Exclusive: Newcastle teenager Henry Johnson chatted to Chronicle Live after the under-21s' EFL trophy success at Rotherham
Henry Johnson of Newcastle United speaks to the media
Henry Johnson of Newcastle United(Image: 2026 Newcastle United)
Newcastle United under-21s' recent success has captured the imagination of a Geordie public desperate for something positive to cling to during a rough run of form at first team level.
Robbie Stockdale's side are unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions and made waves on Tuesday evening when their 1-0 win over League Two side Rotherham United secured their passage through to the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy for the first time since 2018.
Kyran Thompson's goal proved to be the difference between the two sides as the young Magpies backed up a 3-1 win over another League Two side, York City, earlier in the season.
And while the 17-year-old winger grabbed the headlines in the aftermath of that win, there were a few performances at the other end of the pitch that perhaps went under the radar.
Captain Scott Bailey was picked out for praise by Stockdale, while defender Henry Johnson capped a positive few days with a stellar performance as part of Newcastle's back three.
Five days prior to the trip to South Yorkshire, Johnson was called up to the first team and travelled with the Magpies squad to Everton in their Carabao Cup fourth round defeat.
The 18-year-old is one of a number of youngsters who have caught the eye of Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle and his staff and when asked in the aftermath of the win at Rotherham about that experience, it was easy to see the mentality that has accompanied Johnson's seamless transition from under-18s captain to under-21s stalwart this term, as he admitted he is 'desperate' for more opportunities to prove himself at first team level.
"Absolutely. If I'm brutally honest, I wasn't very happy with myself tonight," Johnson told Chronicle Live. "I think off the ball I was good, but on the ball I think I can still go that extra level.
"The only reason I'm pushing myself like that is because I'm trying to get to the first team. I think I'd be content with where I'm at if I wasn't pushing myself.
"Every game's not going to be eight, nine, ten out of ten. You need to reflect, you need to look at what you can get better at, and you need to put it into action.
"The first team stuff has been different class. I travelled with them to Everton and don’t get me wrong, the experience was amazing, but I think the type of person I am, you just get desperate. You get eager and you get itchy for it.
"You just want to be up there non-stop. Every single day, even though I'm doing well at 21s and I'm trying to get better, I'm still trying to prove a point why I should be up there. I hope the manager sees the performances, but I just focus on the game that's in front of us. I know if I'm performing then the rest will take care of itself."
Henry Johnson of Newcastle United arrives for the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Everton and Newcastle United
Henry Johnson of Newcastle United arrives for the Carabao Cup fourth-round match at Everton(Image: 2026 Newcastle United)
Jaissle has consciously tried to build a 'bridge' between the academy and the first team and was a keen spectator at St James' Park a fortnight ago when the young Magpies beat Sunderland 3-2 in the Tyne-Wear derby.
His assistant, Engin Yanova, is a consistent presence at the under-21s' home games at Whitley Park and is in constant communication with Stockdale and his staff.
Stockdale admitted recently that the relationship between the two parties has gone up a level this season and Johnson admits that only adds extra motivation to him and his team-mates to impress.
"I think we are all aware that some of his staff come to the 21s games, and obviously he came to the Sunderland game, and I think it does add that extra bit of motivation and pressure," Johnson added. "But I think for the top players, pressure's a very good thing if you use it in the right way. It's a good thing, and the fact that he's coming to the games is amazing and it makes you want to perform.
"You know that's your chance, that's your opportunity, and if you take them, the rewards can come. But the only thing we're waiting for is that they watch us. It's up to us to then go and perform and take our opportunity.
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"I'm still trying to get there and I'm still trying to get better, but I just need to take it one session, one game at a time, and I'm sure the rest will take care of itself."
Johnson has starred as a right-back and a centre-back this season and both he and Stockdale don't want to put a label on his best position just yet, with his versatility an admirable trait at any level of the game.
He has become a key cog at under-21 level after featuring for the first team in friendlies against Valencia, Everton and Strasbourg in the summer, and is relishing the exposure to competitive first team action in the EFL Trophy, as Newcastle now wait to discover their next round opponents.
Henry Johnson of Newcastle United during the Pre-season Friendly match between Newcastle United and RC Strasbourg Alsace
Henry Johnson of Newcastle United during the Pre-season friendly against Strasbourg(Image: MI News/NurPhoto)
“I think it puts you on a bigger stage," Johnson added. "You get to prove yourself to the likes of the first team, and people at the academy, I think, again, it's a bigger stage, it's a bit more pressure, but you can really stand out and you can really put yourselves in good stead. I think you come into a 21s group at the start of the year, you want to be part of the group that gets remembered for something.
"I think these games test us. We'll come up against very experienced teams and we'll come up against men's teams and the standout's going to be the physicality. But I think we've came to that and we've been outstanding.
"We've got many goals throughout the season, and we've come off the back of winning five in five and we're just hoping to keep progressing and keep getting better, but nothing's going to change in the next game.
"We're not going to change anything, because at the minute we're doing what we're good at, we're playing to our strengths, and the reason we're winning football games is because we're being collective as a team, and that's going to win you games.
"If you're in it as a team, and if you take the losses and the wins as a team, so that's important, we need to maintain that. But the boys are looking forward to it, it's a fantastic opportunity."
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