In recent times Matt Thompson has been busy finding the back of the net with the Maitland Magpies and recording back-to-back wins for the first time this National Premier League season.
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But this week Thompson has been surrounded by the city’s aspiring junior footballers and joined by an all-star cast of friends, including fellow former Australian representative and Newcastle Jets premiership teammate Nick Carle.
Jets goalkeeper Ben Kennedy and former Newcastle and English Premier League striker Michael Bridges have also dropped in at Maitland Park to assist Thompson with his inaugural winter training camp.
“We’ve had 87 kids aged from six to 16 years and for the first one it has gone really well, all the kids seem pretty happy,” he said.
“We had Bridgey [Bridges] down here yesterday [Wednesday], the kids had the chance to have a shootout with Ben Kennedy and we had Nick Carle help us out today [Thursday].”
This weekend it will be back to business for Thompson and the Magpies fresh from 1-0 and 4-0 victories posted against Newcastle Jets Youth and South Cardiff respectively.
It has seen them leap out of last spot on the competition table and start the second half of the season on a positive note but Thompson knows there is much more work to be done before relegation is completely out of the question.
“We still have a lot of work to do until we are safe from relegation,” Thompson said.
“But we have started to take shape and given ourselves opportunities against opposition sides.
“It has taken us about six or seven weeks to get there but hopefully we are there now.”
Maitland will be away on Sunday to Broadmeadow, who beat the Magpies 5-1 last time around but Magic find themselves in a form slump having lost their last four outings.
“Magic have been struggling the last few weeks but they are the only team to give us a real touch up this year,” Thompson said.
“But in that game we were competitive for the first 44 minutes and held them to 0-all, so we will take a lot out of that.”
The Weston Bears are also on the road and tackle Lambton in a grand final replay at Arthur Edden Oval.
Both matches kick-off at 2.30pm.
Around the grounds and South Cardiff host Newcastle Jets Youth on Saturday while on Sunday the Adamstown Rosebud are at home to Charlestown City Blues and Hamilton travel to Jack McLaughlin Oval to tackle Edgeworth in a top of the table clash.
