Miley aims to follow brother by making first-team mark

Jamie Miley (left) and Lewis Miley (right) are both products of Newcastle United's academy

Jamie Miley watched on from the St James’ Park stands as teenage brother Lewis established himself as a Newcastle United first-teamer last season.

Now Miley senior is looking to make his own mark in the professional game, having left Newcastle to join League Two Newport County on loan.

Like his sibling, Durham-born Jamie is a midfielder who has come through Newcastle’s academy.

But while Lewis broke into Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side when aged 17 last season, 20-year-old Jamie is yet to play a first-team game for the Magpies.

He has instead made his senior debut in the colours of Newport, with a first Exiles appearance coming in the EFL Trophy against Cheltenham last month before his league bow in Tuesday’s win at Gillingham.

Sadly for Miley, word that he was to start at Priestfield came too late for any of his family members to get from Tyneside to Kent to watch the game.

But his father is coming to Wales for Newport’s home fixture against Fleetwood on Saturday – and the hope is that Lewis will make it to Rodney Parade at some point too.

“To see my brother playing week in and week out at St James’ Park has been a dream for me and my family - I am so proud of him for what he’s doing,” Jamie told BBC Sport Wales.

“We are best mates. We have always pushed each other on, being so close. I will try to get to his games and he will try to get some of mine if he can.

“It’s quite a drive, but hopefully he will be able to come down and experience what it’s like.”

Jamie Miley played for Newcastle's senior side in pre-season in 2023, but spent a large part of last season out injured

Lewis became Newcastle’s youngest Premier League player when he featured on the final day of the 2022-23 season, before becoming their youngest goalscorer in the division last December.

He played 26 games in total last season but is yet to feature in 2024-25 after various injury issues, though he was back in the squad for Newcastle’s defeat to Brighton last weekend.

Jamie has had injury troubles to contend with too, having joined Newport at the end of August only to return swiftly to the north east for hernia surgery.

“It was frustrating with the injury I picked up when I first came down,” he said.

“But Newcastle have been excellent. They got the injury sorted as quickly as they could and then got back me down [to Newport].”

There was a message from Newcastle straight after Newport’s game at Gillingham, too, asking how Miley’s big night had gone.

He played his part in a 2-0 victory, lasting 70 minutes before fatigue set in after seven weeks on the sidelines.

“To be back and to get three points on my debut was absolutely excellent,” Miley added.

“I want to keep my place now and hopefully keep it going with the wins.”