Nobby Solano admits he has mixed memories of Newcastle United's last stint in the Champions League - and feels that the Magpies should have achieved more between 2002 and 2004.
Solano was an integral part of the team that drove Newcastle to Europe's premier competition but then watched on as the black and whites failed to invest and improve. That led to a decline as well as Solano's own heartbreaking exit from St James' Park, before Sir Bobby Robson paid the ultimate price and was sacked.
Solano pinpoints the damage back to the summers of both 2002 and 2003 when Newcastle did not go on a major spending spree in either summer. United opted to sign only younger stars during both summer windows.
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Solano told Chronicle Live: "In 2002 it is obvious we needed to invest more then. True, we signed Hugo Viana but he was just a young lad really, he had potential and had done well in Portugal, Sir Bobby Robson knew him.
"But he didn't have much experience. I think we only signed Hugo and Titus Bramble that summer but what Newcastle really needed that summer was four or five experienced players to come in. We had to play in the Champions League and the domestic competitions, the squad wasn't in-depth to deal with it.
"Titus and Hugo didn't have the experience. I guess the truth is Freddy Shepherd's wallet wasn't as big as the current owners! I know we went on to finish third but after 2002, we were in a position to kick on and win a trophy, and didn't take it because we didn't or could not invest enough."
Newcastle at least enjoyed great memories such as that night in Feyenoord, the two wins over a very good Bayer Leverkusen side, a victory over Juventus in which the back four looked more like a Serie A team and the draw at the San Siro against Inter Milan. Yet after getting there for a second year in a row, Newcastle again stopped investing with only Lee Bowyer arriving in the summer of 2003.
Solano said: "I think the same mistake didn't happen once, it happened twice. "In 2003 after finishing third the chance was there again to invest but we only signed Lee Bowyer. The first time we hadn't invested and then a year later the wheels did come off. Not investing after finishing third saw the team fall to fifth the next season and unfortunately Bobby was sacked.
"I ended up leaving the club because Bowyer was playing in the same wide position as me. It was a shame for me. Once I went to Aston Villa, the summer after finishing fifth they signed players like Patrick Kluivert, Nicky Butt and Stephen Carr.
"But the team chemistry was gone. We had a good thing going on with myself, Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy but it was broken up. That was a shame for me and the club."
It wasn't all bad news for Solano though he enjoyed taking on the top teams in Europe and still treasures those memories. Solano added: "To be honest it was nice to qualify a couple of times but then we weren't able to challenge for it properly or for the other competitions. For us, it was our first chance to play in the Champions League, I think only Shearer and Gary Speed had played in it before.
"We just didn't have enough experience and it showed. Yes, we had some nice nights but against Barcelona and Inter Milan we saw the level needed."
Solano is now eager to see Newcastle push on to this season's Champions League and can't wait for the group stage action to begin. He feels that the arrival of Sandro Tonali is a start but hopes that the squad can be strengthened with overs, specifically British stars.
The Peruvian said: "It has been positive to see Sandro Tonali coming in and Eddie must like him. So it's good that he is getting his man. I think that it is always about balance. And getting in a good core of British players too.
"You look at Bobby's team and you had myself, Laurent Robert and Nikos Dabizas and Olivier Bernard, then you had Speedo, Shearer and Craig Bellamy. In the Premier League, we have seen prices rocket up. Look at Declan Rice. It's football in this country. "
