Newcastle United are on the brink of securing a Champions League slot for the first time since 2003 when Sir Bobby Robson led the charge in the Premier League.
Back then United players rubbed their hands at the prospect at dining at Europe's top table for the second season running, just a year after St James' Park had hosted Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona no less. But hearing the Champions League music piping out around the famous old stadium would prove shortlived.
For while Newcastle qualified for the group stages both in 1997, beating Croatia Zagreb, and then again in 2002, seeing off Zeljeznicar Sarajevo in the play-offs, the dream ended before it began 20 years ago. When the Magpies plucked out Partizan Belgrade in the Champions League play-offs in summer 2003, few fans were overly concerned about the task in hand.
