NEWCASTLE centre-half Jonathan Woodgate is hoping to make it third time lucky when the Magpies take on Marseille for a place in the UEFA Cup final.

The French side travel to Tyneside next Thursday night, with the return game taking place in the south of France two weeks after that.

Victory in the two-legged tie would see Newcastle reach their first European final since they lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 - and would allow Woodgate to make amends for two of the most disappointing nights of his career.

The England international was part of the Leeds United side that made the last four of the UEFA Cup in 2000 but, after losing 2-0 to Galatasaray in Istanbul, David O'Leary's side could only draw the home leg 2-2 at Elland Road.

Woodgate was back in the last four of a European competition again a year later but, after drawing the home leg of their Champions League semi-final with Valencia 0-0, Leeds crashed to a 3-0 defeat in Spain.

Those experiences have made the 24-year-old determined to go at least one step further with United and, after suffering semi-final heartbreak twice, he knows that nobody remembers the losers at this stage.

"It's great to get through to another European semi-final," said Woodgate.

"I've played for Leeds in the last four of the Champions League and the UEFA Cup, but got knocked out on both occasions so I want to go one step further with Newcastle.

"We've got to get past Marseille but even that wouldn't mean too much. There's no point reaching a final if you're not going to win it - and we want to win the UEFA Cup."

Marseille showed their mettle by earning a shock 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the San Siro on Thursday night and, while most neutral observers might have expected the Italians to have come through, nobody on Tyneside will be under-estimating their semi-final opposition.

The French side entered the UEFA Cup after dropping out of the Champions League, but they proved their class with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Newcastle's qualifying round conquerors Partizan Belgrade.

"Marseille are a good side," said Woodgate, who is expected to be named in Sven Goran Eriksson's England squad for Euro 2004 next month.

"They've played Champions League football this season and overcome the likes of Liverpool and Inter Milan. They have some good players and it's going to be tough for us."

Next week's first leg is already looming large but, before they can focus on that, the Magpies have the small matter of Sunday's crucial Premiership clash with Aston Villa to negotiate.

The game will see Woodgate meeting up with former boss O'Leary and, with Villa just one point behind Newcastle in the race for a Champions League place, the defender knows his side cannot afford even a momentary lapse of concentration during the final four weeks of the season.

"As far as I'm concerned we have to embark on a nine-match unbeaten run that starts at Villa Park and takes us all the way through to May's UEFA Cup final," he said.

"It's all about staying unbeaten. Villa have climbed the league in the last few weeks and their result against Chelsea last weekend was magnificent."

Woodgate produced yet another towering performance to shackle highly-rated hitman Mateja Kezman on Wednesday night and, after recovering from a double hernia operation earlier this season, is proving to be worth every penny of the £10m Sir Bobby Robson paid to bring him to Tyneside last January.

He has looked equally assured alongside either Titus Bramble or Andy O'Brien, and his fine form has been a major factor in United conceding just 33 Premiership goals this term.

"We're defending from the front and that's giving the back four more confidence," said Woodgate.

"Titus and OB were both magnificent against PSV and, no matter who plays in the centre of defence, we're confident we can do a good job.

"The three of us should go far at Newcastle if we never lose sight of the fact that we have to keep learning and improving."

* Newcastle's home game with Wolves has been put back 24 hours to Sunday, May 9 (3pm).

* Freddy Shepherd insists failure to qualify for the Champions League would not prompt a ''Leeds situation'' at Newcastle.

The St James' Park chairman believes his club is strong enough to miss out on joining Europe's elite for a second straight season.

Sir Bobby Robson's side are currently fourth in the Premiership but competition for that last Champions League spot is fierce, prompting worries over whether Newcastle could afford to miss out.

Leeds' spiral of decline was started by a failure to reach the Champions League but Shepherd sees no parallel.

He said: ''Some other clubs would love to be where we are. We have turned a disaster into a profit with progress in the UEFA Cup but the Champions League is the place to be and we've got to make sure we are there this season.

''But Newcastle is not a Leeds situation. The Newcastles of this world have no problem not reaching the Champions League."

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.