LAST season, Craig Moore was forced to watch on enviously as fellow Australians Mark Viduka and Mark Schwarzer swept all before them during Middlesbrough's epic charge to the UEFA Cup final.

Now, after a summer of listening to endless stories from his crowing compatriots, the Newcastle defender is desperate to taste some European success of his own.

Billeted in Germany during the World Cup finals, Moore was regaled with numerous tales of Middlesbrough's UEFA Cup exploits, with both Viduka and Schwarzer keen to bring up the back-to-back comebacks that illuminated their club's incredible campaign.

The contrast with Moore's experiences could hardly be starker. Not only was the 30-year-old starved of European football following his summer move to Newcastle, he was also unable to play domestically for the best part of seven months as a recurring hamstring problem restricted him to the sidelines.

Back to full fitness now, though, the experienced centre-half is desperate to emulate his fellow Australians' feats.

And while this evening's UEFA Cup second qualifying-round tie with FK Ventspils hardly represents the apex of the European game, it is an appetising taster for what could lie ahead.

"I spoke to Schwarz and Dukes quite a lot last season," said Moore, who is expected to play alongside Titus Bramble this evening despite missing some of Newcastle's pre-season schedule because of his World Cup exploits.

"It was a major topic of conversation among the Australian boys and it was discussed again this summer.

"Their run to the final was incredible. I don't think anyone could really believe they got as far as they did in the manner they did. They certainly seemed to enjoy the journey.

"It's a bit of an inspiration. Hopefully, and I don't want to look too far ahead, it's something I can be involved in myself. I'd love to repeat what those two guys did and, at this stage, everyone's in with a chance."

Middlesbrough's run to their first European final captivated the nation thanks to consecutive comeback wins against Basle and Steaua Bucharest.

For one whirlwind month, the Teessiders became one of English football's biggest success stories and, to this day, it remains doubtful whether Steve McClaren would have been appointed England boss had Boro not hogged the headlines thanks to their UEFA Cup exploits.

Moore has experience of life in the Champions League thanks to a lengthy spell with Scottish giants Rangers, and while Europe's secondary competition might not carry quite as much kudos, he is fully aware of just how important a competition it can become.

"People say the UEFA Cup is not the Champions League and of course it isn't," he explained. "But the UEFA Cup is still a major European tournament and some great teams have won it in the past.

"It's not as though we're talking about a mickey-mouse tournament now. This is where the real work begins and it's important for Newcastle to be involved in a competition like this.

"As a player, it's a great distraction from the domestic stuff. You want to test yourself against the best players in the world, and the best players tend to be playing in this sort of competition."

They also tend to feature in the World Cup, a competition Moore experienced for the first time this summer. The tournament marked the swansong of a number of his team-mates' international careers and while the defender has refused to draw a line under his own time with the Socceroos, he is ready to put club before country during the final year of his current deal with the Magpies.

"I've not 100 per cent decided what to do either way," said Moore. "I've definitely not ruled out continuing to play for Australia but, at the moment, my schedule with Newcastle is more important.

"If an Australia game fits into my schedule and the Newcastle schedule, then we may have a look at it. But I know that I'm not going to be around in four years time for the next World Cup.

"They (the Australian authorities) know the situation with our clubs. It's not going to be an issue in terms of a club versus country disagreement because I want to concentrate on helping Newcastle."

That process continues this evening, with Magpies manager Glenn Roeder expected to hand Nicky Butt an unexpected European lifeline in Riga's Skonto Stadium.

Butt, who has not made a senior start for the Magpies in more than 12 months following a season-long loan spell at Birmingham, has been one of the surprise successes of the club's pre-season programme.

He scored a late headed double in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Villarreal, a game that saw him cheered from the field despite his fractious relationship with Newcastle's fans.

And despite Roeder's intention to sign Thomas Gravesen at the start of next week, the Newcastle boss is ready to give Butt a final chance to prove himself in a black and white shirt.

"Don't be surprised if Nicky Butt plays against Ventspils," said Roeder.

"His two recent performances have influenced the way the team has played."