THE adrenaline is beginning to rush as Newport County fans await the visit of former European Champions Steaua Bucharest.

Foreign teams used to grace Somerton Park on occasions but not since March 1981, when Carl Zeiss Jena played County in a European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final, has one come to Newport.

And former Ironsides fans' favourite Kevin Moore predicts the buzz around the new city when the Romanian soccer giants arrive will be reminiscent of those glory days.

Dr Martens Premier League County's pre-season friendly showdown with Steaua, who beat Terry Venables' much-fancied Barcelona side 2-0 in the 1986 European Cup final, is on Monday, July 29 (7.30pm) at Newport Stadium.

Moore, County's left wing during the early 1980s, remembered: "The atmosphere around Newport before European games was absolutely magnificent. There was nothing like it. " I can still remember the Carl Zeiss Jena game. Somerton Park was packed to the rafters, there was so much excitement and a real feel-good factor around Newport.

"We drew the first leg in East Germany 2-2 and we should have won the return in Newport. We had so many good chances - but we lost it narrowly 1-0.

"Unfortunately, County have been starved of that kind of game for too long and they have gone through some really dark days.

"But this game, even though it's a friendly, will allow the older football fans in Newport to reminisce about when European football's bigger names came to town."

Steaua are on a mini-tour of Britain and also play First Division Millwall, Second Division QPR and Welsh Third Division sides Swansea City and Wrexham.

County's office at Newport Stadium is now open every weekday between 10am and 4pm - and tickets for the Steaua game are on sale (grandstand and new terraces £7.50; £5 senior citizens; £2 under-16s).

lYour Argus is offering under-16s the chance of free entry to the new terraces for the Steaua showdown.

All youngsters have to do is present just one voucher - to appear in the Argus this week and next - on the day.