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Remember Bilbao

Mar 16 2005

By Alan Oliver, The Evening Chronicle

 

Newcastle United become European ton-up boys tonight - but former skipper Rob Lee is warning them not to hit the fast lane too early.

However, Lee, a battle-scarred veteran of many UEFA Cup and Champions League games, believes his former club have done all the hard work in Greece and should mark their 100th game in Europe tonight by seeing off Olympiakos at St James' Park.

Lee said today: "Nobody knows better than me what fantastic nights they are whenever Newcastle United play in Europe at St James' Park and tonight will be no exception.

"United have done all the hard work in Athens in the first leg with that 3-1 win, and with Alan Shearer (pictured) in charge on the field and Graeme Souness off it, I cannot see there being any slip-ups tonight.

"But what I would really like to see is the United supporters give Olympiakos a touch of their own medicine. The Greek fans were absolutely tremendous the way they supported their team last Thursday and I would love to see the same from the United crowd tonight.

"However, if there is one word of caution all I would say is remember Athletic Bilbao in 1994-95 in the UEFA Cup. We were leading 3-0 late on in the game and the fans thought it was all over and started doing the Mexican wave.

"Bilbao scored twice and beat us over in Spain and knocked us out - and it was a couple of years before we played in Europe again.

But as long as the crowd stay with United as they usually do, I cannot see Olympiakos scoring three goals tonight.

"All the United players have to do is to make sure they do not make any rash challenges to give the referee the chance to send them off, especially after what happened over there."

United will be actually going for their eighth win on the trot tonight - and the last time they achieved this Lee was a driving force in that same 1994-95 season under Kevin Keegan.

United won their first six League games that season and also beat Antwerp in the UEFA Cup and Barnsley in the League Cup only to see the run ended with a 1-1 draw with Liverpool on September 24.

Lee added: "I would love to see United equal that tonight, not only for my pal Alan Shearer's sake by also for Graeme Souness.

"This guy is my type of manager and I would have loved to have played for him."

United will mark their 100th game tonight with a bumper 84-page programme - 16 extra pages at the same £3 price - which will feature a look back at 36 years in Europe and several trips down memory lane, including the thoughts of the Chronicle's John Gibson.

 

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