Young Mags return home empty handed after promising start in HK Soccer Sevens tournament

Yesterday Newcastle United's youngsters made it out of the group stages of the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament with a win and two draws.

The Magpies got off to a flying start with a 3-0 win over Tai Po in their first group game but were then held 1-1 and 0-0 by Leicester City and Singapore Cricket Club (no, really) respectively.

That was enough for the young Maggies to progress to the quarter-final stages which took place today, but that's where their luck ran out.

First up, in the main competition, Newcastle came up against Hong Kong rangers who scored in the opening two minutes of the encounter and held on to that lead to progress to the semi-finals.

Newcastle's kids failed to retain their Main Shield crown

Newcastle weren't done though, as that defeat sent them down into the semi-finals of the Main Shield where they partook in a ding-dong battle with Glasgow Rangers.

Rangers twice had the lead but goals from Alfie Harrison and Dylan Stephenson pegged them back, but Rangers took an early lead in extra-time and that was enough to send Newcastle crashing out of the tournament.

The Magpies were the current holders of the Main Shield but their semi-final exit means they return home this time with nothing.

Goodbye 2023/24 Season, you've been ... well, rotten!

All-in-all it has been a pretty poor week to be a Newcastle fan, but hey ho. It's still not as bad as it would have been were Mike Ashley still in charge.

Now we just need a good pre-season and a couple of top signings and we'll be good to go.

Without European football next year we're back to one game a week and that's where were thrive. Top six next year is an absolute must and if we could win a cup too, then that's just gravy, and we bloody love gravy.