We may as well win the whole thing now!

By Lee Ryder on Nov 30, 06 02:35 PM

With Lee Ryder in Frankfurt

European football for Newcastle United this season has been a most welcome break.

But if they can win here in Frankfurt tonight the UEFA Cup is still a competition capable of transforming their season into the most successful campaign since 1969.

Critics lurking will always say that the giant piece of silverware is a waste of time but looking back at Seville's night of glory against Middlesbrough last term, the scenes after the final whistle indicated the Spaniards were having the time of their lives parading the trophy and many of them are still going to dinner on that night still now.

And so they should.

The whole point in competing for trophies is surely to get into Europe and then prove you can conquer the other kids on the block away from your own backyard, isn't it?

Season after season Newcastle fans have ended the campaign as sick as parrots with nothing to show for their efforts apart from a bad bank balance after cheering their side on around the whole country and beyond.

Face it this could be the best chance of silverware for United this season.

United are in the last 32 and four two-legged ties away from the final.

And as Boro showed last season it can be done, well getting to the final at least.

But surely Newcastle have more in their locker than Boro did last term.

Frankfurt are also desperate to repeat their antics of 1980 when they won the trophy themselves.

Yet the mood in Germany today is that Frankfurt's hopes of staying in the competition are hanging by a thread, but they'll still have the majority of a 47,000 crowd roaring them on tonight.

Victory for Newcastle will leave them as Group H winners and facing a much better tie in the next stage.

And that has to be their aim despite the injuries.

Let's keep fingers and toes crossed they do the business later.

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