history, the pairing of Newcastle United’s Under 21s and Newcastle Blue Star in the First Round of this season's Northumberland Senior Cup allows Scotswood’s finest the opportunity to make it.
Currently sitting at the top of the Northern League Division Two standings after Saturday’s eventual comfortable 5-1 win at Sunderland West End, the focus for Brian Smith’s men now pivots to knockout football instead.
Especially since this will be the first of two cup clashes in the space of six days. An away trip to FC Hartlepool awaits next Tuesday in the Memorial League Cup; this Wednesday, Blue Star wants to make some footballing memories of their own.
To do so, they must get the better of a Newcastle Under 21 outfit that has won just one of their first six fixtures in the reformatted Premier League 2 – not only that, but they have also failed to win any of their last five.
A 5-3 win over Southampton has been the only league success for the mini-Magpies thus far. Then again, their fixture list has not only seen them mix it with Port Vale’s first team in the EFL Trophy, but their Under 19 contingent will have recently been hearing the Champions League anthem.
This only further highlights how much of a mixed bag their fixture schedule has been up until now, and because of such varying opposition, it is difficult to ascertain the true level of form they will bring to Wednesday night.
Of course, there will be no such difficulty in trying to ascertain Blue Star’s league form. 16 matches played this season, just one defeat. It is a team that is red hot before they enter the Blue Flames venue in midweek.
Something which sets up Wednesday’s clash rather nicely indeed. A big thanks to Whitley Park for the upcoming hospitality and for those attending from an away perspective, safe travels both there and back.