NICKY Butt has insisted that his 13 trophy-laden years at Old Trafford will count for nothing as he prepares to start the latest stage of his career at Newcastle United.

The 29-year-old will make his Magpies bow in the Newcastle Gateshead Cup this weekend after completing his £2.5m move from Manchester United on Thursday.

Butt emerged from the Old Trafford youth academy at the same time as the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary and Phil Neville and helped the Reds establish themselves as England's foremost team in the late 1990s.

He helped to lift six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford, as well as picking up 35 England caps.

But, after severing his ties with Manchester this week, the combative midfielder is adamant that he is starting from scratch at St James' Park.

"My trophy count is zero at this club," said Butt, who is expected to be a second-half substitute in today's Newcastle Gateshead Cup clash with Rangers.

"I'm the same as anybody else, and everything else I've done is in the past.

"I've not come here to sit on my backside and think that my best days are behind me - I've come here to win more trophies.

"If I didn't think I could win those trophies with Newcastle then I wouldn't be sitting here.

"With the players they've got, the signings they've made, and the fans, everything's set up to win trophies.

"It'll take hard work, but I'm sure we can do it."

Butt's arrival has coincided with the departure of veteran midfielder Gary Speed, but he still faces considerable competition for his preferred central midfield role.

Lee Bowyer has already spoken of his desire to make the position his own this close season, while Jermaine Jenas spent much of the last campaign at the heart of midfield.

Kieron Dyer also needs accommodating, as he is unlikely to spend too much time up front following the signing of Patrick Kluivert.

Someone is bound to be frustrated when Sir Bobby Robson announces his starting line-up for August 14's Premiership opener at Middlesbrough, but Butt feels Newcastle can only benefit from having so many talented midfielders on their books.

"It's good for the club to have that sort of competition," he said. "And it's also good for the players because you need challenges to bring the best out of you.

"You don't want to be getting your shirt week in week out, even when you're playing badly.

"You want to be playing well in order to get that shirt and competition brings the best out of everybody." Butt has endured a frustrating 12 months after first finding himself surplus to requirements at Old Trafford, then being dropped from the England side in favour of Frank Lampard.

The Chelsea midfielder's fine form at Euro 2004 means he has leapt well clear of Butt in Sven Goran Eriksson's pecking order but, while Newcastle's latest acquisition still harbours international ambitions, he is concentrating on helping his club realise their ambitions first.

"Anybody who plays football is ambitious to play for their country as well as their club," said Butt. "But that wasn't a major factor in me coming here.

"The major factor was playing football for a quality side and I was lucky enough that Newcastle came in for me."

* French side Marseille have become the latest club to be linked to a summer move for Newcastle winger Laurent Robert.

Marseille, who beat United at the semi-final stage of last season's UEFA Cup, are keen to take Robert back to France on a one-year loan deal. Spanish side Espanyol are also eyeing Robert, although it is understood Newcastle would be unwilling to let the former Paris St Germain star leave unless they were offered a multi-million pound fee.

l Paul Gascoigne last night signed as the new player-coach of League Two outfit Boston United.

The former Newcastle and Rangers midfielder had been pencilled in to play some part in this afternoon's Newcastle Gateshead Cup game between two of his former clubs. But, while he will be at St James' Park, Gascoigne is expected to stay in the stands after agreeing terms at York Street.