Scotland's Provincial Clubs and the UEFA Cup/Europa League Group Stage

Beer Belly Loyal said:
Since UEFA first introduced the Group Phase for the UEFA Cup/Europa League in 2004, how have Scotland's diddy clubs faired in actually reaching this stage?

Aberdeen: Their first attempt in 2007/08 was successful after disposing of Dnipro on away goals in the Qualifying Round.
Since then EIGHT other chances have seen only failure, last season they also failed to qualify for the Conference League Group Stage.

Hearts: They qualified at their first attempt in 2004, three more chances have followed in 2006, 2011 and 2016 all resulting in total failure.

Motherwell & St Johnstone: Each have had 7 goes at qualification - all of them failed attempts, to add to that St Johnstone also shat it in the Conference last season.

Hibernian: The resident spoon burners have had 5 opportunities, missed out every single time, they also flopped last season when presented with the opportunity to make the Conference League Group Stage.

Dundee Utd: Another duffer with a one hundred per cent record of total failure with 4 chances, absolutely bombing each time.

Dunfermline: Two efforts (2004 & 2007) FAIL!

Other clubs experiencing complete and utter failure are:

Gretna: (2006), QOS: (2008), Falkirk: (2009), ICT: (2015) and Kilmarnock: (2019)

Scottish football is a complete joke, the above equates to just 2 successes out of an incredible 43 attempts - add the Conference League failures of last season and that means 2/46. Wow! Truly embarrassing! o_O

Then you throw in the quite funny Celtic being the FIRST, yes the FIRST club ever to exit 3 UEFA competitions in the SAME season - no they weren't just the first British club, they were the actual first European club to earn that accolade. :))

Massive comfort in that at least we can proudly say Rangers yet again saved face for Scottish football by putting the country on the map for the right reasons when reaching the Europa League Final last season.
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Yet Scottish football is in great condition according to Doncaster and the media.An out and out embarrassment.
 
Mac72 said:
The new competition is going to make it even harder for Scotland to stay in the top 11. Every other country around us as atleast 3 clubs able to get to a decent level now.

We don't.

The only hope is Hearts finish 3rd 3/4 years running and are able to invest the European money in their playing squad. £15+ million in extra money over 3 years is a lot of money to a side like Hearts.


You will get the usual staunch posts about who cares about other clubs, I only care about Rangers, yadda, yadda. Do I like the idea of other clubs making money off our hard work, NO! but sadly we need these other clubs to do well.

Do people want to go back to qualifiers in early July? Or if we Sadly finish second (like this year) and not getting a shot at the champions league?

That is what will pretty much what will happen if no other club bar us does the heavy lifting in Europe.
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Shame on you, making me feel guilty when I love to see the other Scottish clubs lose in Europe.
 
muttley said:
Scottish clubs, bar us, can't compete in Europe, as their normal hacking and fouling, which is accepted in Scotland, is not tolerated by foreign refs. They are then left to play football, and they have no chance. The only way to improve our status in Europe is for not only Scottish players to change, but more importantly, the Scottish refs need to clampdown on the hammerthrowers. But that's never going to happen, tbh.
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In a nutshell
 
Excellent thread title. Hearts and Hibs fans hate their teams being called 'provincial clubs. "Aye but we're fae the capital, ken?"

All the more reason we should do so.
 
There is no excuse for the likes of Hearts/Hibs/ Aberdeen not doing better.

With the introduction of the Conference league there is no excuse for us not having 3 or 4 clubs in the groups stages in season.

I will be hoping Hearts do well this season.
 
rangeral said:
No they didn't

Lincoln Red Imps probably were as got 0 points in the Conference Group Stage along with Maccabi Haifa , HJK Helsinki, Slovan Bratislava Cluj, Alashkert, Karait, Flora Tallinn, Mura all started in CL QR1 round and exited at the Conference Group Stage

Omonia entered CL QR2 and also exited at Conference Group Stage

Bodo/Glimt went the longest from CL QR1 to the Conference League Semi-finalists
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Well the filth are joint vice record holders then Al.
 
Scotland had teams that could compete with the best until the mid 1970's. The drop off in standards since then has been catastrophic.

We had a Hibs side that could compete with the best. We then had Aberdeen and Dundee Utd come along slightly later, both of whom regularly got to the latter stages, even finals.

The last 20years (2012-2018) apart have been an embarrassment in European terms for these clubs.
 
aldoshmaldo said:
Wasn’t that long ago we got pumped off Progres Neidercorn. Our wage bill is enormous compared to the rest of Scottish football.

It’s a difficult enough task for us to get through 3 or 4 qualifying rounds never mind a St Johnstone or Hibs.

I’m sure the conference league will see a few more Scottish teams qualify in the next few years.
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I doubt it.
 
Mac72 said:
The new competition is going to make it even harder for Scotland to stay in the top 11. Every other country around us as atleast 3 clubs able to get to a decent level now.

We don't.

The only hope is Hearts finish 3rd 3/4 years running and are able to invest the European money in their playing squad. £15+ million in extra money over 3 years is a lot of money to a side like Hearts.


You will get the usual staunch posts about who cares about other clubs, I only care about Rangers, yadda, yadda. Do I like the idea of other clubs making money off our hard work, NO! but sadly we need these other clubs to do well.

Do people want to go back to qualifiers in early July? Or if we Sadly finish second (like this year) and not getting a shot at the champions league?

That is what will pretty much what will happen if no other club bar us does the heavy lifting in Europe.
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Life is too short to carry on the bitter attitude that completely infests the rest of Scottish football. I'd actively want any other Scottish club to do well in Europe if it brings up our standard of football long term and makes the Leagues brand of football more modern, because as it stands it's like watching two different sports watching us in Europe and domestically and I know what one I prefer to pay to watch.
 
aldoshmaldo said:
Hearts are guaranteed group stage football this season.
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Hearts may do okay, this season.
The likes of Motherwell and whoever else has qualified will get pumped the way Danish teams used to in the 60's & 70's.
As a footballing nation we've been left behind as the others move away into the distance.
 
It's a depressing picture but not a surprising one: how well a team gets on in Europe is a reflection of the strength of their league. Ours is rubbish, which we already knew.
 
2022 and the best Scottish clubs outside us and them can offer is an up and at em attitude, but they don’t go into euro games with The same refs that let them off with an overly physical style that they get away with in Scotland.
 
We are a shining light our rivals with all the financial advantages of the last 10 years have a record that is embarrassing.

It is the very definition of a Pub League and next season it may be worse, only Hearts look like making a challenge and reach third place because they should make a whack from the Europa League group. They should sell out their home matches given an interesting draw. Could cement their place for a few seasons.

The rest will give us the usual boring rubbish we experience at home with little adventure.

Is it any wonder fans love Europe where teams actually go for it and make it a spectacle.

Aberdeen and Hibs must look at Hearts and think what have we done, look what we missed ?
 
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