The young Magpies are one of 16 Category One academies invited to enter an U21s side into this season's competition and were drawn alongside York City, Bradford City and Rotherham United in Group C of the Northern Section.

United's second-string will travel to the LNER Community Stadium to face York, who won last season's National League title, on Tuesday 15 September (kick-off 7pm BST) before taking on Bradford at Mbanq Valley Parade on Tuesday 22 September (kick-off 7.30pm BST).

United's youngsters will then face an away trip to Rotherham, who suffered relegation to League Two last season, at the AESSEAL New York Stadium on Tuesday 3 November (kick-off 7pm GMT).

Last term, Newcastle were unable to progress from a group featuring Huddersfield Town, Mansfield Town and Harrogate Town but in 2018/19, they won all three of their group games before beating Macclesfield Town via penalties at St. James' Park to set up a last-16 tie against Sunderland, who came out on top at the Stadium of Light in front of a crowd of over 16,000 spectators.