are on the verge of qualifying for next season’s following a hugely impressive campaign under .
The Magpies, backed by a number of big money signings following the , only need one point from their final two games – with their first opportunity
So, with the iconic Champions League anthem looking likely to blare out at St. James’ Park once again, when exactly was the last time Newcastle played in the competition?
Here is everything you need to know.
When did Newcastle last play in the Champions League?
Newcastle last played in the Champions League in the 2002/03 season.
Newcastle finished fourth in the the previous campaign to earn a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds, which they successfully navigated to seal their spot in the group stage.
Back then the group stage was split into two rounds, with Bobby Robson’s men drawn in the first group stage against , Dynamo Kyiv and Feyenoord.
After losing their first three games, Newcastle completed a remarkable turnaround by winning all three of the reverse fixtures to qualify for the second group stage.
There, they were drawn in a ‘group of death’ with , Inter Milan and Bayer Leverkusen.
The group ultimately proved a step too far, with Newcastle finishing in third place behind Barcelona and Inter Milan.
Newcastle did qualify for the Champions League again for the following season, but they did not participate in the group stage having been defeated by Partizan Belgrade on penalties in the final qualifying round.
Their appearance in the group stage in 2002/03 was the second time Newcastle had taken part in the Champions League, with the first coming in 1997/98.
That European campaign also ended at the group stage, failing to progress from a group which contained Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv and PSV Eindhoven.
When did Newcastle last play in any European competition?
Newcastle’s last taste of European football was the 2012/13 season under Alan Pardew.
The Magpies finished second in a group consisting of Bordeaux, Maritimo and Club Brugge.
Consecutive 1-0 aggregate wins were secured over Metalist Kharkiv and Anzhi Makhachkala, before their European dream came to an end at the hands of eventual runners-up Benfica in the quarter-finals.
Their European adventure was welcome relief from the disappointing league form which saw them finish 16th in the Premier League.
Newcastle have two smaller European titles to their name; the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968/69 and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2006.
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