Europa League - Again?

Fulham's brush with Europe's secondary elite in the 2009/10 season may well be considered a once-in-a-blue-moon event, yet, news of our Fair Play League stance and, more importantly, England's Fair Play League stance, show that next season may well bring forth more lengthy travels for our South West London fans.

Memories of the forgetful May evening in Hamburg are still ubiquitous among Fulham's faithful and the opportunity to correct last season's masterful, yet consequentially fruitless European campaign would undoubtedly be welcomed by all connected with the club.

The route into next years competition is by no means guaranteed, and, it's been incorrectly mooted before, but as the end of the season approaches, the possibility of making Europe next season is looking all the more rational.

Currently, without a red card to our name, we lay second only to Chelsea in the Fair Play standings which, with Chelsea more-than-likely to achieve a Champions League place, means the Cottagers are the team in line for a spot in next years Europa League; albeit with a hefty qualifying regime through which to progress.

All this, however, is dependent on how the Premier League fares overall in the European Fair Play League. At current, Norway top the table and are likely to be allocated an extra place in the competition, but, England sit in second and will, therefore, also be given an extra spot.

Only time will tell if both England and Fulham can retain their silver-medalled positions and subsequently achieve another season of European exploits.

It must be mentioned then that, perhaps, being second isn't all that bad after all.