By Matthew Jones
October 7 2002

ITV are not going to show coverage on Newcastle's final 3 Champions League matches - meaning that NONE OF NEWCASTLE'S GAMES IN THIS COMPETITION WILL HAVE BEEN SHOW IN THIS STAGE. Manchester United and Liverpool always seem to be put first, but the Toon were PROMISED their "fair share" of coverage. Newcastle are set for an embarrassing snub from TV chiefs with bosses at ITV set to ignore the club's final three Champions League fixtures. And that decision would mean that none of United's six games in this stage of the competition would have been shown on terrestrial TV.

Magpies fans angered by the refusal to show their team's match in Juventus last week on the mainstream channel - Manchester United v Olympiakos was chosen instead - were promised that their club would receive their "fair share of ITV1 games over the course of the Champions League season".

But two of Newcastle's remaining fixtures are to be played on a Wednesday - a night on which ITV1 no longer show live Champions League matches. And a spokesman has admitted that it is unlikely the other tie ­at home to Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday 29 October ­will be shown.

"If Newcastle are out of it by then, there is less chance of them being shown because the newspapers and other media are not going to give the game the same coverage," said the source. "It will be an editorial decision."

That means United's chances of getting a live game on mainstream TV now depend on them beating Juventus at home on Wednesday 23 October - to keep their Champions League chances alive.