It's a pretty good sign that Newcastle United's emphatic improvements over the past several years have spilled into the formative ranks as well as the progress made within the first-team.
While Paul Gascoigne is the salient example from way back when, successful graduates have been few and far between over the past several decades. Andy Carroll came through and secured a club-record £35m sale to Liverpool in 2011; way earlier, Peter Beardsley enjoyed a stellar career.
Unfortunately, there's not much else to really showcase the prowess of the Tyneside youth ranks, which has produced a steady flow of talent but little to really capture the awe of the footballing world on a global scale.
That's changing. Fast. the PIF takeover is washing through a city steeped in culture and heritage and painting St. James' Park in glittering new colours.
Indeed, resplendent in black and white, the Magpies have risen from Premier League strugglers to Champions League contenders, with manager Eddie Howe masterminding a stunning return to prominence.
For all the affluence, it must be pleasing to witness the hometown flourish on proceedings, with the recent 4-1 victory over Kylian Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain a fine illustration of that.
Having gone decades without a taste of victory in Europe's elite club competition, United returned to winning ways with a thunderous bang, and with more than a little thanks to the Newcastle natives.
Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff both scored, academy prospects turned first-class phenoms, while resurgent Jacob Murphy continued to realise his dream with a starting berth and late assist to cement the stunning result.
20-year-old Elliot Anderson is also fast on the rise, while burgeoning midfielder Lewis Miley earned a start against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup last month.
It seems to be that Miley is the one to watch at present, with the prodigious talent yet to reach adulthood and already earning opportunities against the best that English football has to offer.
Who is Lewis Miley?
Last season, youngster Miley earned his senior debut on the final game of the season after being introduced in the second-half against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, still only 17-years-old.
At youth level, the dynamic midfielder has been simply superb and has chalked up 46 appearances over the past few seasons, posting seven goals and eight assists and earning praise for the "bags of potential" at his feet, as was said by the Chronicle's Lee Ryder.
In age-belying fashion, he is weaselling his way into a spot that shouldn't be his; Miley, simply, has no right to be as technically tuned, situationally composed or effortlessly graceful on the pitch, but he is, and as journalist Mark Carruthers labelled him – "a powerful runner, good close control and can pick a pass" – he certainly looks to boast all the skills requisite for success at an ambitious outfit on Tyneside.
He would only enjoy a fleeting stint on the pitch, but he certainly impressed during his cameo, with Sofascore presenting him with a 6.8 match score after completing 83% of his passes and hitting the woodwork with a fierce strike late on – that really would have been quite the introduction to the major stage.
This season, the young star has been on the bench for both of Newcastle's Champions League ties – against European juggernauts AC Milan and PSG no less – and has indeed earned himself a display against Pep Guardiola's Man City.
While he was hooked at half-time, Miley did win two of his three ground duels and completed all ten of his passes, though he was seeing too little of the ball.
He is undeniably a top talent and could well be a starring member of a prosperous Newcastle side in the future, and while his "brilliant" displays, as also said by Ryder, have earned him an early shot under Howe's wing, he is not the only one to be knocking on the door.
Who is Ben Parkinson?
From a more offensive standpoint, Newcastle might have another prodigy rising to the fore, with 18-year-old winger Ben Parkinson impressing over the past several years and getting people talking after his displays.
A versatile attacker, capable of finding a home across both flanks, Parkinson is safely ensconced in the U21 outfit despite having only turned 18 in March.
Season
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Total
23/24
6
1
1
2
22/23
20
10
2
12
21/22
19
3
3
6
Signing his first professional contract in the summer, the talented prospect is slowly edging towards his senior debut, which may well come this season, with journalist Jeorge Bird claiming he's one to “watch out for”.
Speaking after this momentous moment, Parkinson said: “I think I have benefited a lot from stepping up to the under-21s as it made me realise the level, physicality and pace I needed to match so that I could compete and do well.
“The challenge I enjoyed was coming up against bigger and stronger defenders and trying to find ways of getting the better of them. I think going into next season, understanding and knowing what to expect is a good thing."
Newcastle U21 boss Ben Dawson has also been coloured impressed by the fleet-footed starlet's progress, remarking that his performances have been a "good reflection" of the strides taken in upgrading the overall quality over the past few years.
Noted as a player who loves scoring goals, this could be channelled into something that Howe could make fine use of, especially considering the fact that Harvey Barnes is currently nursing an injury that will keep him sidelined for around three months.
Barnes ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref, and while Parkinson is some way off that level, he is making impressive increments that tantalise a central role in the future.
With Parkinson and Miley both growing into their skin, Newcastle's hometown cluster is an illumination of the newfound might of this city, reborn in footballing splendour once again.