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

Beer Belly Loyal

Well-Known Member
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

EDIT: (The next part isn't really true, but I'm leaving it in as it reads well)

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 - 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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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.
 
How not to play European Football how not to be a proper football club.

Brought to you exclusively by those that gave the nation

“No to newco”

“Sell out Saturday”

In the time since they last had anyone qualify for a Group Stage.

Rangers have been to two European Finals and been deleted from the league by that shower of contemptuous guff.

Never let them forget what they did.

14 years of pathetic nothingness.
 
It's worth noting that these results were not against the Barcelonas, Bayern or PSG like teams of Europe, most were against teams who you had to look up to see which obscure league they were in !
 
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.
 
I reckon we'll be on our own again in Europe this season. The east end mob, like the rest of the Scottish clubs, just don't play football suited to the European stage, and will be heavily beaten in most of their CL ties. The other side of the coin is that we often struggle against the more physical sides in Scotland, due to hammerthrowing that just wouldn't be tolerated by European refs.
 
The real galling thing is, when you look deeper, outside of Liverpool beating Hearts its been utter dross putting them out too.

Hearts this season guaranteed a group spot, if they can turn up and play I would think they can get a result or two at a packed and noisy Tynecastle.
Should add to that; that is assuming conference and a semi-favourable draw.

If they somehow make the Europa I expect 6 pannings.
 
Yes I want Hearts to succeed in Europe, they could do well this season and then establish themselves for years to come.
When I say 'do well' I mean at least qualify from the group.
 
Yes I want Hearts to succeed in Europe, they could do well this season and then establish themselves for years to come.
When I say 'do well' I mean at least qualify from the group.
I'm really not arsed either way.

Co-efficient wise it makes sense, but other than that I will not bother at all.
 
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.
Was it not noted that someone like Lincoln Red Imps were actually the first team to go out of all 3?
 
They would have been quite happy for eternity to receive a % of a general payment of around £1 million if the filth qualified for the CL and collected the big pot which was often heralded by Doncaster and his boss Lawell as the filths success being beneficial to all of Scottish football
Sticks in the throat but the Conference league really should be a godsend for the likes of Hearts and the Sheep who in fairness to seem to be opening their eyes up slightly to what has and is happening in the corridors of football admin up here
 
They would have been quite happy for eternity to receive a % of a general payment of around £1 million if the filth qualified for the CL and collected the big pot which was often heralded by Doncaster and his boss Lawell as the filths success being beneficial to all of Scottish football
Sticks in the throat but the Conference league really should be a godsend for the likes of Hearts and the Sheep who in fairness to seem to be opening their eyes up slightly to what has and is happening in the corridors of football admin up here
If only someone would ask for an independent review...
 
If only someone would ask for an independent review...
Bit of the beaten wife syndrome with them hoping that the brute will one day be nice and bring her flowers
Would love to hear some of they "robust" conversations that go on behing the scenes
Most will start with "they bassas have been cheating us for years"
 
It's worth noting that these results were not against the Barcelonas, Bayern or PSG like teams of Europe, most were against teams who you had to look up to see which obscure league they were in !
SPFL teams getting put out of Europe in the qualifiers by teams from Wales and Ireland shows how pish they really are.
 
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.

Didn't some twat from kilmarnock make a big show of his "Killie European Tour" t shirt online only to see his heroes bomb at the very first "attempt".
 
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.
It's a lack of ability, nothing more, nothing less.
 
Lack of technical ability is the reason.
Correct.

As others have posted, once you cut out all the rugby tactics and hoofball then there is very little footballing ability to be found. It makes it worse when the game here revels in "getting in about them" or "let them know they're in a game", all that dinosaur football guff. How about trying to play football?
 
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. :))
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
 
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
Trust you al. :confused: :)
 
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.
Spot on. Refs let the shit teams here away with absolute murder as some sort of skewed equaliser to try and make the domestic game more competitive. The Jurassic era "leave one on them early to let them know they're in a game" gets applauded here, but punished literally everywhere else.
 
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. :))
Funny as it was, that isn't true. There were a few clubs, only a few mind, but definitely a few that achieved it before them.
 
Hearts have guaranteed conference league group football this season which if they do go out of the europa may provide a couple of winnable games
 
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
Just say it anyway. Are they going to pipe up that the mighty Lincoln RI save their embarrassment?
 
It’s sobering when you see the likes of Molde reaching the Europa last 16.

Even Sarpsborg from Norway have reached the group of Europa

Hearts and Hibs, the sheep etc should be pulling their weight like those Norwegian clubs.
 
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.
They confuse physicality with brutality.

These teams do have it in them to play good football, and could certainly focus more on developing that and improving their levels. When our league is reduced to the point they want to make every game 'life or death' the mid-range clubs 'scraping for top 6' or 'avoid relegation at all costs' they will never improve though. They set up to avoid losing rather than play attractive and technical football. It is no coincidence that the reconstruction to 10/12 team league came at the same time as the decline in standards in Europe.

This has also meant we have been behind the curve during the massive increase in technical ability, sports science, etc. As someone else said, the blueprints are there, we just need to get these 'professional' clubs to increase how professional they actually are in their approach.
 
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.
:D:D made my weekend already :D
 
If they started playing proper football, the crowds might start coming back. Who buys a season ticket to watch two teams hoof the ball up and down the park for 90 minutes?

There's also the chance of selling your players on for a decent price to a team in a better league
 
I reckon we'll be on our own again in Europe this season. The east end mob, like the rest of the Scottish clubs, just don't play football suited to the European stage, and will be heavily beaten in most of their CL ties. The other side of the coin is that we often struggle against the more physical sides in Scotland, due to hammerthrowing that just wouldn't be tolerated by European refs.
bodo's first goal at home versus them would never have been allowed here, celtic player loses the ball in midfield and falls over but the ref played on, they broke away and scored. Would've been a freekick and whoever it was that lost the ball looked totally stunned at no freekick being given.
 
In fairness to St Johnstone last year they were originally expected to get what Hearts got this season before UEFA changed the access lists.

Two tough ties in Galatasaray and Lask both of which got to the last 16 of either competition.

You're right though not good enough.
They were very unlucky as well. Had quite a few chances against Galatasary. A bit more quality and they'd have been through. Against LASK aswell they put up a good fight.

Compare that to Hibs (have better players), who limped out.
 
They were very unlucky as well. Had quite a few chances against Galatasary. A bit more quality and they'd have been through. Against LASK aswell they put up a good fight.

Compare that to Hibs (have better players), who limped out.
Yeah agree.

When I say not good enough I mean from everyone else. St Johnstone done themselves proud.
 
We have done superb , last 3 years in Europe. lets not get carried away though or try to deny that we have had our own fair share red neck results in Europe- and we have more resources than most.
 
Scottish clubs have had some difficult ties. In the last 10 years of qualifiers Aberdeen have played Real Soceidad and Burnley. Hearts with Liverpool, St Johnstone faced Galatasaray and Motherwell with Levante. Think most people could agree that those ties were just a level too high for those clubs.


But for as tricky as those ties were the rest of Scottish football struggle unless they are playing clubs from countries like Iceland, Northern Ireland, Latvia, Georgia, North Macedonia and Moldova. Excluding us and celtic in those same ten years Scottish clubs have a 8-17-30 record against clubs from the current top 30 performing uefa countries. That's a dreadful record for a country who are 9th currently.
 
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