'Delighted' - Newcastle United academy arrival confirmed as former Aston Villa & Portsmouth man joins
Newcastle United have made a new appointment behind the scenes at academy level this summer.
As Newcastle United’s summer transfer business hots up at first-team level, the club are making moves at academy level with behind-the-scenes appointments.
As previously reported by The Gazette, Newcastle have been looking to appoint an academy individual player development coach ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The club have now appointed former Aston Villa and Portsmouth academy coach, Sam Hudson, in the role.
After spells at Cardiff City, Burton Albion and Derby County, Hudson worked at Villa’s academy during the 2021/22 season before joining Portsmouth’s academy. After initially working as a player development programme assistant coach on the south coast, he later stepped into a lead coach role.
Hudson left Pompey after four years this summer to take up his new role at Newcastle.
Confirming his arrival at the club, Hudson took to social media to post an image of himself at the academy along with the caption: “Delighted to announce my new role as Individual Development Coach @NUFC.
“Looking forward to working my 14th season in the game at such a massive football club.”
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Hudson’s role will see him work on the individual development of academy players in Newcastle’s full-time training programme across multiple age groups.
In addition to his work at club level, Hudson is also a coaching consultant and guest speaker at the Premier League as well as a lead tactical analyst and coaching consultant at The Coaches’ Voice.
Newcastle United’s academy has undergone significant investment into players, staff and infrastructure over the past few years as the club looks to build for the future. This week has seen Newcastle academy product Elliot Anderson become the most expensive Englishman of all time upon joining Manchester City from Nottingham Forest for £116million.
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