NEWCASTLE UNITED will play at the Peristeri Municipal Stadium tonight, but it could have been quite different.

To bring the 10,200 capacity venue up to scratch by UEFA regulations there has had to be work carried out.

While Newcastle officials were appealing for the first leg of the final qualifying round to be brought forward to help with fixture congestion, their Greek opponents pushed for the go-ahead to play the tie at their home ground.

There were other options, including the Olympic Stadium, but the alterations were deemed sufficient to get the game played at the Peristeri.

Situated in Peristeri, a western district of Athens, it was originally built in 1970 and redeveloped in 2005. That still required further changes to host UEFA Cup football.

There has also been regular improvements and regeneration because of age, particularly given the area is regularly shook by earthquakes.

Newcastle have been given 500 tickets for the match and will be situated to the left of the recently covered main stand.

Around the pitch is a running track and when the squad trained last night Alan Pardew was impressed.

“We are an inexperienced squad, the temperature is uncomfortable, so it will be new to us, it will be difficult for us even if we are favourites,” said Pardew.

“Atromitos are a hard working, organised, team. We have been warmly received, it’s been a fantastic welcome. We must look ourselves as ambassadors of the Premier League.”

ONE Greek inside the stadium to welcome the Magpies was Nicos Dabizas.

The Northern Echo: PRAISE: Nicos Dabizas

The former Newcastle defender watched the open part of the training session with his family, with his youngest son sporting a Newcastle away strip.

ATHENS is not the longest trip in the Europa League but it’s still one of them.

So the Newcastle players spent the majority of the four-and-a-half hour flight from Newcastle to the Greek capital keeping themselves occupied.

And while Ryan Taylor and Jonas Gutierrez played cards in the seats behind the media, it was spotted that Frenchman Yohan Cabaye was on his laptop playing games.

This time, like always he reckoned, it was Championship Manager.

“I’m on it all of the time, not as much as when I was a kid, but still all the time,” said Cabaye.

He clearly fancies himself as a boss when his playing days come to an end.

Rather than try to spend millions as boss of Newcastle or former club Lille, he was Bologne.

“I like to try to get teams up from the lower leagues, make them in to something.” He’s still waiting for his first trophy this time around, though.