The Ukrainian unknowns are making their debut in the competition.

Venables’ side are expected to coast through as their opponents are in turmoil following the recent sacking of their head coach and his assistant, while they languish in 15th of 18 in their league, with just two wins and a paltry six goals in their nine matches.

Venables, who was last in Europe with Spurs in the 1991-92 season when they played in the old Cup Winners’ Cup, knows Zaporizhia cannot be taken for granted - as Rangers found to their cost on Tuesday when they lost to Czech side Viktoria Zizkov.

“This is a competition I really want to have a stab at, not least because after our two recent wins, I want to try and get in the winning habit,” asserted Venables.

“If we can keep winning the habit grows on you and you want more of it. That’s the sort of attitude I want from the players, to make sure we have a hunger to win.

“It’s all very well expecting, but you have to make it work. It’s going out there and proving you can do that every time and not relaxing off in any way.

“But like all these teams, one of the things you must not do is underestimate them. We know that, but it’s one thing saying it and another doing it.

“You only have to look at what happened to Rangers. They came unstuck. These teams are very difficult and there are more and more like that.”

Venables, whose last UEFA Cup tie was as Barcelona coach in 1987 against Portuguese side Belenenses – he was sacked in between the two legs of the first-round – is eager to put the tie beyond Zaporizhia’s reach tonight.

Due to UEFA deeming Zaporizhia’s ground unfit to stage a European tie, the away leg on October 3 will be played at the home of Dnepropetrovsk around 50 miles away, with suggestions even their pitch is hardly conducive to good football.

Venables, though, is wary of a shock as he added: “While it’s important to kill the game off ahead of the return, we don’t want to lose our balance and find ourselves a goal down, which can happen in these games.

“We have to make sure we don’t get any surprises, but then we also have to make sure we get ourselves right.”

Venables has confirmed striker Michael Bridges will be on the bench, so ending a two-year injury nightmare spent recovering from Achilles and primarily knee problems.

Bridges’ last first-team action was against Besiktas in a Champions League match in October 2000, since when he has suffered countless setbacks in his bid to return.

But following a successful pre-season and with three reserve matches this season under his belt, Bridges will now make his long-awaited comeback.

Skipper Dominic Matteo and midfielder Nick Barmby are doubtful with knee and back injuries respectively, which led to their withdrawal at half-time against Manchester United.