Newcastle United announced today, that in order to maintain its Premier League Academy status, and due to the delays in issuing an Environment Agency licence for work to begin on the proposed Academy site in Walker, they have acquired an alternative site on which to build. Work will commence at the CSSC Darsley Park Sports Ground, Benton shortly which will enable the Academy to be up and running by 1st September 2001. United Chairman Freddy Shepherd said today: "It was imperative for us to find an alternative site, due to the delays in the Environment Agency licence being granted for our original plans, and we are now confident that we can build on the success of the Academy at present with the new development and bring on more young stars like Shola Ameobi and Michael Chopra who are essential to the future success of Newcastle United.

"The Club, however, is conscious of its commitment to the community and will be providing a new Learning Centre for the benefit of the East End of Newcastle. This new facility will emulate the world renowned Learning Facilities at St. James' Park which already benefit the City of Newcastle and the community at large."

The Leader of Newcastle City Council, Councillor Tony Flynn said:

"The Environment Agency's delay in issuing a licence to begin work on the site at Waverdale has placed the Football Club in a difficult position.

Obviously it is disappointing that the Academy is not now coming to Walker but it is important that the Academy is built as quickly as possible to provide the right opportunities for youngsters in the North East.

"Although the Academy is moving, I am pleased that the young footballers will still be educated at Benfield School.

"The disappointment over the move is also more than offset by the Club's offer to help create a new Learning Centre in the East End.

"If that facility is half as successful in reaching members of the community as the Learning Centre at St. James' Park, then it will provide a host of new educational opportunities for people in the East of the city."

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

Answers

Academy perchance

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

This is clearly not great news for the disadvantaged Walker area, but it certainly is wonderful news for NUFC. Frankly, this also seems a much better location for the Academy to me.

After the anxiety this afternoon's news has caused me, this makes me feel much better.

I would like to see more details of the proposed Academy - Liverpool's magnificent edifice cost £12mm, and I noticed recently that even SAFC are proposing to spend £8mm on theirs. I sincerely hope we're not going to do this in a half-arsed manner - this IS our future.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

could produce the next Paul Murray !!!

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

If this is the news today, what great news must Freddy have in store for us all on July 7th?

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

If construction is due to start soon, that would suggest a start date of early July, meaning a construction period of just about two months!! Which will be about enough time to put up something pretty small.

I would think they will have temporary accomodation whilst the new facilities are built which will be completed much later.

Moving to new training facilities, Academy getting the go ahead, medical side of things being revamped, only the first team left now Freddie!!

Funny how Stonehouse quits and all these things start getting announced?

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Lets not get too hung up on the cost either. Sure we need the right facilities but at the end of the day it's the quality of the coaching and the raw materials that will produce great players.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Sadly that argument has led to millions of kids in the UK spending their education freezing in smelly old prefabs instead of classrooms. These Academy lads are supposed to be the cream of footballing talent. In our catchment area we are in direct competition with the mackems to sign the best. If you are given a choice between some shabby, cheap and nasty concrete box and a state-of-the-art learning centre then the choice will be clear to any concerned parent.

Consider these boys as being given a scholarship to a school at which the fees match the facilities. If you provide the best that money can buy then you can demand the very best out of those fortunate enough to be there. Worked like a charm on me when I got accepted at the top school in Cape Town. Any sign of slacking off and you were reminded of the millions of kids who were excluded because of the colour of their skin or lack of academic ability. Don't think it would have worked at Imberhorne Secondary in East Grinstead where I found myself in a shit hole with sandwiches stuck to the ceiling, leaky prefabs, crumbling tarmac and no after-school activities on offer because everyone was on strike.

If we take the Academy seriously then the facilities must reflect this. The most illuminating part of this report is that they let slip that they are concerned about losing Premiership Status for the Acadmey. Bottom line is that this isn't being done by choice, we are having political pressure applied to sort it out. Pathetic.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

From Teamtalk

United purchase Academy site ^top

Newcastle have announced they have bought a 40-acre sports ground in the city to develop as their new schoolboy academy. The Magpies revealed details of the surprise move to purchase Darsley Park in Longbenton - a former civil service sports and recreation facility - after a long delay in getting an Environment Agency licence for their first-choice site in Walker. The new venue comprises nine football pitches, 20 dressing-rooms, 10 shower rooms, a restaurant, presentation hall and squash courts. The club have not released details of the purchase price for a centre, that is only nine years old, and will require minimal adaptation for United to comply with the FA Premier Academy League regulations. "We now have our own home to develop the stars of tomorrow which is critically important to the future of Newcastle United," said chairman Freddy Shepherd. "This shows the fans that we're determined to establish United at the forefront of English football." Sounds pretty good doesnt it!! AM

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Teamtalk are running this story, which suggest that the development will be a refurbishment of the existing facilities. It would appear to be a good value development as opposed to a development such as the one at Liverpool.

That is not to say that the right facilities cannot be created here, I suppose we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime has anyone got any knowledge of the site?

Newcastle have announced they have bought a 40-acre sports ground in the city to develop as their new schoolboy academy. The Magpies revealed details of the surprise move to purchase Darsley Park in Longbenton - a former civil service sports and recreation facility - after a long delay in getting an Environment Agency licence for their first-choice site in Walker. The new venue comprises nine football pitches, 20 dressing-rooms, 10 shower rooms, a restaurant, presentation hall and squash courts. The club have not released details of the purchase price for a centre, that is only nine years old, and will require minimal adaptation for United to comply with the FA Premier Academy League regulations. "We now have our own home to develop the stars of tomorrow which is critically important to the future of Newcastle United," said chairman Freddy Shepherd. "This shows the fans that we're determined to establish United at the forefront of English football."

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Beat ya Ha!!!

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Sorry Debuilder, very childish I know but its very slow here today!!

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Interesting. One of the security guys at the Riverside told me last season that training would be moving to Darsley Park.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Sounds like the Academy will have better facilities than the first team!

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001