A couple queries I have, that hopefully can be cleared up. We won the Carling cup and got a Europa league place, all be it the lowest ranked way of qualifying. Now we are through to the final with a simple win against Everton..... to play Chelsea or Tottenham. The FA Cup has the winner to receive a Europa league place also, which is a better one than the Carling cup, but is it even/better/worse than being 5th in the league? Having said that, if we don't win the final (big IF) and Chelsea or Tottenham finish 4th or 5th, normally the runners up receive the qualification. However we already have a Europa league qualification. In all, I am guessing that you get the best way of qualification depending on what we win, but that means we are pretty much guaranteed the better qualification from the FA Cup route. Hope that isn't confusing, as it is important, as we don't want to be playing in an early qualification round for the Europa League during July!
This is a tough one. Last season Stoke were runners up and had to play the qualifying rounds. The only winner in recent years who has not finished in a Euro qualifying position in the league but won the FA cup is Portsmouth (who were relegated). But they didn't enter Europe for financial reasons. So in conclusion, I dont have an answer.....
Basically out of the 3 places available to england the highest finisher in the league takes the best place, so who ever finishs 5th* go straight into the groups stage then the other 2 team have to qualify *4th if chelsea win CL and finish 5th
Portsmouth went into the first round mate (one game before the group stage). Same place as Everton (5th) and Tottenham (league cup winners).
