10 Times Newcastle United Totally Bottled It In The Big Game

2. NUFC 0-1 Partizan Belgrade

Competition: Champions League Third Qualifying Round Season: 2003/04 A draw was all we required to ensure Champions League football returned to St James' Park for a second consecutive season. Scraping a 1-0 victory in Belgrade - an impressive feat nonetheless - the second leg was poised in Newcastle's favour and it was considered a formality that we'd be rubbing shoulders with Europe's elite once again. Sir Bobby Robson's 200th game in charge of the Magpies ultimately ended in crippling disappointment and a failed penalty shootout that Telegraph journalist Henry Winter felt carried "brutal echoes of Turin in Italia 90" when Robson's England crashed out on spot-kicks to Germany in the World Cup semi-final. It was a fitting parallel considering Partizan's coach was none other than former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus. Newcastle were deservedly punished for an anxious, cohesion-less display when Ivica Iliev brought the aggregate score level in the second half just when we thought Lady Luck was shining on us after making it to the break unscathed. Defensively we were appalling on the night with Andy O'Brien at fault for the goal that ensured our Champions League demise. Extra time passed without incident and it was left to an old fashioned shoot-out. Although it's worth noting that he wasn't the only culprit. Both teams proved utterly inept from 12-yards with our first three spot-kick takers, Alan Shearer, Kieron Dyer and Jonathan Woodgate, all failing to find the net. By time Aaron Hughes stepped up the scoreline was poised at 3-3. Little did we know his miss would be the last time we'd kick a ball in the Champions League.