But it is not the cup success with Strasbourg which Beye remembers when he looks back on his career across the Channel.

Instead, it is the three finals the defender lost with Olympic Marseille.

And the 30-year-old – expected to be in the Newcastle line-up at the Ricoh Arena for tonight's Carling Cup second-round tie against Coventry City – has already told Kevin Keegan to leave him out of his team if Newcastle reach a final during his stay at St James's Park.

Beye was in the Marseille side which beat Sir Bobby Robson's United in a UEFA Cup semi-final to reach the showpiece.

However, the Stade Velodrome club were beaten by Valencia in the final, and Beye and his team-mates were also pipped to French Cups by Paris Saint-Germain and Sochaux.

"I come from Marseille and it is a club that is used to winning trophies," Beye told the Gazette. "I was a loser at Marseille, though, because I played in three finals and lost three!

"I have played in one UEFA Cup final and in two French Cup finals with Marseille, and lost everything!

"Maybe the UEFA final wasn't too bad, we lost 2-0 to a good Valencia side, but in the French Cup we were favourites.

"One year, we lost 2-1 to Paris St Germain, and another, when I was captain, we were winning 2-1 against Sochaux until the last four minutes, but they made it 2-2 and we lost 5-4 on penalties. It was hard, because they weren't a big team.

"I have already told Kevin Keegan if we do get to the final, he must put me on the bench or in the stands!

"I have played in five finals, lost three with Marseille and one with Senegal against Cameroon in the African Cup of Nations.

"Yet I have won one cup when I was at Strasbourg.

"Now it would be great to finally win something here at Newcastle.

"Because of my experience with Marseille I want to win something at Newcastle."

Beye's former club take on Norwegian side SK Brann of Bergen at the Velodrome in a Champions League qualifier tomorrow night.

And Beye – a popular figure with Marseille fans during his four years in the south of France – could easily have stayed on, where he would have been all but guaranteed European football.

Instead, he has to content himself with the two English cups, but Beye – arguably Sam Allardyce's best signing by some distance – is more than happy at St James's Park.

And the right-back believes he and his team-mates can challenge for a cup under the guidance of Kevin Keegan.

He added: "We can do well in this competition. If we want to win something this is our chance.

"In the Carling Cup and the FA Cup, we have to to rise to the occasion. I know it is many years since we last won a trophy – it is a big number! That's why it is very important to win something here at Newcastle."

Last season, Beye made only his second start for Newcastle in the third-round tie away to Arsenal. United – then managed by Allardyce – were beaten 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium by goals from Nicklas Bendtner and Denilson.

* Tonight's game, which kicks off at 7.45pm, is being shown live on Sky Sports.