John Carver and Sir Bobby Robson stood side by side in the technical area as the iconic UEFA Champions League music blared through the speakers and the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and Juventus lined up on the hallowed turf.
They didn't know it then but the contrasting schedules of playing in the Champions League and UEFA's lower-ranked competitions was to be experienced in the most painful manner. Carver was also alongside Alan Pardew as he led Newcastle to the Europa League in 2012 before the Magpies dropped from fifth to 16th in the space of nine months.
Newcastle's grand tour in the early 2000s saw stop-offs at the San Siro, the Nou Camp and that unforgettable night in Rotterdam when Feyenoord were beaten 3-2 thanks to a late winner by Craig Bellamy. Newcastle ended up in the UEFA Cup a year later after losing a Champions League qualifier to Partizan Belgrade but still made the semi-finals before a Didier Drogba inspired Marseille proved the difference.
