A striker so talented he was heralded as 'another Alan Shearer' has died of a heroin overdose.

Skillfull centre forward John Courtney trained at Newcastle United's Centre of Excellence where he was singled out as 'one to watch'.

But aged 18 and with the football world at his feet the Magpies trainee began to dabble with heroin.

As a young centre forward, John Courtney was described by respected Toon coach and scout Brian Clark as "another Shearer." And his dream was to play for the Magpies but after getting hooked on heroin his life swiftly descended into crime and addiction.

His skills with the ball were first spotted when he only three and at seven he signed for the famous Walker Central Boys Club, where Brian took him under his wing.

And John of Losh Terrace, Walker, Newcastle, was tipped for the top by stars including Lee Clark and former Newcastle United assistant John Carver who said he was "one to watch".

But only years later he was stealing from his loved ones to feed his crippling heroin habit.

His short life ended when he was found dead from an overdose.

His close-knit family, which includes six sisters and eight nieces and nephews, are determined his tragic will act as a warning to others about the dangers of drugs.

Mum Angie, 46, said she wanted to rid the streets of the "devils dust."

She said: "He absolutely loved football and all the time he talked about going professional. His dream was to play for Newcastle United.

"He used to say that when he got to play for them he would buy me a new kitchen.

"Everyone used to say how much of a talent he was but he got into the wrong crowd and had his head turned by the drugs. "It is the devil's dust on God's earth and it has honestly ripped this family apart."

John, who was found dead in his uncle's flat in the early hours of April 2, was born on September 26 1983 in Newcastle General Hospital.

He went on to study at Welbeck Road Junior School, Middle Street Middle School, both in Walker, as well as Benfield School, Newcastle.

But it was on the football field that he would really make his mark. By the age of three, coaches were already tipping him for the top.

Dad John, 51, a chronic arthritis sufferer, said: "There was once when he was about seven that someone came up to us and said he was doing tricks you wouldn't even expect a pro to be able to do.

"In one game he was losing 1-0 and someone offered him £1 if he got a goal - he scored five in 20 minutes."

From the age of seven John was training with Walker Central Boys Club, where Brian Clark recognised his huge talent.

And it was former Toon and Fulham midfielder Lee Clark who would come to John's house to take him to and from training sessions. Playing for Newcastle Schools he lined up alongside Toon striker Michael Chopra.

As a 12-year-old he was taken to the Newcastle United school of excellence and was also coached by ex-assistant boss John Carver, who singled him out as one to watch.

But his life would soon turn into a vicious cycle of heroin addiction and crime. His death, on April 2, came just two weeks after he was released from Durham Prison where he was on remand for a burglary charge.

Angie said: "When the police came to tell me he had died, I thought it was him banging on the door at 8.30am to get in.

"I opened, the door and said 'what has he done now?' But the policeman asked if I was alone and I just knew, I just screamed.

"It was on his 18th birthday that I found out what he was doing. He was lying on the sofa and wouldn't open his presents or cards. His aunt forced him to tell me what was going on and he told me he'd been using drugs.

"He ended up stealing thousands of pounds worth of stuff from the whole family. Every time we would ring the police and give statements because we wanted him locked up where he could get help.

"When he was in prison he was lovely, his face was so clean. We knew he could buy heroin in prison but we would just send him enough money for his tea and biscuits.

"I've still got the last letter he wrote to me from Durham and it says that he wasn't going to get two years like I wanted him to but when he came out he would be clean and would put his arms around me."

John's funeral was at the St Anthony's of Padua Church, in Walker, on April 14. After saying goodbye to John, his family now want to rid the streets of the drugs which killed him.

Dad John said: "All I want to say to these dealers is what would they be thinking if it was their son or daughter they had to bury."

Sister Jo-Ann, 28, said: "If I didn't have kids, I would do 15 years for the people who gave him the drugs and who sell them on the streets every day."

s a seven-year-old John Courtney was taken under the wing of coach Brian Clark, the man behind stars including Paul Gascoigne, Lee Clark, Robbie Elliott and Shola Ameobi.

Speaking from his home on Proctor Street, Walker, he likened John to Toon skipper Alan Shearer.

He said: "When I first saw him play he was just three or four. Then at seven, I brought him in to Walker Central.

"The main thing about John was his determination. He was the kind of player that if we won 6-0 but he hadn't scored he thought he had had a bad game.

"On the pitch he never said no but I just wish he had been able to say no on the street corner.

"If he had kept out of it and kept playing he could've been an Alan Shearer because he was a strong kid who was great at holding the ball up. "I've spoken to Lee Clark about it and he can't believe it. He remembers him as the quick, skinny striker with bags of determination."

Former Magpies' assistant boss John Carver worked with John at the Newcastle United School of Excellence.

He was a lively thing. When he got in possession of the ball, things would happen for him. "He had bags of natural ability, with a bit of grit and determination thrown in there.

"It was the streets that made him a tough player and gave him the edge but unfortunately it's the streets that have undone him."