6th European Representative Confirmed

[BigAl]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8039270.stm

 

Scotland will have a sixth team in Europe next season, with Uefa confirming that a Fair Play berth will go to a Scottish Premier League side.

 

Motherwell currently enjoy the best disciplinary record of the sides not already assured of a European place.

 

Norway, Denmark and Scotland will all get an extra place in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.

 

The opening round of the revamped tournament, formerly the Uefa Cup, is due to commence in early June.

 

Fair Play League rankings are based on a points system correlating to the number of red and yellow cards administered to each club and national side over a 12-month period.

 

Motherwell have just four matches of the season remaining, with St Mirren and Hibernian their nearest challengers for the extra place.

 

Celtic and Rangers have claimed the Champions League places, while Scottish Cup finalists Falkirk will compete in the Europa League, along with the teams finishing third and fourth in the SPL.

 

Hearts and Dundee United are strong favourites to land those remaining spots, although Aberdeen and Hibs can still catch them.

 

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Thought we were in the running for this as well, although I guess Kerr calling the ref names last night hasn't done much to help our cause.

[stubo72]

Just makes our recent indiscipline all the more embarassing and enraging.

 

What a bunch of complete fuds our players are.

 

     

[The Doricle]

Old firm fans take note- no one on here (so far) feels it is a conspiracy by the refs against our club!

[glasgow sheep]

If we can't qualify through the league we don't deserve europe.

Fair play league, hurumph.

[dave_min]

If we can't qualify through the league we don't deserve europe.

Fair play league, hurumph.

 

We'd also be in the very, very first qualifying round, so 8 games to get to the group stages.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

 

If we win the cup we should ask to be excused euro fitba.

[Reekie_Red]

I don't agree with this. I mind when we were in the running for a fair-play Euro place a few years ago (was it the 99-00 season?). We were the "fairest" team in the league. In my view it was cos we were so shite, we just couldnae get near the ball to actually try to tackle anyone.

 

Maybe a financial incentive for the most fair team in the most fair nation. But a Euro place? Nah, that's just a joke. Motherwell will get tanned in Europe. Do we really want a bottom six team ruining the hard work th at was done to bring Scotland's co-efficient up last year? Sure, winners and/or cup runners up. But a team that has come nowhere near to winning anything?? I'd rather we were there on merit.

 

 

[glasgow sheep]

Maybe someone will get a stand out of it........oh

[Harcus]

Maybe someone will get a stand out of it........oh

 

Is that where Dundee United's stand came from? What's the story there?

[glasgow sheep]

The Fair Play Stand: The most recent addition to the stadium, opened in 1997. Although separately named, it is effectively an extension of the old Main Stand to cover the entirety of the ground's south side. The name derives from the Fair Play Enclosure, a small enclosed terrace which previously occupied this corner of Tannadice, and itself named for the award given to United and their fans by FIFA following the club's run to the 1987 UEFA Cup Final. This stand is also reserved for visiting supporters.

 

Not the UEFA cup winners stand then

bless

[RDU_64]

Maybe a financial incentive for the most fair team in the most fair nation. But a Euro place? Nah, that's just a joke. Motherwell will get tanned in Europe. Do we really want a bottom six team ruining the hard work th at was done to bring Scotland's co-efficient up last year? Sure, winners and/or cup runners up. But a team that has come nowhere near to winning anything?? I'd rather we were there on merit.

 

I don't agree with cup runners up getting into Europe. Rewarded for losing a game by getting into Europe? Nonsense. Surely, cup runners up have done more damage to the co-effiecient than those who have gone through on a Fair play?

 

The likes of Gretna, Dunfermline (twice), Queen of the South, Dundee and Dundee United all going out of Europe early doors.

 

Although Dundee actually got past there qualifying round and narrowly lost to Perugia, of Italy.

[BigAl]

What's the story there?

 

They're cunts....end of

[glasgowdon]

I don't agree with cup runners up getting into Europe. Rewarded for losing a game by getting into Europe? Nonsense. Surely, cup runners up have done more damage to the co-effiecient than those who have gone through on a Fair play?

 

The likes of Gretna, Dunfermline (twice), Queen of the South, Dundee and Dundee United all going out of Europe early doors.

 

Although Dundee actually got past there qualifying round and narrowly lost to Perugia, of Italy.

 

Against Bordeaux no less.

[RDU_64]

Against Bordeaux no less.

 

Who? Dundee beat Bordeaux?

[tom_widdows]

Against Bordeaux no less.

 

That was Hearts No less

[Ajja]

I don't agree with cup runners up getting into Europe. Rewarded for losing a game by getting into Europe? Nonsense. Surely, cup runners up have done more damage to the co-effiecient than those who have gone through on a Fair play?

 

The likes of Gretna, Dunfermline (twice), Queen of the South, Dundee and Dundee United all going out of Europe early doors.

 

Although Dundee actually got past there qualifying round and narrowly lost to Perugia, of Italy.

 

Did we not utterly humiliate ourselves when we went through as cup runners up, against the Bohs or some bullshit like that ?

[RDU_64]

Did we not utterly humiliate ourselves when we went through as cup runners up, against the Bohs or some bullshit like that ?

 

Good point. Indeed we did, lost on away goals to a Bohemians side who played with ten men for the last half an hour.

[Reekie_Red]

Yeah, but at least we got into Europe on merit of us reaching the final of the country's main cup competition. Getting in to Europe because your team is "nice" and your fans are "nice" should not be grounds for entry into Europe. Maybe a Blue Peter badge would be more appropriate

[manc_don]

Yeah, but at least we got into Europe on merit of us reaching the final of the country's main cup competition. Getting in to Europe because your team is "nice" and your fans are "nice" should not be grounds for entry into Europe. Maybe a Blue Peter badge would be more appropriate

 

Agreed, however, I still hold the opinion it should be cup winners that get to Europe. I know had we reached the final this season I wouldn't have cared that we may/may not have been in Europe. But I still think that choosing from the league should the cup winners have already qualified for Europe would be a better choice of representative. Might actually make the opposing team go for it in the final a bit more? 

[stubo72]

Agreed, however, I still hold the opinion it should be cup winners that get to Europe. I know had we reached the final this season I wouldn't have cared that we may/may not have been in Europe. But I still think that choosing from the league should the cup winners have already qualified for Europe would be a better choice of representative. Might actually make the opposing team go for it in the final a bit more? 

 

That's actually a good point. The minnow finalists are often all too happy to accept the consolation of a couple of games in Europe when they are up against the OF in the final.

 

Might encourage some more 'determined'* play.

 

 

 

*I mean 'dirty'

[Ajja]

As long as the SFA have control over the decision I can't see them removing the rule about cup runners up. Anything that will detract from the Scottish Cup as a tournament is bad for the SFA. If they close the door to a potential Europa league spot for teams outwith the OF then it would reduce the appeal of reaching the final and thereby weaken the tournament as a spectacle affecting sponsorship, TV revenue etc.

 

For the record, I would scrap the rule in a heartbeat. Too many humiliations in Europe because of it. I mean, next season we might potentially be sending Falkirk, Motherwell, UTD and fucking Hearts into Europe to represent us. What an utter fuckpile of horseshit to go up against Europes finest (admittedly, second tier finest). Red faces all round.

[Harcus]

I thought the SFA wanted to change the rule but weren't allowed/missed the deadline to do it?

 

Edit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=463567&&cc=5901

 

Further edit: http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/uefacup/UEFA-Cup-revamped-and-rebranded.4535784.jp

[dave_min]

I'm pretty sure UEFA/FIFA said no?

 

I remember Gordon Smith saying QoTS would be the last team to get in that way.

[dave_min]

Maybe the prosecco I have been drinking is going to my head but I somehow have talked myself into the prospect that 3rd or 4th is doable.

 

This is how it can work

 

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Aberdeen v Hearts, 19:45  we win 3pts

Celtic v Dundee Utd, 19:45 celtic win

 

3  Hearts  54

4 Dundee Utd 53

5 Aberdeen         52

 

Saturday, 16 May 2009

Hearts v Dundee Utd, 15:00   draw preferrable but probably a hearts win if any win

Rangers v Aberdeen, 12:30   we probably get nothing from this game

 

 

3  Hearts  55 if hearts win 57 but united still on 53

4 Dundee Utd 54 if united win 56 but hearts still on 54

5 Aberdeen         52

 

Sunday, 24 May 2009

Aberdeen v Hibernian, 13:00 we win 3 pts

Celtic v Hearts, 13:00 celtic win

Dundee Utd v Rangers, 13:00 huns win

 

we could be on 55 the same as hearts providing they draw with united. a few permutaions here but the potential is we could finish above one of hearts or united or both depending on goal difference.

 

Is that too compliacated or am i just a bit drunk?

 

 

 

 

Of course we can do it!

 

We are Aberdeen!!

 

4 points from 3 games should be enough for 4th place, so a draw on Tuesday is a must, a win and we're absolutely flying!