Heffernan looking forward to UEFA Youth League test

The young Magpies face the French outfit, who reached the 2016 UEFA Youth League final, at the Gateshead International Stadium (kick-off 3pm BST) in their first Group F fixture on home soil in this season's competition.

The Toon teenagers began their Youth League campaign with a 4-0 defeat away at AC Milan last month but Heffernan, who joined the Magpies last summer following his departure from the Serie A club, is determined to bounce back in strong fashion.

The Cork-born centre-back, who has represented Republic of Ireland at under-19 level, told nufc.co.uk: “It’s a massive game against a massive club. We played our first game against AC Milan and we’re going to take all our learnings from that and bring it into Wednesday's game.

“Everyone is looking forward to it. It’s the best young players in Europe that we’re playing against in such a big competition and there’s going to be lots to learn from each game.

“We’re going to know what to expect, how we want to play and I think it’s going to help us a lot in having the first game under our belt and having that experience.

“Most of the players’ families and friends weren’t at the first game (against Milan) so it will be good having that home crowd watching which should give us that extra advantage and there’s nothing like playing in front of your family as they are really important to you."

After Lewis Miley made his first professional start for his boyhood club last week, Heffernan expressed his delight for his fellow Magpies team-mate and admitted the Stanley-born teenager's Carabao Cup appearance against Manchester City will only motivate the current crop of Academy youngsters in their bids to follow in similar footsteps.

The 18-year-old defender, who made his professional bow for Cork City at the age of 16 in October 2021, added: “It was brilliant to see Lewis make his full debut. Since moving here, I’ve been lucky enough to speak to him a lot and he’s a really nice guy. Everyone is delighted for him that he has kicked on and has now made his first professional start.

“It gives everyone at the academy that bit of hope. He’s still so young and I think it’ll inspire a lot of people at the academy to work that little bit harder to try and break into the first-team. It’s unreal what he is doing at the moment.

“I think he deserves it for all the work he has put in and I think it’s only the start for him because I think he has so much in him. Hopefully, he has a really good season and kicks on further."

Tickets for Newcastle United Under-19s' UEFA Youth League Group F clash against PSG are priced at £5 for adults and £2 concessions. Turnstiles will open one hour before kick-off.