Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough all feature in our latest helping of North East Notes. 

We'll start with the Magpies and the latest in the future of St James' Park.

ST JAMES' PARK PLANS

Newcastle United's plans for St James' Park will become clearer in the near future, with chief executive Darren Eales revealing this week that the final report from the club's feasibility study is "imminent".

Club chiefs want to stay at the club's much-loved current home but Eales admits the situation is "difficult" as they look at ways to get more fans through the door on a matchday. World-leading experts have been drafted in over the course of the last 12 months or so as United assess all their options.

Eales said this week: "We're waiting for the final report. I think it's imminent.

"It's complicated because where we are is a difficult spot in terms of building so we want to make sure that we do that diligent process and look at all the options.

"That will come in. It will go to ownership and we will also speak to the fan advisory board when we get that final report. Then we will look at what our next steps are going to be."

DACK'S NEXT MOVE

Bradley Dack is still a free agent after his Sunderland release earlier this summer - and has held talks with his former club Gillingham.

It would be a surprise if the 30-year-old was to drop to League Two, but Dack is a huge favourite at Gillingham having played more than 150 times for the club before his hugely successful move to Blackburn.

Gillingham boss Mark Bonner admitted: "I have spoken to him, but I have spoken to a lot of players in the last 10 days, so nothing other than some conversations. There is no more than that at the moment.

He added: "We are looking to add in attacking positions, we are looking to add potentially in midfield because at the moment we are light.

"Those conversations go on all the time, and he (Dack) is one of many that I have met in recent weeks."

NEWCASTLE SCOUTING OPPORTUNITY

Newcastle United are on the lookout for a new scout to scour the London grassroots and non-league scene.

The job, a permanent role, was only published in recent days, with the Magpies saying: "We’re looking for an experienced scout to assist with the implementation of and delivery of the club’s talent identification process specifically focusing on non-league and London based grassroots young players.

"The role will be focussed on enhancing the club’s knowledge of grassroots players in London who we feel would have the potential to reach our high standards. The identification of non-League youth and emerging talent players will also be critical to the success of this role."

Candidates, who must have FA Talent ID Level 2, will "develop a detailed and thorough knowledge of grassroots players within the London area and identify talent that is of the standard for Newcastle United".

North East neighbours Middlesbrough have had success in London in recent years, with Djed Spence - now at Tottenham - and Isaiah Jones - a key first team player - two examples of several players who have been plucked from the capital.

The application, which expires on August 2, is HERE.

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FORMER BORO STRIKER MAKING NON-LEAGUE IMPACT

Former Boro striker Bradley Fewster is making quite the pre-season impact after a non-league seaside switch this summer.

Fewster came through the academy ranks at Boro and made two League Cup appearances, scoring one goal, in the 2014/15 campaign but was unable to build on that and was released in 2017.

He's since played for a number of non-league clubs and left Whitby for Redcar this summer, where he'll be partnering Adam Boyes, the former Marske United striker who won the FA Cup golden ball award in 2022.

And Fewster is looking like he'll be the man to stop in Northern League Division One this term, having already hit six goals in pre-season, including a hat-trick against his former club Whitby.

Redcar boss Carl Jarrett said: “Brad’s performance, against his old club, he just never stopped working. He did all the dirty stuff, you know.

“I thought his all round play was excellent, especially his linking play. I’m over the moon for the kid.

“We’re trying to lead the way with him and Bosh (Boyes) together. They haven’t played with each other before, but they do know each other personally away from football.”

“We’ve got two great strikers there, in the pair of them. If we can get a good partnership going there, I see a 100-plus goals just in them two!”

Fewster isn't the only former Boro striker to grab a hat-trick this summer, with Curtis Main also catching the eye in Scotland.

The striker, now 32, made more than 50 appearances for Boro after joining from Darlington in 2011.

He's gone on to enjoy a decent career, playing for a string of clubs including Shrewsbury, Doncaster, Oldham and Portsmouth in England and Motherwell, Aberdeen and St Mirren in Scotland before heading to India to join Bengaluru. He linked up with Dundee in January and bagged a hat-trick in their recent 7-1 Premier Sports Cup win at Bonnyrigg Rose.

He said: “For a striker it is great to get off the mark early doors, and for myself it is fantastic to get a hat-trick in the first game.

“Last season was not what I expected from myself and I know I can do better.

“It was just in terms of the fitness side of things, I was not in a position where I would have liked to have been.

“Now after a full pre-season I’m going into these games feeling really great, confident and really fit so I’m really looking forward to attacking the season.”

BIZARRE TRANSFER LINK

Finally, they say to expect the unexpected in transfer windows but nobody will have seen Middlesbrough being linked with Sunderland's Luke O'Nien coming this summer.

That was one rather bizarre online claim this week. As you'll have probably guessed, there's absolutely nothing in it.