North-East Team of the Season 2024-25: Newcastle, Sunderland, Boro

GOALKEEPER

MARK TRAVERS (MIDDLESBROUGH)

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Travers (Image: Tom Banks) Middlesbrough played with three different goalkeepers in the first half of the season, but their issues were finally resolved when they signed Mark Travers on loan from Bournemouth. Composed, reliable and an excellent shot-stopper, the 26-year-old was Boro’s best player in the second half of the campaign. They would love to sign him permanently, but the Ireland international is setting his sights higher than the Championship.

DEFENDERS

TRAI HUME (SUNDERLAND)

Sunderland full-back Trai Hume (Image: Ian Horrocks) You have to have had a good season to keep Tino Livramento out of the team at right-back – Hume had a brilliant one. Versatile enough to player in either full-back position, the Northern Irishman was at his best at right-back, thundering into tackles, storming up the flank and generally setting the tone for Sunderland’s aggressive approach. He even scored in back-to-back games towards the end of the season.

FABIAN SCHAR (NEWCASTLE)

Newcastle United centre-half Fabian Schar (Image: PA) What a season Schar had. It didn’t start well, with a red card on the opening weekend, but from that point onwards, the Swiss centre-half oozed quality. His defensive work was excellent, but it was the quality of his raking long balls forward that really stood out. He even starred in midfield in the Carabao Cup win over Arsenal, and finished the campaign with six goals in all competitions. The perfect all-round defender.

LUKE O’NIEN (SUNDERLAND)

Sunderland centre-half Luke O’Nien (Image: Ian Horrocks) He might not be too everybody’s tastes, but O’Nien is the beating heartbeat of this Sunderland team. Passionate, driven and boasting an infectious enthusiasm that rubs off on those around him, O’Nien was nearly always the first name on Regis Le Bris’ team sheet. He started 47 league games if the play-offs are included, and shrugged off the pain of a dislocated shoulder to become Sunderland’s chief cheerleader at Wembley.

LEWIS HALL (NEWCASTLE)

Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall (Image: PA) The most improved player of the season? Surely it has to be Hall. There were signs of what he might become at the end of last term, but this was the campaign when he morphed from a promising youngster into arguably the best left-back in the Premier League. He also made his England debut as an added bonus. His surging runs down the left were a key part of Newcastle’s attacking, and the Magpies definitely lost something when he suffered a season-ending foot injury in February.

MIDFIELDERS

DAN NEIL (SUNDERLAND)

Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil (Image: Ian Horrocks) Jobe Bellingham might hog most of the headlines, but it was Neil who was Sunderland’s key midfield fulcrum as they made it back to the Premier League. Le Bris’ decision to hand the Wearsider the captain’s armband and drop him back into a defensive-midfield role was inspired. Neil was both a passionate leader and an extremely accomplished shield at the base of Sunderland’s midfield. His discipline allowed others to flourish.

SANDRO TONALI (NEWCASTLE)

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali (Image: PA) Would Newcastle’s season have been anything like as successful had Eddie Howe not tinkered with his formation in the autumn, moving Tonali to a more central position at the base of his midfield three? It’s extremely unlikely. From the moment he shifted infield, the Italian immediately looked every inch the club-record signing Newcastle thought they were getting from AC Milan. The best central midfielder in the Premier League? He’s definitely a big part of the discussion.

BRUNO GUIMARAES (NEWCASTLE)

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes (Image: PA) Newcastle’s captain fantastic. Howe’s decision to hand Guimaraes the armband last summer proved an excellent move, with the Brazilian’s passion and pride at leading Newcastle repeatedly shining through. Off the pitch, he became the focal point for the Carabao Cup celebrations. On it, he had an excellent campaign, dovetailing superbly with Tonali and Joelinton, scoring five league goals and starting all 38 of Newcastle’s Premier League matches.

FORWARDS

JACOB MURPHY (NEWCASTLE)

Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy (Image: PA) Murphy had his best season in a Newcastle shirt by a distance as he made the club’s problematic right-attacking spot his own. The figures speak for themselves – eight goals (his best-ever top-flight return) and 12 assists (a tally bettered only by Mo Salah). It was the way in which his confidence blossomed that was the most pleasing thing though, with the winger forming a hugely-effective relationship with Alexander Isak and providing a host of seasonal highlights as he cut in from the right and bent a series of long-range efforts into the far corner.

ALEXANDER ISAK (NEWCASTLE)

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak (Image: PA) The best striker in North-East football, and perhaps the number one in the whole of Europe for much of the season. Isak had a sensational campaign, with his final tally of 23 league goals leaving him second in the race for the Golden Boot behind Salah. Isak scored all kinds of goals – tap-ins, headers and a succession of magnificent long-range efforts that have become his trademark. The best? It has to be the ferocious strike against Liverpool that almost burst the net at the Leazes End.

ELIEZER MAYENDA (SUNDERLAND)

Sunderland forward Eliezer Mayenda (Image: Ian Horrocks) Mayenda was the surprise success story of Sunderland’s season. This time last year, he was heading into the summer off the back of an unsuccessful loan move at Hibs. Now, he is a Premier League striker attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest teams. His raw pace and power was too much for Championship defenders to handle, and the undoubted highlight of his season came when he fired in Sunderland’s leveller at Wembley.

Substitutes:

Anthony Patterson (Sunderland), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland), Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough), Ben Doak (Middlesbrough), Glen Taylor (Spennymoor).