Youth team captain Brad McGowan cannot wait for this evening’s FA Youth Cup encounter with Peterborough United.
The young Magpies’ first round fixture will see them play on the Meadow Lane pitch, with hundreds of supporters expected to turn out for Academy football’s most prestigious tournament.
McGowan, a second-year scholar who is a regular at the heart of defence, believes that strong performances in the tournament can play a big part in shaping the under-18 players’ futures beyond youth football.
“It’s a chance to impress the people who are watching over,” he told #themag.
“We haven’t got long left as second years and these are the games where you want to show what you’ve got if you want to get the reward at the end of your scholarship.
“It’s all anybody’s been talking about, as we get to be home team, in the home changing rooms.
“It’s a night we get treated as first team players.
“It’s not often we get to play on the pitch and hopefully we can get a win so we can play at more stadiums.”
Brad is our feature interview in the FA Youth Cup edition of #themag.
You can pick up your copy from the club shop for just £1 ahead of kick-off.