‘Step up’ - Harvey Barnes sends dressing room message to Newcastle United teammates

Harvey Barnes is now one of the leading figures in the Newcastle United dressing room.

Harvey Barnes has called upon Newcastle United’s senior stars to aid the young arrivals at St James’ Park.

Turning 29 in December, the winger is now one of the more experienced heads in the United dressing room. Barnes arrived in 2023 from Leicester City and took on an increasingly prominent role last season, playing all but one Premier League game.

With the likes of Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes leaving in the summer, Barnes remains one of the only genuine goalscorers at the club. He is currently top of Newcastle’s charts this season, with four strikes across all competitions.

We have launched a new NUFC YouTube channel to bring the latest Newcastle United news and analysis. Click this link and subscribe to NUFC Press Box.

‘Step up’ - Harvey Barnes

Speaking to the club’s official matchday programme, Barnes vowed to “step up” after a turbulent summer - and asked others to do the same. He said: "We lost some big players last summer and, with the new manager coming in, he’s going to be looking for players to rely on in those moments.

“With the players we've lost, there were a lot of goals within that. So people have got to step up and I feel like I've always been a player that wants to take that responsibility. There's going to be others that will fill that as well and have to step up this year and put up their numbers and goals to help out the team ultimately.

“I'm probably someone who enjoys having that responsibility from the team and the manager. I certainly feel that I've been a more senior player within the squad this season. You can help players and help the team with certain things, and you can certainly be more vocal within that.”

Harvey Barnes message to old guard

Youthful summer additions like Aladji Bamba, Bazoumana Toure and Sean Steur are still biding their time for opportunities under Jaissle. And in a message to the old guard, Barnes added: “We've brought in a lot of exciting, new young players from abroad. So you've got a real mixed bunch. Some will hit the ground straight away, some might need a little bit of time, some may need certain things.

"And it's up to the players who've been here a bit longer to help them settle in and give them the best platform to go and perform, and help them in whatever way you can to get the best results. So for sure, I feel like I've got that role to really do that."

News you can trust since 1849
Follow us
© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice