STEVE McCLAREN can’t wait to build up a rapport with Newcastle United’s supporters, starting when he takes charge of his first game at St James’ Park this afternoon.

After a pre-season schedule which has taken in Tyneside, the American north west and Yorkshire, the Magpies will play their final friendly of the summer on home soil against Borussia Monchengladbach.

It will be an opportunity for Newcastle’s supporters to see expensive summer signings Chancel Mbemba, Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic play in front of the Gallowgate ahead of next Sunday’s visit of Southampton in the Premier League.

It will also be the first time the former Middlesbrough manager McClaren has overseen a Newcastle performance at St James’, and he vividly recalls being an away boss trying to motivate his team before hand.

And it is such memories which helped persuade him to accept the job when owner Mike Ashley and managing director Lee Charnley targeted him to succeed John Carver.

“Players want to come here still and it was the same for me as a manager,” said McClaren, who seems set to replace Crystal Palace-bound goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman with either Simon Smith or Anthony Williams.

“I moved in to this area 15 years ago and Newcastle is special. Even when I was at Middlesbrough, the games with Newcastle were always special. The stadium was always special, the fans always special. Now to be a part of that, I can’t wait to get that kind of atmosphere back.

“We have always stressed that the fans are the most important people, we want a good rapport with the fans. Win or lose or draw we need it. Sometimes when you lose badly you still have to show your appreciation. It is good that we have been doing that so far this summer and we have to continue to do that.”

Wijnaldum and Mitrovic, signed for a combined £26.5m following respective moves from PSV Eindhoven and Anderlecht, will take on Monchengladbach today. Latest recruit Mbemba can also figure after being granted permission to play by the FA.

Newcastle are looking to end pre-season on a high after a third friendly without a win at York City on Wednesday, where they lost 2-1 on the back of a draw with Sheffield United and a defeat to Portland Timbers in the United States.

McClaren intends to field his strongest possible side ahead of the Premier League opener next weekend, unlikely to include Remy Cabella. The Frenchman has been struggling with a knock and there continues to be speculation about his future.

Newcastle have tried to convince Marseille to accept a part-exchange offer including Cabella for Florian Thauvin, just a year after the 25-year-old moved to Tyneside for £7m from Montpellier.

And Montpellier boss Rolland Courbis said: “From being with Montpellier and being in the 23 players that represented France team, to going to playing only a part of the games, while scoring one goal when you scored 15 or so with Montpellier, I really hope he has some financial compensation. If in the morning he wakes up and he is happy to go to train at Newcastle he will have to question himself.”

Newcastle, meanwhile, have had three more games changed for TV scheduling. The Wear-Tyne derby date with Sunderland has been moved to Sunday, October 25 with a 12pm kick-off. That game will be on Sky.

The home game with Norwich will be on Sky after being moved to October 18 at 4pm. And the long trip to Bournemouth, angering some supporters, has been moved to November 7, with a 12.45pm kick-off for BT.