STEPHEN Caldwell will swop the pain of relegation for the prestige of a UEFA Cup semi-final when he travels to Marseille with the rest of the Newcastle United squad this morning.

Caldwell was dramatically recalled from his three-month loan spell at Leeds United yesterday and, with fellow defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Andy Griffin ruled out for the rest of the season, the centre-half will be on the bench when the Magpies look to reach their first European final for 35 years tomorrow.

Caldwell was deemed surplus to requirements when Sir Bobby Robson allowed him to make a transfer deadline day move to Elland Road in January.

The Scotland international made 13 appearances as Leeds battled to retain their Premiership status and was part of the side that lost 4-1 at Bolton on Sunday as relegation to the Nationwide League was confirmed.

But, with injuries continuing to bite hard at St James' Park, Robson has brought him back to the North-East to play a major role in the most important seven days of Newcastle's season.

Andy O'Brien will partner Titus Bramble at the heart of the United defence in Marseille but, with the Irishman starting a two-match domestic suspension following his dismissal at Aston Villa, Caldwell is almost certain to start the crucial League games against Wolves and Southampton.

The 23-year-old's last appearance in a Newcastle shirt also came as a result of an O'Brien sending off - he was a second-half substitute in November's 5-0 defeat at Chelsea - and he has previous European experience as he came off the bench during September's 1-0 win at Dutch side NAC Breda.

Caldwell, whose current United contract expires in the summer, was given the option of finishing the season with Leeds yesterday. But, after the Elland Road board confirmed they would not stand in his way, he agreed to return to Tyneside.

Leeds' relegation means they are in no position to offer him a long-term deal at the club and, with Newcastle unlikely to extend his stay beyond May, North-East rivals Sunderland lead the chase for the centre-half's signature.

Caldwell knows all about a downbeat dressing room following Sunday's events at the Reebok Stadium, but fellow defender Bramble has urged Newcastle's players not to feel sorry for themselves ahead of tomorrow night's European showdown.

Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas are all out of the game and, while midfielder Lee Bowyer could be fit enough to travel following his latest hamstring injury, he is unlikely to make his first European start for the club in the Stade Velodrome.

A crippling injury list has coincided with a worrying dip in domestic form that has seen the Magpies tumble out of the top five for the first time since late January. But Bramble insists that Newcastle must approach tomorrow night's game in a positive state of mind if they are to book their UEFA Cup final place in Gothenburg later this month.

"If we are worried about ourselves that isn't the way to go through," said Bramble. "We have to just go for it against Marseille. We have to let them worry about us and we cannot use injuries as an excuse. We can go there and get a goal and I am confident we will.

"Shola Ameobi and Alan Shearer are a big physical presence and they struggled to hold them in the first leg. I think we will get a goal out there and then it will be up to the defence to hold them."

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Manchester City left Newcastle facing the prospect of having to win their three remaining League games to book a Champions League spot for next season.

They could still miss out on European football altogether but, with a maximum of five games left to play, they could also finish the campaign in the top four as UEFA Cup winners.

"People have said we have had a bad season," said Bramble. "But although we haven't played as well as we can for much of the season, we have picked it up in parts and recently we have played well.

"A Champions League spot and a trophy has to be regarded as a great season for us and we are very close."