NUFC young guns deserve a big crowd in FA Youth Cup semi-final with Aston Villa

Newcastle may well not have ploughed millions into the first team during the Ashley era.

But development at Academy level is a different story.

I'm certainly not jumping on the bandwagon but having watched the development of the youngsters in the youth team and reserves, the future could be bright or at least brighter than it has been in the previous decade.

Off the top of my head, Steven Taylor, Shola Ameobi and Andy Carroll are the three main products from the club's youth system in the last few years from our own catchment area - that isn't a great return for more than 10 years.

Tim Krul (from the Shepherd era) and Tamas Kadar (Ashley era) were also flown in to Newcastle to continue their development from abroad.

If the current regime are committed to developing raw young talent and nurturing them to the first team then it will be interesting to see where it takes NUFC to say the least.

A look at the Academy side at the moment gives a few reasons to be cheerful.

If you are looking for a reason to go to next week's game with Aston Villa then here are a few.

Playmaker Haris Vuckic and winger Samuel Adjei, like Krul and Kadar, are players who United have scouted and aim to bring through and they are two very exciting players worth watching.

Adjei styles his game of Ronaldo (not the fat one) while Vuckic is a strong Slovene lad that has an eye for goal and is a very promising player for the Mags having made his first team debut already.

Phil Airey is a player with an eye for goal with 15 strikes already this season after making a whirlwind switch from right-back and looks every inch a number 9 so far but knows he has a long way to go.

Son of Terry Mac, Greg is a battling midfielder who also knows where the net is and then you have flame haired midfielder Conor Newton who has been a rock in front of the back four for the kids this term.

At the back left-back Paul Dummett is already courting the attention of Wales at international level while Geordie skipper Jeff Henderson has excelled in the second string and Academy.

James Tavernier made his first team debut at Posh in the Carling Cup and is making huge strides each game at right-back.

Sammy Ameobi, brother of Shola, is a bustling forward also out to make a name for himself while keeper Jak Alnwick, sibling of Ben, has been in fine form between the sticks this season and punts the ball down field like a fully grown bloke.

Quite why attendances and interest in reserve team and Youth Cup football have declined in years gone by is open for debate and feel free to chip in.

The Sky revolution means that live football almost every night is available for most people these days and why stand in the rain watching a team of 'gonna bes' when you watch established European stars at home?

Then you have people who rarely move away from their laptop and the social world that once existed in real life now takes place in bedrooms around the world with many losing a grip of reality as part of risky bargain.

For some debating the rights and wrongs of life on Facebook and messageboards has became the norm with social activity (such as going to football matches) draining away.

Reserve team football has decline due to a lack of first team fringe players making appearances.

I remember in 1993 going to a reserve derby with Sunderland at SJP during the Keegan era when over 10,000 fans turned out for a 1-1 draw - but the chances of that happening again are bordering on impossible for a second string match these days unless there is a very good reason for fans to do so.

The financial climate doesn't help either - and I'm not telling anybody to do with their money - but Toon fans will be able to get into St James' Park for the second leg of the Youth Cup for the price of a pint.

Chelsea await the winners but wouldn't it be great to see a decent crowd for the young Magpies in their quest for glory in a cup we haven't won for 25 years?