Lewis Hall has spoken publicly for the first time since he was ruled out for the rest of the 2024/25 season.
Earlier this week, a club statement confirmed the 20-year-old required surgery on a foot injury, which was suffered during last Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.
It’s a huge blow for the left-back and an injury that will see him miss next Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, our 11 remaining Premier League games and Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad.
Hall on “gutting” injury news
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Hall admits he is gutted by the timing of his footy injury, feeling it’s come at the “worst time” for himself and the team.
Easily our most-improved player this season, Hall has played a key role at both ends; highlighted by his solid defensive display against Mo Salah after playing a key role in three of our four goals against Nottingham Forest the week prior.
The full-back hinted that he’d love to have played through the pain, but a specialist decided that surgery was the best option and required for the sake of his career.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Hall said: “It’s gutting, especially with the games coming up. There’s so much to play for until the end of the season and I was looking forward to them so much, so it’s devastating, not just for me but being able to help the team.
“I feel like my season’s gone well and it’s come at probably the worst time. I would want to continue playing but we had to look at my career and agree on what was best.
“If I was to play through the pain, things could have got worse which would have a negative impact on my career long-term.”
A triple blow for Hall
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Not only will Hall miss next weekend’s cup final and the chance to help us end our trophy drought – a huge opportunity as a boyhood fan – he’ll also miss our push for a top five finish in the league and the chance to impress Thomas Tuchel.
“Honestly, I would play through anything if I could,” Hall said. “Obviously the cup final is a massive game; I’d played in all the games leading up to it and I’d like to think I’ve played a big part in us getting to this stage.
“And with the internationals coming up as well, it’s disappointing that I’m not available to be selected for that – and that I can’t play in the end of season games which ultimately will determine the competitions we play in (next season), whether we get in the Champions League.
“It’s quite hard to accept at the minute but I’m still young and there are many opportunities ahead, I’m very confident in that. I haven’t had it before in my career but watching us train every day and watching the team play is something that I’m really not looking forward to, but I’ve got so much faith in the boys to get us over the line and do what we need to do.”
A message to fans and more to come
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Finally, Hall showed his appreciation for the number of supportive message he’s received in what must have been one of the toughest weeks of his young career.
“Getting a load of messages shows how much the fans care about you. A lot of messages that I’ve seen this year have helped me to achieve what I’ve achieved.
“To know that they appreciate my efforts and the way that I play is a nice thing to hear at a difficult time.”
The former Chelsea talent then looked to the future and a comeback ahead of the 2025/26 season, insisting there is “so much more” to come from him and the team.
“I’m a firm believer that I’ve got so much more that I want to achieve now. I’ve had a really good start to my Newcastle career; I’ve come a long way in this team and I feel like there’s so much more that we can achieve together.
“I can’t wait to be getting fit during the off-season and getting ready for next season – hopefully in the Champions League with a trophy by then.”