From Jackie Milburn to Malcolm Macdonald, Bobby Mitchell to Michael Owen, the city has played host to many of the domestic game’s brightest talents. Now a new force is rising on the banks of the Tyne.

Team Northumbria is determined to make its own indelible mark on Newcastle’s footballing landscape by creating the perfect environment for the next generation of players seeking more than an education in ball skills.

Sitting atop the Northern Alliance, Barney Jones’ Saturday squad have long been synonymous with sportsmanship, ambition and excellence. Promotion to the Arngrove Northern League is the aim and next month Team Northumbria chiefs will discover whether their application to join this famous amateur organisation has been successful.

What Northern League clubs will discover next season is a state-of-the-art club house, a brand new pitch the envy of teams across the region and a commitment to playing the beautiful game the way it was meant to be played.

"We’re creating something very special here," explained Paul Johnson, a key member of Jones’ coaching staff. "What we’ve got is a facility which our players can be proud of."

Jones and Johnson head a dedicated team of qualified coaching staff ensuring Team Northumbria’s football programme maintains the high standards which won Football Association Charter status in 2005.

And if team success at local and student level is the priority, then every player associated with the elite squad benefits from an individual fitness and skills programme focusing on their particular strengths and weaknesses.

No wonder young footballers from across Britain are keen to hear more about Team Northumbria. Former Carlisle star Mark Anthony is one of a number of ex-pros now flourishing at one of North East football’s fastest rising clubs.

Jones added: "We have tried to create a professional culture in terms of training and developing players.

"At the same time we needed to recruit a greater number of talented students to reinforce our university teams. Over the years we have sought to raise the playing standard in both areas and we are making progress.

"The university team has played in the Premier League for the last four years and the Saturday team is top of the Northern Alliance Premier League. The target is promotion to the Northern League this season.

"But what we offer off the field is just as important as what we offer on it. My players have access to some of the best back-up staff outside the Football League."

Progression through the local non-league pyramid will, in the future, see Team Northumbria host FA Cup football. Following in the footsteps of Bath University’s successful Team Bath side, students and postgraduates in Newcastle will be given the opportunity to compete in the most famous knockout competition in the world.

"That’s just one of the things promotion to the Northern League will do for us," added Johnson. "This is a big year for us and moving up a level will open up many more doors for Team Northumbria.

"These are exciting times for everyone involved with our football programme – right from the elite squad, through the women’s teams and down to the men’s 3rd and 4th XIs. We now have the facilities and coaching structure in place to help everyone realise their footballing dream."