Ex-Newcastle United trio picked for YouTube Baller League series - but snubbed by Alan Shearer
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
Newcastle United latest news: Three former Newcastle United players will take part in Baller League UK Season 2.
Three former Newcastle United players will take part in Baller League UK Season 2. The Baller League format was first introduced in Germany and moved to the United Kingdom earlier this year.
A host of influencers and former professional footballers signed up to take part in the first season in both playing roles and as managers of the teams. Alan Shearer, for example, was named as manager of ‘Deportrio’ alongside Micah Richards and Gary Lineker for the inaugural season.
12 teams competed in the inaugural Baller League UK, with all matches taking place at the CopperBox in London and being streamed live on YouTube. Season One was viewed as such a success that a second season has been introduced with the draft for that taking place earlier this week.
Three former Newcastle United players included in Baller League UK draft
Among the 48 players to be drafted for Baller League UK season two were three former Newcastle United players. The first pick of the draft went to N5 FC, a team managed by former Arsenal duo Jens Lehmann and Robert Pires alongside YouTube star Eman SV2.
The Gazette has launched a new WhatsApp NUFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our NUFC WhatsApp channel.
Morpeth born and former Magpies youngster Jack Young was selected as the coveted number one pick. Young never made a senior appearance for Newcastle United during his time at the club before he left to join Wycombe Wanderers as a free agent in 2022.
Young will play alongside former Derby County and Sunderland striker Martyn Waghorn in the upcoming Baller League UK season. The fourth pick of the draft also saw another former Newcastle United player selected with Yasin Ben El-Mhanni joining VZN FC.
Unlike Young, El-Mhanni did make a handful of senior appearances during his time on Tyneside, playing twice in the FA Cup under Rafa Benitez in 2017. YouTuber Tobi Brown will take charge of VZN FC.
The final former Newcastle United player to be selected in the Baller League UK Season Two draft played 62 times for the Magpies, netting three goals whilst being part of their 2009/10 Championship winning squad. That man is Nile Ranger.
Ranger was picked 33rd in the draft earlier this week and will join up with Young at N5 FC. The 34-year-old most recently played for non-league side Kettering Town and scored in their FA Cup First Round win over Northampton Town in November last year to set up a clash against Doncaster Rovers. The non-league side would fall at that stage after being defeated in extra-time by League Two opponents.
None of the former Magpies players in the draft were picked up by the side that Shearer will manage this season, however. Shearer, alongside Ian Wright, will take charge of Wembley Rangers AFC in Baller League UK Season Two.
Some of the other high-profile players to feature in the draft ahead of the new season of Baller League UK included former Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Brandon Barker, formerly of Manchester City.
Young, El-MHanni, Ranger, Borthwick-Jackson, Barker and co will join former Premier League players such as Henri Lansbury, Marvin Sordell and Jordan Ibe in the competition whilst John Terry and Daniel Sturridge make up some of the famous faces as managers.