Want the top news headlines sent to your inbox daily? Sign up to our FREE newsletter below Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

MIKE WILLIAMSON admits that Shola Ameobi’s grand tales of Europe have got the Newcastle United locker room buzzing.

And ahead of the club’s trip to Portugal to play in the XII Trofeo Guadiana, Williamson feels that the appetite of United players who haven’t starred in big games abroad is about to be whetted once again.

Ameobi goes into the new season’s Europa League campaign as the club’s second-highest scorer in Continental competition with 12 goals.

Shola has netted in the big competitions such as the Champions League against the might of Barcelona and also helped United reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup under Bobby Robson in 2004.

Trips to the San Siro, the Nou Camp and the impressive Philips Stadion for a clash with PSV Eindhoven also appear on his Euro CV.

And some of the travelling time has led to Ameobi briefing his team-mates to just what will await them in Europe.

Williamson said: “I can’t wait. I chat to Shola and he tells me about some of the European nights down the years.

“Some of the games that the club has had at St James’ Park sound incredible. And the atmosphere is already good so European football should be even better.

“I’m thoroughly looking forward to it.”

Newcastle’s journey into Europe has been sensational in its own right, having gone from the Championship and rubbing shoulders with Barnsley and Scunthorpe to potentially going into the hat for the August 10 Europa League draw in Nyon with big guns from Serie A and La Liga.

Just three years ago Williamson made a move to Portsmouth from Watford that turned sour as the cash-strapped club – then in the Premier League – found themselves in a position where the defender couldn’t play because they couldn’t afford appearance instalments.

That left Williamson playing in the reserves at Fratton Park, but he was given a lifeline by United and soon moved the opposite direction to Pompey by winning the title with Newcastle.

In just over 11 years, Williamson has also gone from Torquay to a possible date in the season ahead with the likes of crack Serie A outfit Napoli or the holders, Atletico Madrid.

Williamson said: “If somebody had told me that in three years when I was at Portsmouth that I’d be preparing for Europe then I’d have bitten their hand off.

“It’s been a fantastic journey for me. I just enjoy every single bit of it.

“I’m looking forward to it because it’s going to be tough and competitive for us for places. But that’s the same everywhere. I’m just looking forward to it.”

Williamson, at 28, is one of United’s more experienced professionals and unlike some of the Premier League’s mega-rich superstars is one of the more down-to-earth characters.

Refreshingly, he admits that every day is an opportunity to improve. He said: “To train with the likes of Colo and Cabs and people like that makes you improve every day. It’s really enjoyable.”

United jetted off this morning to Faro for the start of a six-day excursion to the Algarve.

There they will spend time training and play games against Olympiacos tomorrow (8.45pm BST) and then on Saturday against Braga (8.45pm BST) with both games live on ESPN.

Williamson said: “It’s a huge month, of course.

“But now it is about getting our fitness levels up.

“The gaffer is trying to build on what he wants tactically from last year. It is all about progressing week by week.”

United have also been working on team bonding this summer, and this was the case in Germany and Austria when they went white water rafting.

A golf tournament for the players has also been planned for the Portugal trip. While United’s fitness levels are already ahead of this time last year, Williamson feels that activities such as the rafting experience last week in Augsburg are important.

He reflected: “I thoroughly enjoyed that.

“I love my watersports anyway but that was something different.

“You could see the buzz the lads got from it when they got back on the coach.

“Everybody enjoyed it and it was a change.

“Sometimes tours can be lonely places in hotel rooms, but days like that are a great idea. Everybody will benefit from it.”

Williamson firmly believes that the Magpies can now transfer some of their morale into the bread and butter of the Premier League.

United’s start to the campaign could hardly be much tougher.

An opening game against Tottenham Hotspur will be quickly followed by a trip to big-spending Chelsea – with the Europa League play-off game sandwiched in between.

But Williamson said: “It’s very much a team game and that is the mentality that the gaffer wants.

“But we have tough days ahead on the training field. When you have a day like that you feel you’ve had some fun and you put the work in the next day.

“It doesn’t get monotonous doing the same things every day.

“It’s good to change things around.”