You’d need to go a very Long way for a better tale than this
MATTY’S SCORING DEBUT IS HOLLYWOOD STUFF - DAWS
NEWCASTLE United Academy chief Ben Dawson admits had Matty Longstaff’s dream debut been a Hollywood movie script he would have found it hard to believe.
Not because Dawson does not have faith in the flame-haired midfielder, far from it, but the 19-yearold’s rise from the second string to the big Premier League stage has came much quicker than anybody at the club expected.
Longstaff fired home the winner against Manchester United just weeks after starting the season in the Under-23 squad.
In July, Longstaff flew out to Spain with the reserves and was expected to be sent out on loan when he returned to the UK, a deal with Bradford City set up for August.
Instead, with Dawson handed the role of caretaker manager for the trip to China with the first team, the academy boss called up Longstaff to the senior side and handed him his first taste of first-team life in the Premier League Trophy against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
As Newcastle were well beaten in the stifling heat of Nanjing, few people noticed then, but it was laying the foundations for that winning goal against the Red Devils.
Matty and Sean went on to star against West Ham in the second Asia Trophy game and won 1-0 and since then Matty played against Leicester in the League Cup - but it all meant his top-flight bow was less daunting.
Dawson, who worked closely with Matty in the under-23s last season as they reached two cup finals, told The Chronicle: “You could not write a better script to be honest.
“If it was a Hollywood movie script you would probably say that was far too predictable.
“You might not even watch it if you saw the script! “Matty showed us everything we knew he can do and I think on the day we saw real maturity and leadership from Sean alongside him.
“The two of them worked really well together.
“I am delighted for Matty to not only have a chance but to score a goal against Manchester United.”
Longstaff is one of a batch of good youngsters from the second string who have pushed hard last season.
Kell Watts, Elias Sorensen, Owen Bailey and Thomas Allan are others head coach Steve Bruce looked at in pre-season.
Dawson added: “You do see that with a lot of them but they need the opportunity.
“We have had loads of players
If it was a Hollywood movie script you would probably say that was far too predictable Ben Dawson
coming through who we think could, if given the right opportunity at the right time, do something. “Sometimes that does not fall into place.
“We are criticised as an academy for not producing players. “Well, actually in the last 50 years we have had 50-odd debuts so it is not that bad.
“We have had two on the pitch at the same time in the Longstaffs from the last 12 months. Andy Carroll is back and Paul Dummett is there too. We are starting to see it.
“We also have Freddie Woodman out on loan doing a terrific job at Swansea and others gaining experiences down the leagues. “There is plenty to be positive about.”