Sammy Ameobi backed to succeed by his big brother Shola

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SHOLA Ameobi’s confident his younger brother Sammy has got the ability to succeed at Newcastle United – if he can back it up with hard graft
The 19-year-old made his senior debut in the penultimate game of last season, a 2-2 draw away to Chelsea.

Ameobi jnr – who, like his elder sibling, is a striker – made an impression on manager Alan Pardew and his assistant John Carver playing for the club’s reserve team, coached by Peter Beardsley.

And it was a fine performance in the Northumberland Senior Cup final against Blyth Spartans four days earlier that sealed his place in Newcastle’s matchday squad for Stamford Bridge,

Sammy was thrown on as a late substitute, and showed flashes of his potential with a run towards goal.

And the pair became the first brothers to play alongside each other for Newcastle in a league game since the 1950s, when Chileans George and Ted Robledo wore the black and white stripes.

“It doesn’t happen very often when you get two brothers playing in the same team,” Ameobi snr told the Gazette.

“It was a great occasion for Sammy, especially as he made his debut against Chelsea like I did in 2000.”

The challenge for Ameobi jnr now is to compete for a regular place in Pardew’s first-team squad next season.

Shola’s confident he has the ability to make a career for himself in the game, and it’s now down to whether he has the attitude and the application.

“He’s already got the ability to get right to the very top, and we all know that,” said Ameobi.

“It’s whether he wants that enough. He’s proved (last season) that he’s willing to improve and willing to learn. It’s been a long time coming for him – it’s fantastic.”