The young Magpies are one of 16 Category One academies invited to enter an under-21 side into this season's competition and were drawn alongside Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Lincoln City in Group E of the Northern Section.

Elliott Dickman's side will travel to the Keepmoat Stadium to face Doncaster on Tuesday, 30th August (kick-off 7pm BST) before taking on Barnsley - who finished at the foot of the Championship table last term - at Oakwell on Tuesday, 20th September (kick-off 7pm BST).

United's second-string will then face an away trip to Lincoln City, who won the EFL Trophy in 2017/18, at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday, 18th October (kick-off 7pm BST).

Last term, Newcastle were unable progress from a group featuring Sheffield Wednesday, Harrogate Town and Mansfield 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.