CRAIG Bellamy is hoping to fire Newcastle into the knock-out phase of the UEFA Cup this evening, despite revealing that he would love to give the competition a miss next season.

The Wales international has been forced to swallow his pride since Graeme Souness' arrival at St James' Park, with the vast majority of his time having been spent on the right wing as the United boss has preferred to pair Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert in the forward positions.

With Shearer nursing a thigh injury, Bellamy found himself restored to his preferred striking role at Selhurst Park last weekend, and the 25-year-old responded with his side's second goal in a 2-0 win.

He was also on target in United's last European outing, a 2-0 win over Dinamo Tbilisi that took the club three points clear at the top of Group D.

The UEFA Cup has provided a welcome distraction to Newcastle's stuttering Premiership campaign in the last three months but, having fired the Magpies into the second knock-out stage of the Champions League two seasons ago, Bellamy is desperate to return to Europe's biggest stage next year.

"I know the UEFA Cup is good for the club from a financial point of view but it's not a great competition to be in," admitted Bellamy, who has scored seven goals already this season.

"We want to play Champions League football, but we've given ourselves a huge, huge task to try to get that now.

"We need Champions League football for the size of club we are. Other clubs like Liverpool need it and we've got to be the same. We've got to try to aim for that because it's the biggest stage you can play on.

"I haven't played in World Cups or European Championships so, to me, the Champions League is a massive highlight.

"I sort of cocked it up last time - it was certainly mixed - and that's why I want to get back in and prove myself."

Shearer's absence has handed Bellamy the chance to stake a claim for a striking berth and, while he has never shirked his midfield responsibilities this season, few would deny that he is a far more threatening proposition up front.

The Welshman has never hidden his desire to play as a forward but, with Shearer and Patrick Kluivert still dominating Souness' thoughts, he accepts he cannot demand to play in his preferred role.

"I'm happy to be playing up front and I do my best work there," said Bellamy. "But, forward-wise, we are very strong.

"Whether it's Patrick and Alan, me and Alan, or me and Patrick - we're all quite lucky to be at this club together. Shola Ameobi's included in that as well.

"Patrick's a terrific player - terrific pace, terrific vision. His goal on Saturday showed that. I thought I had put the ball just a little too much behind him but a player of Patrick's ability can convert an average pass with a great piece of skill.

"Alan is a huge player for us and he always will be. He's a one-off and he's a tremendous legend, a great player still.

"But in football, teams, players, people get replaced. In a few years there probably won't be a Craig Bellamy, there'll be a different player.

"That's the game we play in. We know what it's like and we know how harsh it is - we all want to play. It's a dog-eat-dog world, but Alan's a one-off. He will be talked about for years and years to come - he's in the Milburn stature."

Bellamy is not the only player hoping to use tonight's game as an opportunity to enhance his own position, as full-back Aaron Hughes will press his own first-team claims in the absence of the injured Stephen Carr.

Tomorrow marks the seventh anniversary of Hughes' Newcastle debut and, while most players earn their stripes in a game of limited importance, he could not have picked a more high-profile setting in which to make his bow.

"I made my debut in a Champions League game against Barcelona in the Nou Camp," said the Northern Ireland international. "It doesn't get much better than that in club football and I think I could probably have retired on that night alone.

"I'd been on the bench a few times before that, mainly in the European games because you were allowed an extra two players in those matches.

"I didn't expect to play any part, but Phillipe Albert came off at half-time with a stomach complaint and Kenny (Dalglish) just turned round and said 'Get yourself ready - you're going on'.

"I can't really believe that it was seven years ago - I must be getting old now - and I just hope that the next seven years don't go by as quickly."

Hughes will be making his 38th European appearance in the Stade Auguste Bonal, a tally that lifts him to fourth on United's all-time list.

While Sochaux might not be the most glamorous opponents he has faced in that time, the French side could prove one of the more testing.

"It's going to be a difficult game," he said. "It's a big game and we would be foolish to go out there thinking we were going to walk all over them.

"It's been difficult in the past against every French team we've come up against. It's a good league and Sochaux will have some good, talented players. It's going to be difficult and we're going to have to be at our best to get a good result."