Campbell is yet to make his Newcastle bow after his summer arrival

Newcastle United defender Sol Campbell is determined to make the most of his expected first-team Carling Cup debut against Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Campbell, 36, has been training and playing for the reserves and is taking his full Magpies bow seriously.

"It's not a run out it's a cup game, so I've got to give it my best shot," Campbell told BBC Newcastle.

"There'll be a few first teamers missing, Chelsea will probably play a full side so it'll be a tough game."

Campbell added: "I've been training hard and now I've got an opportunity to play.

"I'm ready for it, the more games I play the sharper I become. The main thing is the attitude's right and we're ready to go."

Despite a long career packed with silverware at Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth, the former England international's first medal came courtesy of Spurs' 1-0 League Cup victory against Leicester City in 1999.

And Campbell believes the competition deserves serious consideration.

"It's always nice, if you go all the way it's a Wembley outing," he continued.

"To win any cup these days is fantastic. But a lot of the teams, the so-called top teams, do put their best XI out there, and everyone's going for it.

"If you do get to the final it's a real achievement."

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