Ex-NUFC flop set to arrive at St James' Park next week...for his first game as a football manager

Sol Campbell looks set to take his place in the opposition dugout at St James' Park next week - with widespread reports today that he's set to become Macclesfield's new manager ahead of their Checktrade trophy clash with our U-23's a week today.

After progressing from the group stages for the first time, winning all three games against Grimsby, Doncaster and Notts County, the second string have been drawn to face League Two side Macclesfield in the round two of the tournament.

It's a relatively generous draw for our in-form young guns - who kept their impressive form going with a 3-2 win at Stoke last night - and the tie may be about to get that little bit more interesting, with ex-Arsenal and Spurs centre-back Sol Campbell expected to take the Macclesfield job in the next 24 hours:

https://twitter.com/MikeMinay/status/1067396931855486982

https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1067386712916180992

So, with Macclesfield's trip to Exeter City set to take place tonight, it looks like Sol's first game in management could be at St James' Park next week.

With them currently rock bottom of League Two, it will be interesting to see how they get on - although let's hope for our U-23's sake that any upturn in form occurs after next week's Chekctrade trophy clash!