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.
READ MORE: Newcastle's 'open dialogue' with Bruno Guimaraes as Magpies plan for phase two of exciting project
Carver told Chronicle Live: "The thing that always gets me when I watch a Champions League game is the official anthem when the teams line up. Even talking about I have a shiver or two.
"I have experienced it and been in the technical area at St James' Park standing side by side with Sir Bobby Robson. He used to tell us to savour it. There is no better feeling than the Champions League, we went to Milan, Turin and Barcelona.
"You are testing yourself against the best. We have a chance now to get Champions League and we don't want to let it slip now. The worst scenario is Europa but we still have a chance of the Champions League because of the games in hand over Tottenham.
"We can't give up and say whatever happens it's a great season. It's a great season yes but it can be topped off by qualifying for the Champions League.
"The stakes have been raised and the expectations have been raised within the season. That is always going to come with the success we've had, that always happens at the club when the bar is raised. We have seen it with Sir Bobby even when we finished fourth, third and fifth before he left the club in 2004."
Having been the No 2 of Sir Bobby and then Alan Pardew in the space of a decade, Carver has experienced both competitions from the coalface. With Newcastle still in with a shout of the Champions League this term but also knowing they could end up in the Europa League or Conference, Carver hopes his old side grasp their chance.
Carver said: "The big difference between qualifying for the Champions League or Europa League, or even the recently introduced Conference League are vast. It's work-load, travel and time between games.
"Of course, you have to be positive about getting into Europe. But the Champions League means playing on Tuesday or Wednesday and getting back in better time to prepare for the weekend.
"People might not think it, but even one extra full training session makes the world of difference in the Premier League. The Europa League doesn't allow that really.
"The 2012/13 Europa League season was extremely testing for us because we didn't have strength in numbers if we are honest. We had to use the younger kids like Haris Vuckic, Adam Campbell and Mehdi Abeid, who probably were not quite ready for it.
"But we had to use them because if we didn't we were left short on the Sunday for the Premier League game. It's not a coincidence when you go into it, the majority of teams struggle after the Europa League. Look at West Ham. They are struggling this season after reaching the semi-finals last season.
"This season they are shackled with the Conference League and are struggling again. It's down to the amount of football you play is different and you need the squad to deal with it."
Newcastle struggled with the demands in 2012/13. They reached the quarter-finals and faced Benfica but days later lost painfully to Sunderland in a 3-0 defeat. The team looked dead on their knees and just managed to stay up on the penultimate day of the season at Loftus Road with a narrow win over Queens Park Rangers.
Carver added: "We reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League with Alan Pardew, and the semi-finals with Bobby Robson of the old UEFA Cup. When it comes to Europe there is only one competition you want to be in - the Champions League. I've experience the full training schedules of seasons in both competitions.
"Getting back from a Champions League game on the Tuesday night or Wednesday night means you at least have Thursday and Friday to go at. Getting back in the small hours of Friday with just a recovery session for a Sunday game is one of the toughest challenges you can ask for, and that's before you start taking knocks and injuries into account.
"We touched down after a clash against Metalist with our goalkeeper Tim Krul on crutches and a few others patched up. It was difficult.
"Recovery time is everything. I think we came back after a game away to Basel on a Thursday with Sir Bobby and we faced a lunchtime kick off at Wolves on the Saturday. You are dipping into the squad as the weeks go by."
Carver feels that Newcastle - despite a few bumps in the road of late - can still make the top four. But he knows a summer assessment of the squad will be key in the months that follow.
The former Newcastle boss added: "In fairness, the current squad probably has more depth than we ever had. The amount of senior players in the group are there for all to see with Trippier, Bruno, Joelinton, Wilson, Saint-Maximin and Pope.
"We didn't have that. But looking positively to the future, Newcastle should have even more seniors come next summer. They will need a big squad.
"It is not a negative being in Europe, the fans love it. But the demand from Champions League to Europa League are massive from a backroom team's point of view."
READ NEXT
- Howe makes investment feelings clear as Newcastle given Premier League reminder
- Eddie Howe's answer when asked what now represents a good season for Newcastle
- Howe addresses Newcastle ownership questions and Staveley's European vision
- Ryan Fraser banished to Newcastle U21s as Eddie Howe wants 'committed' players
- Newcastle Champions League ambition underlined for the second time in a week
