Many Newcastle United supporters have responded negatively to a recent claim by Toon Managing Director Lee Charnley, regarding the Magpies' academy and his ambitions for it.

Charnley has told The Athletic (via The Chronicle) that he wants United to have the best academy in the North East, and sees the youth ranks at Darsley Park brimming with local prospects who "will get chances" like North Shields-born brothers Sean and Matty Longstaff.

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"We want to be the best academy in the region," Charnley said. "Our vision is we want local boys to look at it and think it’s not going to be full of boys from London, Manchester or abroad. Between nine and 16, it will be an academy with boys predominantly from the local area.

"There will be exceptions but generally, it will be local. Other clubs may move boys around the country, sign them at 12, 13, 14, move their education. We’re not doing that. Consciously, we have made a decision not to do that and to give local boys the opportunity."

Fans have not taken to his comments positively, though, as many feel Charnley is speaking on a topic that former manager Rafael Benitez had pressed the Magpies to focus on before he walked away from the club.

The Spaniard used to plead to owner Mike Ashley to invest funds into Newcastle's academy while in discussions with the Sports Direct owner regarding a new contract, but those ambitions did not appear to be matched at the time.

Charnley has now stressed a desire to have a successful academy and hopes to see more names follow the Longstaff brothers into the senior fold soon.

He added: "[The] ultimate aim is that one player every year comes through our system and ends up in our first-team squad. That is what we want to achieve."

Here are some of the messages shared in response…