IT’S THE REAL THING!
NEWCASTLE STAR AARONS HOPES MAGPIES FLY HIGH
Newcastle United winger Rolando Aarons is backing the Magpies to make an impact at this summer's Dale Farm Milk Cup.
The Jamaican-born star was outstanding for United in the 2012 final when they lost out to an impressive Desportivo side from Brazil but he has never forgotten the occasion and his week at the international youth tournament in Northern Ireland.
“It was a special time and we were proud to make the final, especially with our senior manager then, Alan Pardew, taking the time to travel over and watch us against the Brazilians,” he says.
Aarons found himself in the Newcastle United Under-21s the following season and stepped into the first team squad at the start of this season, making his debut on the opening day against Manchester
OBITUARY
I first met John Cassidy in the early 1970,s. After several discussions on the state of youth football in Northern Ireland we decided that his League- the South Belfast Boys League and my own, the Dundonald Junior League were faced with similar problems and that something needed to be done.
As a consequence, we recruited as many youth Leagues as we could find and a meeting was convened for the 8th February 1976 in the Knocknagoney Hotel near Holywood. At that meeting we found that there was much common
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City. A fortnight later he scored against Crystal Palace.
"From the excitement of the opening parade right through to our appearance in the Final on the Friday night, it was a great week to experience. It was a great tournament for me and I know those guys from the Academy will have a great time playing in the Tournament in July," adds Aarons.
No fewer than nine more of the 2012 squad who represented the Geordies now find themselves in the Under-21s at the club.
Newcastle United previously reached the Premier final three times. In 1989 they beat Manchester United, in 1986, as defending champions, they lost out to Dundee United, having the previous year lifted the trophy by beating hosts Coleraine
ground between all the League representatives and on that evening, the NIBFA was born. John became the first Chairman of the Association, a position he held for several years. He continued to be the driving force of his own club, Aquinas FC as well as South Belfast Boys’ League. In the early years the League was faced with falling numbers and at one point when the number of teams was reduced to 5 he almost gave up on the project. Thankfully a few of his colleagues in NIBFA persuaded him to continue and through his dedication and hard work the South Belfast League has grown to be the largest Youth League,
Real Sociedad, the Spanish club with one of Europe's most progressive and successful youth academies, are making a debut at this summer's Dale Farm Milk Cup. Manager David Moyes, a long time supporter of the Northern Ireland international youth football tournament, gave the go-ahead. Another La Liga club with Malaga are also first timers in the same section.
Former Manchester United manager Moyes regularly sent teams to Northern Ireland's world famous youth tournament when he was manager at Everton. He also conducted the draw, along with Wayne Rooney, back in 2003 when the present United captain was a teenager at Goodison Park. Indeed, Rooney played in the competition three years earlier.
Last November Moyes took up the reins at Sociedad, a club with a top six rated youth academy in Europe. He made his name at Everton for developing young talent and according to The International Centre for Sports Studies there are only five better youth systems in Europe than Real’s talent factory at ‘Zubieta’.
A player who featured in the Premier League with Liverpool, Xabi Alonso, is the most famous product of Sociedad. Another still plays in England, Arsenal's Mikel Arteta.
numerically, in Northern Ireland with more than 200 teams.
John developed a great enthusiasm for the small-sided game and in many ways he was ahead of his time on that issue.
John Cassidy played a full part in the early days of the Northern Ireland Cup which eventually became the Milk Cup, now the Dale farm Milk Cup.
He died on 25th February, aged 82, having given a lifetime of leadership and development to young soccer players in Northern Ireland.
Jim Weir
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