The 18-year-old attacker, who was also part of Becky Langley's first team last term, was made skipper upon the inception of the development side for the beginning of the campaign and says she's "loved it".

"Being given the opportunity wasn't something (I'd thought about)," she told nufc.co.uk. "But I think it's probably made me a better player.

"I've really enjoyed it because I would have just spent this season more just learning from training.

"I don't think I would have had that match experience if I was only with the first team and that would have only got me so far."

Spraggon finished the season with 27 goals to her name and was handed the development team's top scorer award at Newcastle Women's awards evening last weekend.

But despite gaining the individual accolade, she maintains she couldn't have done it without the support of her teammates.

"I think we've really pushed through and as we got to know each other as players, we started to play a lot better," she added.

"It came to the point when we knew we had the capability to go and win these things.

"Especially with that win over Portsmouth (in the FAWNL Reserve Plate final), we went into it knowing it was going to be a difficult game but by the end, we knew we deserved to win. Credit to them, that's why we have done so well."

Spraggon also shares a close bond with development team manager Courtney Vacher, and Jasmine McQuade, who shares some of the responsibility with her teammate.

"I could always message her if there's anything and I will," said Spraggon of her relationship with Vacher.

"She'll always come to me if there was something she wanted me to say to the girls. Sometimes it's better coming from a player's perspective.

"I know Jas (is a great leader). We've got a chat with me Courtney and Jas in because we work well together. We bounce off each other, which I think is nice."

As the 2022/23 season has ended, the future looks bright for Newcastle Women's development side.

Having lifted the FAWNL Reserve Plate and the Bluefin Sports Insurance Women's Cup in their first-ever campaign as a team, there is a sense that the sky is the limit for Vacher's young, hungry group of players.

Photograph courtesy of Colin Lock/@Tyneside_NUWFC