Newcastle line-up from last Champions League appearance - and where they are now
Newcastle are back in the promised land of the Champions League, 20 years on from their last appearance in European club football’s top competition.
It’s been a long road back for the Magpies, which has included two relegations to the Championship, one season in the Europa League, and plenty of other ups and downs. But with Eddie Howe in charge and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund providing huge financial backing, Newcastle are back in the big time.
They begin their long-awaiting Champions League campaign in style, with a glamorous fixture at the famous San Siro against AC Milan on Tuesday night. They will then take on fellow heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund in a stacked Group F.
When they take to the pitch at 5.45pm on Tuesday, it will be their first involvement in the Champions League since March 19, 2003, when Sir Bobby Robson’s side hosted Barcelona at St James’ Park. It was the night when they exited the competition, with goals from Patrick Kluivert and Thiago Motta giving the visitors a 2-0 win. They reached the qualifying rounds in 2003/04, but couldn't make it to the competition proper.
Here Mirror Football runs through the Newcastle side from that night. Warning: the nostalgia levels are high.
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Goalkeeper: Shay Given
Shay Given couldn't prevent Barca scoring twice (Press Association)A good start, with a rock-solid Newcastle legend between the posts. The Irishman was a stalwart for the team, playing for them from 1997 to 2009. He was in his prime in 2002/03, playing all 38 Premier League games, as well as every match in Europe.
That night he was tasked with keeping out Kluivert and Juan Roman Riquelme. Since retiring he has worked as a goalkeeping coach and is now a pundit.
Right-back: Andy Griffin
Griffin had ensured Newcastle made it this far in the Champions League, scoring in a 1-0 defeat of Juventus in the qualifying round in October. He beat Gianluigi Buffon that day and came up against Gaizka Mendieta against Barcelona.
Griffin spent six years on Tyneside following a £1.5m move from Stoke and left for Portsmouth in 2004. After retiring Griffin took to coaching at Newcastle-under-Lyme College.
Centre-back: Andy O’Brien
A dependable presence in Newcastle’s defence for four years, O’Brien had joined from Bradford in 2001 for a then club-record £2m. The Ireland international enjoyed a good Premier League career for Newcastle, Portsmouth, Bolton and Leeds. His LinkedIn profile states that, since retiring, he has been working in the US as Liverpool's MLS scout.
Centre-back: Titus Bramble
Bramble arrived for £6m from freshly-relegated Ipswich in 2002 and was thrown straight into a Champions League campaign. An often maligned player, Bramble was prone to comical errors, one of which came against Barcelona.
The BBC match report notes: “Titus Bramble will have nightmares about the way he dithered over a harmless ball forward and Kluivert poked the ball past Given.” Ouch. He is now living and coaching in Abu Dhabi.
Left-back: Olivier Bernard
Olivier Bernard was a regular at left-back for Newcastle (Getty Images)A Robson favourite, Bernard developed a good partnership with fellow Frenchman Laurent Robert on the left flank for Newcastle during a strong period in their recent history, playing 145 times between 2000 and 2005. He was up against Fabio Rochemback that night. In 2013, Bernard bought non-league side Durham City, but the club have plummeted down the divisions under his stewardship.
Right-midfield: Nobby Solano
The Peruvian midfielder is another legend of Newcastle, known for his talents on his pitch and his love for the trumpet off it. He joined from Boca Juniors in 1998 and spent six years with the club before leaving for a year at Aston Villa and then returning for another two with the Toon. He has been a manager since 2012, and currently takes charge of Olympic Peru.
Centre-midfield: Kieron Dyer
Kieron Dyer getting to grips with Patrick Kluivert (Getty Images)Perhaps best known for his on-pitch fight with team-mate Lee Bowyer in 2005, Dyer was a mainstay of the Newcastle midfield from 1999 to 2007. He came up against Xavi and Motta in March 2003, but couldn’t make his mark on the match. Dyer went on to play for West Ham, QPR and Middlesbrough before retiring in 2013.
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Dyer has been involved in coaching at Ipswich and competed on SAS Celebrity Who Dares Wins in 2021. He has been unwell in recent years and required a liver transplant.
Centre-midfield: Jermaine Jenas
Jermaine Jenas couldn't stop Thiago Motta scoring (Daily Mirror)The One Show-presenting, Match of the Day pundit made his name as an easy-on-the-eye midfielder. Jenas was with Newcastle for three years before spending eight years at Tottenham. He won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2002/03 after a £5m move from boyhood club Nottingham Forest.
Left-midfield: Laurent Robert
A scorer of great goals, the French winger has a fantastic back catalogue on YouTube. He joined Newcastle from PSG in 2001 for a whopping £9.5m and developed a reputation as a set piece expert. He left in 2006 after falling out with Graeme Souness, starting a journeyman career in which he played for Portsmouth, Benfica, Levante, Derby, Toronto and Larissa.
Judging by his Instagram account, Robert - now 48 - appears to be enjoying life in France with his family.
Striker: Alan Shearer
The man who needs no introduction – a Newcastle God. Shearer played for his hometown club for 10 years, becoming the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer and providing countless great memories for fans. He set up his strike partner for three great chances against Barcelona, but they couldn’t muster a goal. He's now a regular on Match of the Day.
Striker: Craig Bellamy
Craig Bellamy spurned three great chances that night (Daily Mirror)Bellamy was a supremely talented footballer but an equally difficult personality. The combustible Welshman was guilty of missing three great chances against Barca, but did manage 43 goals and 23 assists in 128 games for the club overall – the best record of his career. He moved all over after leaving Newcastle in 2005 but never settled.
He is now working as an assistant manager to Vincent Kompany at Burnley. He was front and centre of their protests after a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
Newcastle XI (4-4-2): Given; Griffin, O’Brien, Bramble, Bernard; Solano, Dyer, Jenas, Robert; Shearer, Bellamy. Substitutes: Steve Harper, Aaron Hughes, Lomana LuaLua, Shola Ameobi, Brian Kerr, Gary Caldwell, Hugo Viana.
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