"You want to be like a Lewis Miley" - Ex-Newcastle United academy star reflects on his release and latest move

Michael Ndiweni was given a tantalising glimpse of life at the top level when he lived out his dream by representing Newcastle United in the Premier League.

After sitting on the bench and watching Alexander Isak, Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon put the Magpies in complete control against big-spending Chelsea, the signal came from United assistant manager Jason Tindall. With a minute left at St James Park, Ndiweni was given his first taste of senior football as he faced up to the likes of Champions League winner Thiago Silva, World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez and £105m signing Moises Caicedo.

Seven years of striving for the hallowed turf of St James Park within the Magpies academy had culminated in a dream moment for the young striker and his family as he joined fellow youngsters Amadou Diallo and Alex Murphy in helping Howe’s men see out the final minutes of what was an impressive win against the Blues. A week later, Ndiweni was an unused substitute against Paris Saint-Germain as the Magpies Champions League adventure was delivered a significant blow when a late penalty from Kylian Mbappe snatched two crucial points away.

A loan move to Scottish League One club Annan Athletic during the following January was supposed to be an invaluable source of senior experience for Ndiweni - but in reality, it was the precursor to heartbreak as his eight-year stay with his boyhood club came crashing to an end less than seven months after he had shared the St James Park pitch with some of the biggest names in the modern game.

Reflecting on his departure, the young striker told The Gazette: “Obviously it was a tough decision to take and I think part of me was hurt and sad. After eight years, you want to reach the heights, you want to get into team, you want to be like a Lewis Miley or an Elliot Anderson or Joe White. You want to live that dream and you want to be in and around the first-team because that’s what you’ve spent your time in the academy trying to achieve. Not everyone can do that, not everyone’s route will take them that way, and that obviously wasn’t my route. It’s tough but I had to see the positive side. Leaving Newcastle means I had to kickstart my senior career, no matter what level that comes at. I’m only 20, I just want to get senior games under my belt so you just never know what happens. Hopefully I can get back up the leagues and get back somewhere near to where I was.”

Ndiweni’s recovery process from his release saw the 20-year-old frontman train with the Magpies’ National League neighbours Gateshead and he represented Northern Premier League Premier Division clubs Blyth Spartans and Hebburn Town as a trialist during their preparations for the new season. An offer came from one step further down the non-league pyramid as Ndiweni joined Northern Premier League East side Ashington last month, joining the likes of former Sunderland youngster Paddy Almond and Cameron Gascoigne, nephew of England legend Paul Gascoigne, at Woodhorn Lane.

The youngster has made four appearances so far for the Northumberland outfit and came off the bench to help his new side to a 2-1 win at Garforth Town on Tuesday night. His introduction to life in non-league has been difficult - but Ndiweni believes he is in the best possible place for the next step in his development.

He said: “Coming out of Newcastle, after eight years, was tough. All of the lads at Ashington have been great and when a lad comes from higher or from an academy, it’s easy for them not to take them in. They may think the player will have an attitude or will think they are too good for the club but the club and the players have been so helpful to me and they’ve helped me settle in. I just want to have a good run of games and hopefully help the team in anyway I can.

“I want to come here, play well, get my confidence back up and hopefully do well for myself and the team. It’s best that I am here for my development. Yes, it’s hard to adjust to non-league football but I’m relishing the challenge here. It’s not a bad thing being at Ashington, it’s an opportunity to prove myself and give myself a ground to kick on and go back up the leagues at some point.”

Ndiweni’s long journey back towards the professional game is underway and the youngster does not have to look too far for inspiration of what can be achieved by showing the right attitude and focus after falling out of the academy system. Ndiweni cited former Gateshead striker Macaulay Langstaff as an inspiration after the worked his way from Billingham Synthonia in the Northern League into the Championship following his release from Middlesbrough. After a slow start at Gateshead, Langstaff inspired the Tynesiders to the National League North title and earned a move to Notts County. Another promotion into the Football League and record goalscoring exploits captured the attention of several clubs before Langstaff was snapped up by Championship club Millwall during the summer. His journey is one Ndiweni hopes to replicate.

He explained: “I look at players like Macaulay Langstaff, who was at Notts County after being at Gateshead and is now in the Championship with Millwall. He has shown, just because you’re in non-league, it doesn’t mean you can’t make it back up there. It happens to loads of academy players, it’s not easy finding a new club after being in the academy system for eight years. A lot of clubs look for something now, senior games, experience and ultimately, when I left Newcastle, I wasn’t experienced enough to go into the EFL or National League. I had a bit of experience in Scotland last year so I knew what I was coming into because Annan was part-time and it’s been a difficult transition. Now it’s my aim to get back up there.”