GARY Speed does not claim to be a devotee of composer Tony Britten, yet one of his efforts has a particular resonance to the Newcastle United midfielder.

It is called simply 'The Champions', and it is the UEFA-backed theme tune to the Champions League.

"Whenever I'm sat at home and the music comes on the TV, I can't help but get butterflies in my stomach," Speed said.

Such honesty leaves one wondering just how he will cope with the pressure of a trip to the Stadio delle Alpi to face the mighty Juventus. But the midfielder's admission merely serves to underline the fervour that has gripped St. James' Park as they relish the return of Champions League football to Tyneside.

Perhaps Newcastle's achievement in qualifying for the first round is clouding Speed's judgment, for few Toon Army foot-soldiers would agree with him when he says: "I think our squad is as good as any in the Champions League."

Certainly the followers of several English rivals, plus a welter of Spanish and Italian clubs, would dispute that argument.

But the prospect of two meetings with Juventus, plus Feyenoord and Dinamo Kiev, has thrilled even hardened old pros like Speed - who has spent more than ten years at the highest level.

After a decade away from the European Cup after his one and only campaign in the competition with Leeds United, 32-year-old Speed is counting down the days until they travel to the Ukraine to meet Kiev on September 18.

He said: "We've all been dreaming about trips to the likes of Juventus all summer.

"It's a really exciting time for everyone at the club - the older guys as well as the younger ones.

"The club has been out of the Champions League for so long and I wasn't here when Newcastle were last in it in 1997, so it's great to be part of it now.

"There was a lot of pressure on us before the second leg against Zeljeznicar and the win means everything to the club.

"It's just reward for the manager and it highlights the amount of progress we've made under him in a very short space of time.

"It's down to him that we've gone from the bottom of the Premiership to the Champions League; I don't think another manager would have done that so quickly."

For Speed, this is a pivotal season. He is one of the senior pros at Newcastle, yet he finds his place under threat from 19-year-old Hugo Viana.

Speed said: "Hugo is a fantastic player who's settled in really well. He's got a great pedigree as Europe's young player of the year.

"He's taken everything in his stride, even though he's still playing out of position. He's not a left-winger - he's more of a central midfielder.

"Hopefully, he won't move inside for a few months yet! But that kind of competition should stand us in good stead in the Champions League. All the younger midfielders bring their own qualities to the team and it's exciting to be part of that group."

The Opposition

A guide to Newcastle United's three Champions League Group E opponents.

JUVENTUS

Ground: Stadio delle Alpi (capacity 69,041)

Coach: Marcello Lippi - The Juve messiah led the club to last year's Serie A title in his second season back in Turin.

Key players:

David Trezeguet - Stank the place out at the World Cup but the Magpies would do well not to be fooled by his Far Eastern non-performances: he scored 32 goals for Juventus last season.

Alessandro Del Piero - The golden boy of Italian football is at the height of his powers and is in the mood to celebrate a decade at Juventus.

European pedigree: Pretty good, as you'd expect. Won the European Cup twice - the last time in 1996, when some fella called Ravanelli scored in the final.

FEYENOORD

Ground: De Kuip (capacity 50,000)

Coach: Bert van Marwijk - He has been criticised recently by Feyenoord fans, despite delivering the UEFA Cup last season.

Key players:

Brett Emerton - So, the Australian will turn out at St James' Park after all. A skillful winger whom Bobby Robson would rather have in his team than in the opposition line-up.

Pierre van Hooijdonk - Back doing what he does best. No, not going on strike - scoring goals. Hit 24 in 33 league games last season.

European pedigree: Just one European Cup to their name - when they beat Celtic in 1970. But they won the UEFA Cup three months ago with Van Hooijdonk netting twice in the final.

DINAMO KIEV

Ground: Olympic Stadium (capacity 82,893)

Coach: Alexei Mikhailichenko - The former USSR and Rangers midfielder is the successor to Ukrainian legend Valeriy Lobanovsky, who died in May.

Key players:

Tiberiu Ghioane - Did something last season that no Newcastle player managed: he scored against Liverpool.

Lucky Idahor - Kiev is an unlikely home for a Nigerian, but the striker is a crucial member of the squad.

European pedigree: Not that hot, but they did reach the 1999 Champions League semi-finals - losing narrowly to Bayern Munich.

Matchday 1: Wednesday 18 September v Dynamo Kiev (Away)

Matchday 2: Tuesday 24 September v Feyenoord (Home)

Matchday 3: Tuesday 1 October v Juventus (Away)

Matchday 4: Wednesday 23 October v Juventus (Home)

Matchday 5: Tuesday 29 October v Dynamo Kiev (Home)

Matchday 6: Wednesday 13 November v Feyenoord (Away)

FULL DRAW

The draw for the first Group Stage of the UEFA Champions League, is as follows:

Group A - Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, PSV Eindhoven, Auxerre.

Group B - Valencia, Liverpool, Spartak Moscow, Basle.

Group C - Real Madrid, Roma, AEK Athens, Genk.

Group D - Inter Milan, Lyon, Ajax, Rosenborg.

Group E - Juventus, Feyenoord, Dynamo Kiev, Newcastle.

Group F - Man Utd, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiakos, Maccabi Haifa.

Group G - Bayern Munich, Deportivo la Coruna, AC Milan, Lens.

Group H - Barcelona, Galatasaray, Lokomotiv Moscow, Bruges

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