‘Supersonic’ - 5 memorable Newcastle United Champions League nights inc. Barcelona & Inter

Some of European football’s greatest names will be heading to Tyneside once again next season after Newcastle United claimed a place in the Champions League.

For the third time in their history, the Magpies will compete in the group stages of UEFA’s elite club competition, evoking memories of some truly historic occasions on days gone by. A first venture into the Champions League came in 1997 and a Kenny Dalglish side that had been shawn of the services of Alan Shearer by a long-term injury took on the likes of Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven, before Sir Bobby Robson led the Magpies into the group stages five years later after his side claimed a top four finish in the Premier League.

There are some similarities between that side and the one that replicated that acheivement under Eddie Howe last season, with both managers possessing sides full of pace and power. So what are the memorable moments the current crop of United heroes can take inspiration from when they hear that famous Champions League anthem reverberate around St James Park later this year? NewcastleWorld takes a look at five of the best.

Newcastle United 1-0 Juventus

The greatest night of Andy Griffin’s career! Quite simply, this was a must-win for Sir Bobby Robson and his players as they looked to recover from three consecutive defeats in the 2002/03 group stage. Juve walked out at St James Park with the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Edgar Davids and Alessandro Del Piero in their starting eleven - but it was a £1.5million signing from Stoke City that gave their hosts a famous win.

With just over an hour gone in a tense and nervy affair, a quick free-kick from Laurent Robert caught out the visitors and allowed Griffin to send a cross-shot into the Juve area. Buffon made a mess of the effort and diverted the ball into his own net - but the goal went to the Magpies defender and who are we to deny him that honour!

Croatia Zagreb 2-2 Newcastle United

The night that took the Magpies into the group stages for the very first time and one that will go down as possibly the most dramatic in their history in the competition.

Two goals from John Beresford gave United a 2-1 lead from the first leg at St James Park but nerves were placed firmly on edge during a dramatic return leg at Zagreb’s Maksmir Stadium. United’s quest should have been made more simple when their hosts were reduced to ten men just before half-time as Goran Juric saw red for a professional foul on Magpies forward Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Faustino Asprilla converted the resulting penalty but an equaliser from Dario Simic and a last-ditch equaliser from Igor Cvitanovic took the tie into extra-time. But there was to be a late twist as Magpies substitute Temuri Ketsbaia fired a last-ditch winner in the last minute of the additional thirty to take his side into the group stages for the first time in their history.

Internazionale 2-2 Newcastle United

This was a night where a fine performance on the pitch was more than matched off it was Magpies supporters made their way to the San Siro in their thousands to watch Sir Bobby Robson’s young side claim a brave draw against the Serie A giants.

With over 14,000 Geordies in the away end, it was the elder statesman of the United side that did the damage as Alan Shearer twice put his side in front - but the Magpies had to settle for a draw as the Geordie legend’s brace was cancelled out by equalisers from Cristian Vieri and Ivan Cordoba.

Feyenoord 2-3 Newcastle United

This was the night Sir Bobby Robson’s Magpies wrote their name into the Champions League history books as they became the first club to lose their first three group stage fixtures but recover to secure a place in the next round. Curiously, that meant a second group stage, such was the makeup of the competition during the 2002/03 season.

United looked on their way to a comfortable win in Rotterdam as Craig Bellamy and Hugo Viana put their side in control by scoring either side of half-time. The hosts made a brave comeback with goals from Mariano Bombarda and Anthony Lurling - but the Magpies would not be denied as they grabbed a sensational last-minute winner from Bellamy.

A nervous wait still lay in wait as news was awaited of the other group fixture between Dynamo Kiev and Juventus. The Serie A club claimed a 2-1 win in Ukraine to deny their hosts an opportunity to claim second place in the group and that set off wild celebrations in the away end at the De Kuip Stadium.

Newcastle United 3-2 Barcelona

United made a spectacular debut in the Champions League group stages as La Liga giants Barcelona made their way to St James Park for what would become one of the greatest nights in the Magpies’ history.

Oasis were performing live on stage at the Newcastle Arena on the same night - but it was the men in black and white that put in a ‘Supersonic’ performance as Colombian maverick Tino Asprilla produced the best performance of his time on Tyneside. The unpredictable forward scored a hat-trick to put his side in control - although Kenny Dalglish’s side were made to sweat as goals from Luis Figo and Luis Enrique scored inside the final 20 minutes to give the Catalans some hope of mounting a comeback.