After Manchester United and Chelsea both lost at the weekend there has been a lot of talk about European football next season, so I'm going to do my best to clarify the situation.

This is how it works; the top four get Chumpians League football and there are three places for the UEFA cup, one of those has already gone to Spurs. I can say that with confidence because they wont finish in the top four.

Now, unless Portsmouth win all their remaining fixtures, basically get the luck of the Irish and finish in the top four, then the winner of the FA Cup will also get a UEFA cup place.

Which means that the only way to qualify from league position is to finish fifth, which Everton and Liverpool are currently touching each other up over. But this can be a good thing.

You see, just like I predicted we'd finish sixth at the start of the season, I also had a cheeky £10 bet on Liverpool to win the Chumpians League and if things go to plan it could all work out.

If Liverpool win the Chumpians League and finish 5th, which happened in 2005, then 6th place also gets UEFA cup football for next season as UEFA changed the rules after Liverpool won it the last time.

Okay, I'm pulling at very thin straws right now but it is a chance, as is the Inter Two Bob, which we've also applied for and may very well get, although nothing is for certain because the club haven't told us anything yet.

As it stands though, we've got Middlesbrough on Wednesday night and we have to win it as Liverpool and Everton are eight points ahead of us and if we're to have any chance of not relying on the luck of the Irish for my above scenario to have to happen, then we need to stay in the hunt by beating teams like Middlesbrough.

I still think we'll be playing in Europe next season but let's not right off our chances of finishing in 5th place - everything is possible.

Comments (48)

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avstu said:

I agree we have to win the most of our games. I also think we will finish 5th still if we are strong. If we can get 4 pts from our games against Everton and Pompy i think it would be enough. The reason being, Everton have a very hard run in to the end of the season. Heres there remaining games.. Birmingham (A) - blues have come into a bit of form and could do us a favour. Chelsea (H) - This wont be a easy game for them either. Chelsea now they must perform now. Arsenal (A) - Another hard one, Arsenal will not lie down with chasing the title. Newcastle (H) - This could be a massive game, with Newcastle fighting relegation. Check your spellings damo

March 10, 2008 | url

Damian said:

what spelling errors apart from the ones on purpose?

March 10, 2008 | url

Dizzy Mugs said:

If we do end up with the Inter Two Bob cup, i think we'll be favourites to win it. And then we'll be in Europe anyway!

March 10, 2008 | url

NIKE said:

Yes just the villa luck however everton still have to play liverpool and we still have to play everton

March 10, 2008

tonebone said:

we are going to have to win 7 out of our last 10 to have any chance of getting 5th and even then we may still miss out. we are probably going to have to beat everton at goodison. if we are within 5 points of them going into that game i suppose we still have a chance cause if we beat them they then have Arsenal and we have wigan.

March 10, 2008

Quit you Jibba Jabba said:

I think you have your ruling on what happens if Liverpool win the champions league incorrect. What would happen if, as you said liverpool finished 5th but won the champions league is. Top 3 (arsenal,manu,chelsea) would be in the champions league, 4th place (everton) would be in the uefa) and liverpool (5th) would be in the champions league with no extra spot for 6th. short link

March 10, 2008 | url

Damian said:

at Quit you Jibba Jabba while i may be wrong i may not be so i've asked for clarification from someone and will publish the email i get back, if i get it back with an answer

March 10, 2008 | url

cookie_monster said:

If we finsih 6th then does that garuntee a place in the Inter Two Bob cup or how would that work? Worst case senario is that we will be watching f****** Barnsley on ITV next season and not us. Uefa shold change that rule because championship clubs in Europe never work out!

March 10, 2008

mickey86 said:

nah, if barnsley win the fa cup then they deserve to play in europe.

March 10, 2008

JohnnyF said:

If we finish 6 then we secure Intertoto as the highest place entry. For clarification see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_League_2007-08. Its just our luck that the season when we're doing decently non top 4 teams are going to win/have won the Carling/FA cup. Either way, lets hope for an sweet end to the season! UTV

March 10, 2008

JimboVillain said:

Cookie Monster... I know it doesnt seem fair to have a championship side in europe, but if barnsley were to win the FA cup, you cant say they didnt earn it, and that every other club in the cup didnt know what was at stake. It will just be unlucky if we dont get European football next year, im just hoping the intertoto will save us. Has anybody else applied to enter it? I heard a rumor that blackburn had, and they are pretty close to us

March 10, 2008

PaulE said:

Everton's difficult games come at the end of the season. They have to play us, Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle in the last 4 games. I think 5th will be a little bit out of reach, but if we keep winning we could reel them in during the last few weeks.

March 10, 2008

cookie_monster said:

Man City, Everton, Blackburn, us and Pourtsmouth have all applied for the Inter Two Bob cup it will just really annoy me when Barnsley if they got into europe get knocked out 1st round and all this seasons hard work is for nothing! Ok Barnssley have done well in a couple of games against premiership teams but we do it every week! were is the justice in that!

March 10, 2008

Quit you Jibba Jabba said:

i am quite certain of the ruling tbh, 6th will not get a euro spot regardless of what happens in champions league, we cannot get more than our allocation of euro places (4 champions league, 3 eufa (1 league, 1 fa, 1 league cup or whatever u call it now). the ONLY way 6th will become a eufa spot now is if portsmouth finish top 5 and win the cup. "Rule 1.3 states: At the request of the national association concerned, the Uefa Champions League title-holders may be entered for this competition ... if they have not qualified via the top domestic league championship. "If, in such a case, the title-holders come from an association entitled to enter four teams for the Uefa Champions League, the fourth-placed club in the top domestic league championship has to be entered for the Uefa Cup."

March 10, 2008 | url

villafandan said:

intertoto won't be a disaster... we won't have to play until the 3rd round. win that and we're in UEFA. simple. if we go further in that competition than the other 10 3rd round winners then we win the intertoto trophy... as if anyone cares!!

March 10, 2008

DC110980 said:

If the winner of the FA cup is already in a UEFA spot league wise then the runner up in the cup will get the spot. Top 3 = Champions League 4th = Champions League qualification Rounds 5th = Uefa Cup spot Carling Cup = Uefa for winner unless already qualified via league - if so, slot will become available for 6th in league FA Cup = Uefa for winner unless they have qualified via league, This passes to Uefa for the runner up, unless they have qualified via the league - in which case 7th spot would mean qualification. The only way 6th would mean Europe this year would have been an FA cup Final made up of two teams who have already qualified for europe (ie. Man Utd and chelsea)or Tottenham not to have won the Carling Cup - neither of which has or will happen. Hope that makes sense.

March 10, 2008

worto03 said:

I've heard that Cardiff are not allowed to enter the UEFA cup as an English representative so if they win the FA cup 6th place in the prem will be back on as a UEFA spot? Can anyone here confirm if this is true or not? It was on 5Live this morning? worto.

March 10, 2008

Damian said:

I've got 3 emails out and I'm waiting for confirmation - as soon as I get it I'll update here.

March 10, 2008 | url

Astonguerilla said:

What happens if Spurs somehow win the UEFA cup? Do we get an extra place as they will be defending their title.

March 10, 2008

worto03 said:

If spurs win the uefa cup I'll eat mi hat Good question though - lol typical innit first year we finish 6th for ages & 5th ends up being the cut off! worto.

March 10, 2008

Astonguerilla said:

fair one, I think I'd rather miss out on Europe than watch spurs win the UEFA cup anyway.

March 10, 2008

Villa_Rules said:

Barnsley can qualify for ueffa cup should they win it aswell Im glad we enterd the inter to bob cup could come in handy me thinks

March 10, 2008

mickey86 said:

last time this happened, villa finished 6th

March 10, 2008

Betting on footy said:

I'm pretty sure that's right about Cardiff not being able to enter the UEFA Cup as they're officially a Welsh side so if they do win the Cup (and they have a decent chance in the semi after today's draw paired them with Barnsley) then I think 6th could get a Euro place this season. Here's hoping.....

March 10, 2008 | url

Astonguerilla said:

At Betting on Footy, Cardiff used to get into the UEFA cup through winning the Welsh Cup. But UEFA have since knocked that one on the head for them. Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham are all in the English league so they have to qualify for Europe the same way as the rest of us english clubs.

March 10, 2008

Paul181 said:

im so confused with all this does anyone know who would get the final uefa cup spot if cardiff were to win the FA cup? Also i just came across this info that i heard a bit about around a month ago and had completely forgotten about. could be out of date but im pretty sure its this season it was published. BERNE, Switzerland (Reuters) - England are top of UEFA's fair play rankings and could benefit from an additional UEFA Cup spot next season, European football's governing body said on Tuesday. England lead Norway and Germany at the top of the table and will secure an extra place in the UEFA Cup's first qualifying round if they remain first when the final standings are calculated at the end of April. The fair play rankings are based on the performances of national teams and clubs competing in European competition and involve criteria such as crowd behaviour, positive play and an avoidance of yellow and red cards.

March 10, 2008

ross said:

does anyone no if everton or tottenham win the uefa cup does that add another spot in our league.

March 10, 2008

Chrisodon said:

Cardiff can't enter the UEFA Cup if they win the FA Cup, just seen it on sky sports

March 10, 2008

Astonguerilla said:

My brain hurts a bit now. Let's just head for a 4th spot finish.

March 10, 2008

Andy_Bale said:

Lets get a few things straight... 1 - Cardiff cannot enter the UEFA cup regardless of whether they win the FA cup or not. If they do WIN the cup then the RUNNERS UP shall go into the UEFA cup NOT 6th in the league. 2 - If Liverpool win the champions league and DO NOT finish in the top 4 then 4th place will only qualify for the UEFA cup, with Liverpool still entering the champions league. 3 - The highest placed team who has NOT qualified for Europe can enter the Intertoto cup (6th place in the league) 4 - England are currently top of the UEFA Fair play league and will get another entry into the UEFA cup if we are still top on May 31st. This will goto the team TOP of the Premier league fair play table who has NOT already qualified for Europe. Villa are currently 14th so we have no chance of this, but Liverpool or Everton would currently still qualify if they came 6th in the prem. If they came 4th and 5th and qualify automatically then Man City would qualify as they are next in the fair play league. Therefore 6th place will not get anybody directly into the UEFA cup, but if we come 6th we will definately be in the Intertoto.

March 10, 2008

c.b said:

The fairplay berth goes to the top ranked team in the associations fairplay table who have not already qualified for europe. That wont be us this season. There is no uefa cup place for the winners, although the national association can request a place so if everton finish 6th and win the uefa cup they may still get a place in the uefa cup next season. There is no place either for the 6th place team should liverpool win the C.L and finish 5th. The bottom line is that the ONLY way we can qualify for europe is if we finish 5th. 6th place will be good enough for qualification to the inter two bob.

March 10, 2008

tonebone said:

even if cardiff win the facup then the runners up will qualify. its not relevant to us. the only way we could qualify was if 2 teams already in europe or not able to compete were in the final. that cant happen

March 10, 2008

Tommy Ross said:

So if Cardiff won the FA cup then the UEFA spot would go to the FA cup runners-up and not 6th place?

March 10, 2008

anotherjames said:

Ah the fair play route could be a simpler one - If England tops UEFA's fair play table, then there is an extra spot for an English team in the UEFA cup. Now I think most countries give this spot to the 'next' place down in the league (eg. 6th), but it could end up going to the team with the best fair play record in the premiership instead. To add to the craziness, if England doesn't finish top of UEFA's list, but in the top 12 or so, we with the other 11 go into a draw for 3 extra UEFA cup spots. I think. Let's just avoid all the maths & regulations and aim for 5th (or even 4th if Everton can't cope with their tough remaining games)!

March 10, 2008

monsoon said:

Deja Vu!!!! Doah!!!! not again - this happened last bloody time we were 6th.

March 10, 2008

Kieran McGrath said:

i think if you win the uefa cup you qualify for the champions league, because i am pretty sure thats what porto did a good few seasons back

March 10, 2008

Jeremiah said:

If you win the UEFA Cup, you don't get a Champion's League spot. That's why Sevilla won it twice in a row - they never even made it to qualifying for the Champion's League.

March 11, 2008

tonebone said:

Look guys - we cannot get in uefa through any means by finishing 6th. Its not a hard system to understand. england has 3 places for the uefa. 2 have gone with the cups and one is left for 5th place in the league. The only way we can gain another is through fair play standings. But that will go to the team in england top of our fair play league. we are in 14th place so that wont be us. The only way we can get automatic uefa cup is finishing 5th.

March 11, 2008

Arrlui said:

Or through the intertoto...

March 11, 2008

anotherjames said:

Or from Cardiff winning the cup... (it's up to the FA whether they would give the extra spot to 6th in the premiership or the cup runners-up - and unless its portsmouth i think that would be unlikely and unfair anyway).

March 11, 2008

tonebone said:

@ another james - like every other year the runners up will get the place in europe - not league posistion. This is the ruling that the fa have mad and stuck to for the past decade. Its not going to change.

March 11, 2008

tonebone said:

@ Arrlui - i said the only way we can get automatic is finishing 5th. The intertoto is not automatic qualification. It really isnt hard to understand all this!!

March 11, 2008

Arrlui said:

Isn't it whoever finishes the highest in the league after the automatic quals. for the fair play? Or do you mean Derby could be top of the fair play league, hypothetically, and qualify for europe?

March 11, 2008

tonebone said:

its whoever finishes top of the fair play league. At the moment the top are looking like qualifying for euorope so it goes to Man city in 6th. It has nothing to do with league position. hence how how nearly got in last year finishing 11th in the league. Yes if derby finished top of the fari play they would get in.

March 11, 2008

c.b said:

if Portsmouth were to finish 5th(unlikely i know) and play cardiff in the final then the european place from the cup would have to go to the 6th place team

March 11, 2008

c.b said:

if Portsmouth were to finish 5th(unlikely i know) and play cardiff in the final then the european place from the cup would have to go to the 6th place team

March 11, 2008

labu the villan said:

i dont think pompey will over come us.with mwarwari gone they cant put goals in our net,

March 14, 2008

Arrlui said:

England are currently top of the Fair Play League. If they win the Uefa Cup place, it is given to the team placed highest in the Premier League Fair Play League that has not qualified by other means. Tonebone, sorry mate.

March 14, 2008

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