Presented with the prize at the Ramside Hall Hotel in front of his supportive family, Miley's Young Player of the Year accolade showcased his steady and continual rise with his boyhood club.

From joining the club's Academy as a seven-year-old to becoming a valued figure in Eddie Howe's first team squad, the Stanley-born teenager is growing from strength to strength.

"It's a massive honour to win the award and being recognised," the 19-year-old told newcastleunited.com. "It's been a positive season for me so far, playing a lot of minutes in so many different positions which is good. It's been a great challenge.

"It always puts you in good stead to play in different positions. It was unexpected being told I was playing at right-back against Fulham (in the Carabao Cup) but I took in my stride and tried to perform as well as I could."

Primarily a central midfielder but often performing admirably at right-back this season, it may be a surprise to some that, in the early stages of his playing career, Miley led the line before approaching his teenage years.

"He played as a centre-forward for me and was an absolute goal machine," Gary Ives, Newcastle United's Under-9/10 Lead Phase Coach, added. "He scored goals for fun at under-9, 10 and 11 level. He only started moving back in positions until he was 16 but he had pace and a real determination.

"Lewis came into the development programme as a seven-year-old and, from the get-go, he was really exciting. He was a very quiet and humble lad but we knew instant talent straightaway, with his touch and speed.

"The biggest thing that stood out for me was you could tell he loved the game. He was focussed on listening and learning, being able to take information on board from training sessions and putting them into a game.

"I was over the moon when we signed him as Lewi had a few more offers elsewhere. He's a Geordie through and through and wanted to be here. I've been at the Academy for nearly 30 years and although you can't pinpoint them becoming professional footballers, we knew he had something as the likes of Elliot Anderson, Sean Longstaff and Paul Dummett did before him."

Lewis' transition from a forward to midfielder began "around the age of 12" according to Mark Atkinson, Newcastle United's Head of Football Development, who had already spotted his footballing ability years prior to beginning his football journey at the Magpies' Academy.

He added: "He went from a number nine to a ten before dropping into a deeper position around under-16 level. That was simply to get him more involved in the games and this continued into the under-18s where he started playing in the number eight role, left or right.

"I was with Sunderland at the time when I first saw Lewis play when he was eight years old. Both clubs were trying to sign the top players at under-8 level and you could see his talent immediately in how he addressed the ball, doing things that someone his age shouldn't be able to do.

"There's a top talent that just hits you in the face and Lewis is in that bracket. You don't get them every year but, now and again, you see someone who's a really good player."

Lewis became the club's youngest goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League after scoring in December's 2-2 draw away at Bayer 04 Leverkusen and remains the Magpies' youngest Premier League debutant and goalscorer, achieving both feats at the tender age of 17.

His father, Mick, is still "having to nip myself" at his son's remarkable achievements for the team he also grew up supporting as a young boy.

"It's hard to keep up with everything he is achieving and the records he is breaking," he said. "To be recognised by all of these people is unbelievable and it's such a proud moment to hear people talking so nicely about him.

"I don't even know how to describe the feeling. It's sort of surreal. I've been a season ticket holder since I was 12 years old and it's quite a strange feeling for me.

"Now, I'm trying to be both a fan and a dad which is completely different. It's so emotional."

Football runs, evidently, throughout the Miley family.

Lewis' older brother, Jamie, is currently plying his trade at Hartlepool United having spent a decade at the Magpies, joining the club's Academy as an 11-year-old before making his full first-team debut in the summer of 2024.

Mason, two years younger than Lewis, is currently a first-year scholar at United's youth set-up while Layton, the youngest of the sibling quartet, is at Middlesbrough's Academy and all four are equally supported by their parents, Mick and Maxine.

Mason was present at the BayArena to witness Lewis create history in the Champions League, only hours after making his debut in the UEFA Youth League.

"It was such a proud day," the versatile midfielder explained. "It was my first time going away with the Under-19s in the Youth League and I'd came on to make my debut. My dad was there watching me in the afternoon and then we both went over to the stadium.

"We were sat in different places but to see Lewi score that goal was the highlight of the day!"

Arguably one of Lewis' proudest achievements to date came in Newcastle's following European fixture, captaining his boyhood club in the latter stages of January's 3-0 win against PSV Eindhoven.

Despite starting on the substitutes' bench, it proved a night to savour at St. James' Park as Kieran Trippier placed the illuminous armband around his left arm.

Jamie, sitting in the family box that night, said: "It was unbelievable! It was a night of mixed emotions as he didn't start so everyone was a little disappointed but he came on at half-time and ended the night with the armband.

"It was an incredible feeling because I'm his older brother but also a Newcastle fan so it was unreal to see.

"That takes a little bit to think about but when you do, it's amazing. It's not an easy path to get there and it takes a lot of dedication and commitment so fair play to him because the standard is getting higher."

It wasn't the first time Lewis had been captain for a first team game, though, with Jamie replicating Trippier's action in handing the armband to his younger brother for a pre-season friendly against Gateshead whilst making his senior bow for Eddie Howe's side in the process.

"That was a good feeling," Lewis admitted. "I was quite lucky as I played with Jamie a lot in the Academy. It was good for both of us and we really enjoyed it. To get the captain's armband off him was a great moment.

"You dream of that when you're a kid, especially for you and your brother to be on the pitch at the same time. Wearing the captain's armband was unexpected but those are the best moments - when you don't expect it." 

With the brothers' paths crossing at Academy and senior level, the devoted bond between the pair proved a key component in adjusting to a first team environment.

Jamie said: "I was a couple of years older when Lewi was coming though the Academy so it's always easier if you know someone in the group to make it comfortable for you to come into.

"Being his older brother, he felt that straightaway but then his performances on the pitch led to him doing what he has. When he was with the first team and I joined, that made it comfortable for me. We've always had to each other to bounce off, on and off the pitch."

Lewis and his three brothers have stood united through the footballing highs and lows, constantly lifting each other whilst drawing strength from the unwavering love and support of their senior family members.

"My family have been massive for me since I was a little kid," he said. "My parents always took me and my three brothers to football sessions so they've had to go everywhere which has been hard for them.

"Even my grandparents have been such a big help. It started with Jamie which was good as well. I played with him when I was four years old and it was good having an older brother to play with throughout the Academy.

"We all look up to each other. It's great that Mason and Layton have got me and Jamie both playing men's football. They will always be getting tips from us and can see it all so it wouldn't be much of a shock to them. It's great having younger players that can look up to you, especially in the Academy as well."

After receiving the captain's armband from Trippier in Newcastle's Champions League win against PSV, Lewis was attending the Magpies' FA Youth Cup tie against Crystal Palace, with Mason starting in the Under-18s' fourth round tie.

"My brothers always try to get to my games when they're off training, just as I would for them," Mason added. "If there's anything I can try to get better at, they will be there to help when they watch me play.

"The day after Lewi was captain in the Champions League, he was watching me in the rain.

"It always helps having my brothers, who've been on this path before, because I can always ask them questions and look at what they've done. Both of them are a great help to what I'm doing at the minute."

Lewis' humility and politeness is adjacent to his footballing ability, with the England Under-21 international often attending his brothers' matches aside from his own hectic fixture list.

"He's always had that composure both on and off the pitch," Atkinson stated. "He will come down to the Academy now and then. He's just Lewis.

"He's still very family orientated, watching Mason play or Jamie at Hartlepool. Nothing fazes him or he certainly doesn't let on that it does. As an under-17 going to train with the first-team and then getting that exposure to all those games as an under-18, playing in the Champions League, it didn't seem to faze him.

"Even when they played PSG a few weeks ago, he played out of position against one of the world's best wide players in Bradley Barcola, thinking it could be a tough game for him. He found a way and, ultimately, got the better of him in the end.

"It hasn't been an easy journey in terms of the huge commitment from his family, having four sons involved in Academy football. For them, it's been huge."

The scale of dedication and diligence towards forging a professional career in the game is big but even more so for the family members required to transport their child to multiple training sessions and matches in pursuit of a lifelong dream.

For Mick and Maxine, the "seven day commitment" proved a challenging yet ultimately rewarding one in helping each of their four sons carry out their journeys in Academy football.

"It's quite tiring when you think about it now," Mick explained. "You look back and think I don't know how we've got here!

"I ran my own building company in Whickham when Lewis was little and it wasn't easy because I'd have to dash home at 4pm, he'd jump in the van and we'd go to the Academy.

"The likes of his grandad, Bryn, would also do trips and my parents would look after the other children as Maxine worked in homecare, where she would have to work around the clock to what she could do.

"She'd worked evenings and weekends while I started work at 7am and would be getting in at 9pm by the time their training finished as we also lived in Stanley.

"With what Lewis is now doing, we've been able to change the way we work and revolve our time just for them. I don't think I'll realise what they're all achieving because you're in that zone and it's non-stop with games."

Situated at the back of the club's Academy canteen, there is a pair of meeting rooms with the names revolving around the latest Academy player to start a Premier League fixture for Newcastle.

One of them is the Lewis Miley room and, since making his full English-top bow three years ago, the 19-year-old's journey acts as a glittering blueprint to the hundreds of youngsters aiming to follow in his inspiring footsteps.

"He's a fantastic example," Ives said. "All of our presentations we conduct at the Academy about the kid's journeys have Lewis included on there, showing this is what you can get to if you work hard and put the effort in while remaining humble.

"Having a room named after him at the Academy is a great touch, especially to have at such a young age. We have the Ameobi room, and Shola's played so many games for the club, but to have that recognition when he's still a teenager shows what the club and Academy think of him.

Atkinson added: "You can showcase him as a player but as a person too. With the values of what we have as an Academy and a club, Lewis is an example who represents them fully.

"The exciting thing is we know there's probably another level or two to come from him, which I think people are starting to see this season. His ability to take on information and action it in games is what stands him out from the rest."

Those values have, arguably, originated before his time at the Academy.

"Lewis has been laid-back all of his life," Mick said. "We've always drilled those values into him and the boys, respecting people and not boasting when you're doing well.

"It's important to keep the noise as low as possible. We've had our challenging times with social media and what we've had to get through and without that strong family background, you could crumble.

"He's always had very high standards and wanting to be the best but not bragging about it, going about his own way. He does his talking with his feet."

Despite Jamie making his first start at St. James' Park in a pre-season friendly against Girona in August 2024, the central midfielder was unable to play alongside his brother on home soil, who was recovering from a fractured metatarsal.

Mason, in pursuit of a first professional contract, remains hopeful that dream can be fulfilled.

"That's one of my main goals, to play alongside one of my brothers," he said. "If I could do that at St. James' Park, it would be a dream come true. If I can break through into the first team and play alongside Lewi, it would be such a good moment, especially for the family.

"He's a very good role model and a massive inspiration for the whole of the Academy, from under-9s to under-21s.

"It shows there is a pathway there and if you could keep working hard, keeping your feet on the ground, you can go as far as scoring in the Champions League and starting in the Premier League."