A general view of a corner flag prior to the U18 Premier League match between Newcastle United U18 v Manchester United U18 at Newcastle United Academy on January 13, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)placeholder image
A general view of a corner flag prior to the U18 Premier League match between Newcastle United U18 v Manchester United U18 at Newcastle United Academy on January 13, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images) | Manchester United via Getty Imag
Newcastle United have signed three players to their first professional contracts after impressing at academy level last season.
Joe Brayson, Luke Craggs and Logan Watts have all signed their first professional contracts with Newcastle.
The local trio are all boyhood Newcastle supporters and have progressed through the club’s academy to earn full-time contracts.
It comes as the club officially released Josh Donaldson, Jay Turner-Cooke, Harry Powell, Rory Powell, James Huntley and Ellis Stanton from their professional contracts on Tuesday. The six players represented Newcastle at academy level but failed to make a competitive first-team appearance for the club.
Newcastle’s new crop of young pros will be hoping to continue their progress at academy level to put themselves in the first team frame.
Newcastle United secure 14-goal Joe Brayson
Brayson has spent the past 10 years at Newcastle end finished the 2024/25 season with 14 goals and was named as top scorer for the Under-18s side.
The 18-year-old forward is the son of Paul Brayson, who started his career at Newcastle United before representing the likes of Reading, Cardiff City and Cheltenham Town. He later made a name for himself with a prolific spell in non-league football, most notably with Newcastle Benfield and Blyth Spartans.
After signing his first professional contract, Brayson junior told the club website: “My dad has played a massive part because he's went through the same journey as me so to follow in his footsteps is unbelievable and I'm buzzing.
“Signing a professional contract is what I've been working for and it's a good step forward.
"I think I did quite well last season, getting a lot of goal contributions. I was pleased to get a lot of assists, too, and I was involved with the under-21s which is what I wanted to do.
"It's good getting pushed up the age groups and then being able to score goals for them was great. Hopefully, I can do the same next season."
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NUFC scholar of the year signs pro deal
Newcastle awarded defender Craggs with his first pro deal after being named the academy’s scholar of the year for the 2024/25 season.
"I was buzzing to even get my scholarship so to be nominated as the best in the club's group for how I am as a person, both on and off the pitch, means a lot,” he said.
"I really appreciated all the staff who nominated myself as I was proud of the fact that they valued me as a person and how I applied myself in the education side of the scholarship.
“It's a proud moment because I've been a Newcastle fan ever since I was born so it's great to get a contract because that's what I've been working towards, but especially to get it at Newcastle. That's the big part of it as I've followed them since I was little.
"It hasn't hit me yet but it'll be something that I will look back on when I'm older with pride that I've played for Newcastle as a pro."
Newcastle confirm another defensive addition
Watts has been at Newcastle’s academy since 2018 and can play at across the back line. The 18-year-old made his Under-21s debut in a 4-1 win against Stoke City in February.
He will be eligible to feature in the UEFA Youth League this coming season with his Newcastle teammates after the first-team qualified for the Champions League.
"I missed out on it a couple of years ago but I made sure to train harder so I'm hoping to be a part of it this time,” he said. “Playing against teams you won't be usually face will be a good test for everyone.
"I was over the moon [to sign a first professional contract] because, ever since I joined the club at under-12 level, that's what I've been aiming for.
"Once I got a scholarship, I was pushing for that pro contract and then when I signed it, I was delighted.
"I'll be trying to get as many starts for the under-21s as I can. It's a completely different level moving from under-18 to under-21s, with a faster pace and a lot louder on the pitch so I'm excited for all of that."
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