Now that the InterToto Cup is underway ... and we are not involved ... do we miss it?
Hibernian will face Swedish club IF Elfsborg in the Intertoto Cup second round next month, while Irish outfit Bohemians are also through.
Were We Fools To Laugh At InterToto?
By Nu Mad
Updated Sunday, 29th June 2008
Mixu Paatelainen's men, who finished sixth in the SPL last season, will host the Swedes at Easter Road in the first leg next weekend, and Bohemians completed a comprehensive defeat of Rhyl in the first round with a 4-2 win at Belle Vue on Saturday.
The Welsh side went out 9-3 on aggregate, following last week's 5-1 reverse in the first leg match in Dublin.
When we were told we had actually WON the InterToto back in 2006, then-chairman Freddy Shepherd had to phone UEFA for confirmation because he didn't believe such a cup existed.
The club was a little embarrassed, and when it came to the presentation they picked out a Toon fan to accept it, rather than skipper Scott Parker.
All very bizarre.
But we had no European competition last season, just like the forthcoming campaign, and it is a big miss ... even if it is "through the back door" in the InterToto.
As a footnote, last New Year (just before his sacking) Sam Allardyce complained "we are playing too many games and the players don't need it".
We were out of the League Cup, no European games, and the FA Cup campaign ended no sooner than it began ... and there were Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd playing two-games a week from August to May!
Yep ... Europe would have been a little too much for Big Sam. Because it does take it out of you, and to prove it, here was our last trip into the InterToto.
Aaaaah ... the memories!
INTERTOTO CUP - 2006/07
Saturday July 15 2006 LILLESTROM 1-1 (H) Norway (Luque)
Given; Carr, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro; Solano, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia; Milner (Ameobi, 65), Luque (O'Brien, 81).
Saturday July 22 2006 LILLESTROM 3-0 (A) Norway (Ameobi 2, Emre)
Given, Carr, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro (Moore 69), Solano, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia (Pattison 86), Milner, Ameobi (Butt 77).
Thursday August 10th 2006 FK VENTSPILS (A) Latvia 1-0 (Bramble)
Given, Carr, Moore, Bramble, Babayaro (Ramage 87), Solano (Milner 84), Emre (N'Zogbia 80), Duff, Parker, Butt, Ameobi.
Thursday 24th August 2006 FK VENTSPILS (H) Latvia 0-0
Harper, Carr, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro, Duff,Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia, Luque, Milner.
UEFA CUP 2006/07
Thursday 14th September 2006 LEVADIA TALINN (A) Estonia 1-0 (Sibierski)
Given, Carr, Bramble (Milner 36), Moore, Ramage,Duff, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia (Butt 73), Sibierski (Luque 80),Martins.
Thursday 28th September 2006 LEVADIA TALLIN (H) Estonia 2-1 (Martins 2)
Harper, Carr, Bramble, Taylor, Ramage, Milner, Butt,Emre (Parker 80), N'Zogbia (Duff 70), Martins (Luque 70),Sibierski.
Thursday October 19th 2006 FENERBAHCE (H) Turkey 1-0 (Sibierski)
Harper, Carr, Taylor, Ramage, Duff, Milner, Parker,Emre (Butt 54), N'Zogbia (Solano 64), Sibierski,Martins (Ameobi 75).
Thursday 2nd November 2006 PALERMO (A) Italy 1-0 (Luque)
Krul, Ramage, Moore, Bramble, Taylor, Solano (Carroll, 90 mins), Emre, N'Zogbia (Sibierski, 67 mins), Milner, Butt, Luque (Pattison, 76 mins).
Thursday November 23rd 2006 CELTA VIGO (H) 2-1 Portugal (Sibierski, Taylor)
Given, Solano, Bramble, Taylor, Ramage, Milner,Butt (Parker 65), Emre (Martins 70), N'Zogbia, Luque, Sibierski.
Thursday November 30 2006 EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (A) 0-0 Germany
Given, Ramage, Bramble, Taylor, Solano, Emre, Milner, Butt, N'Zogbia, Sibierski, Luque (Martins 59).
Thursday February 15th 2007 ZULTE-WAREGEM (A) Belgium 3-1 (Dindeleux og, Martins (P), Sibierski)
Harper, Solano, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro, Milner,Butt, Dyer, Duff, Martins (Luque 85), Sibierski.
Thursday February 22nd 2007 ZULTE-WAREGEM (H) Belgium 1-0 (Martins)
Harper, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro (Huntington 46),Milner, Solano, Butt (Pattison 65), Dyer, Duff,Luque (Carroll 65), Martins.
Thursday 8th March 2007 AZ ALKMAAR (H) Holland 4-2 (Steinsson og, Dyer, Martins 2)
Given, Bramble, Taylor, Carr, Solano, Dyer, Parker,Butt, Duff (Emre 77), Sibierski (Milner 65), Martins.
Thursday 15th March 2007 AZ ALKMAAR (A) Holland 0-2
Given, Solano, Bramble, Taylor,Huntington (N'Zogbia 86), Dyer, Butt, Parker, Duff (Emre 59),Sibierski, Martins.
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