Brilliant story headlines a result nine months in the making for Newcastle

Rewind back to August 2020. A then 19-year-old Noah James stepped out for his Isuzu UTE A-League debut.

On that day, the teenager kept a clean sheet and helped Newcastle Jets upstaged Wellington Phoenix 3-0.

James has had to be patient since that bow. In fact, he had to wait until Saturday evening to get an another chance in the A-Leagues.

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Thrown into the starting XI at the expense of number one goalkeeper Ryan Scott, the 23-year-old emerged from the wilderness and produced a man-of-the-match performance to play a key role in Newcastle’s shock 3-0 success against high-flying Melbourne Victory.

While Scott was demoted to the bench by coach Rob Stanton, the popular Jets goalkeeper was the first to congratulate James after the game at McDonald Jones Stadium.

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“We’re the best of mates,” James told Network 10 post-game after Newcastle won at home for the first time this season and first time since April 2024.

“Which makes it good coming into work everyday and training with your best mate.

“I was supporting him at the start of the year and he supports me now.”

It has been a long time between drinks for the Novocastrian.

Since the age of 12, James has been on the books of the Jets. But in that period, he has had loan stints in the NPL in search of regular senior experience.

On Saturday, it paid off.

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“I sent him to NPL last season just to play. He hadn’t played enough,” Stanton told reporters after the Round 18 fixture.

“He needed to go and get that experience in a men’s team, and be exposed a lot.

“Went and watched him many times, and when he came back I knew he elevated his game.

“He has been really patient. Noah has been putting that good competition and pressure for Scotty and I think Scotty will come back and bounce back really well and hopefully Noah will keep growing from this. It’s exciting.”

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Stanton, whose Jets snapped a four-game winless streak, added: “It’s good he has that under his belt. Regardless what happened today, it wasn’t going to change my view on him.

“Threw him in there and he’s taken a big step. Risk and reward but also belief from me and his teammates.”