TEENAGER Joe White set his sights on more opportunities at Newcastle United after making a dream first-team debut.

White, 18, trained at Haltwhistle before being on Carlisle and Newcastle academies books.

He came off the bench for his first senior appearance in Newcastle’s pre-season friendly at Rotherham this week, replacing Dwight Gayle.

Feet4football, based in Haltwhistle, posted on Facebook: "He's only Just gone and made his Newcastle United first team debut tonight.

"So proud of you Joe..."

The midfielder paid tribute to the support he has received from his family after getting the nod from Toon boss Steve Bruce on Tuesday night.

White said it had been a rewarding moment after his previous campaign was held up by injuries.

And the England youth player said he is keen for more opportunities.

“At the start of last season I was out for 10 weeks, then another 10 weeks at the end,” he said.”

“There were a lot of lows in the past season, so to get this [opportunity] was a massive high, and hopefully there are more to come in the season.”

White, the son of Jamie and Fiona, and the grandson of the late former Workington Reds manager and Carlisle United player, coach and physio Peter Hampton, also said he would like to emulate teenage Newcastle team-mate Elliot Anderson, who made his Premier League debut last season.

“He’s been probably my closest mate since I’ve been here at 13, and with how well he’s done, everyone in the Under-23s – not just me – looks up to him.

“Hopefully I can get to where he is.”

White said his progress was down to the “dedication” of his family and how they had always supported his aspiring career, including making several car trips a week from Carlisle to Newcastle to take him to training in his younger days. “It’s all down to them,” he said.

White also said it was a special experience to make his first-team debut in front of about 1,500 travelling Newcastle fans.

“With no fans being allowed in over the past year, to make [my debut] with all these fans here was a special moment,” he said.

White replaced Dwight Gayle in the 77th minute as Newcastle came from behind to force a 1-1 draw.

“I played quite high up the pitch so I think my role was to try and get a goal if not get the win,” he said.

“We’re fairly satisfied with the draw but it’s all about getting fitness over pre-season and hopefully taking it into the next match.”

White says it is clear that young players will get their opportunities if they impress Bruce.

“It’s just about working hard, trying to impress, express ourselves in games for the 23s, and as we’ve seen in the past couple of games, we get chances if we’re doing well,” he told the club's official channels.