27 May 2015 13:24:07
I was hoping someone could answer my question about where the Saints stand in qualifying for the Europa League after yesterday's announcement concerning West Ham . They have qualified for the competition as winners of the fair play award for all the European teams but just wondered where that leaves us . We were all going to become Arsenal fans this weekend but after this announcement it seems irrelevant if WH are in it anyway . Does this mean that we are definitely in the competition now this has happened or have the Hammers taken the spot we would have had if they had lost the Cup Final to the Gunners. Bit confused over this, any help please? Maybe the Eds. will know the answer hopefully.

{Ed002's Note - The announcement is nothing to do with Southampton at all. The Fair Play League are additional places.}

1.) 27 May 2015
27 May 2015 16:16:46
As Ed002 has said West Ham gained an additional place which was available to a team in each of the three highest placed leagues in Europe for fairplay this season, that being Netherlands, England and ROI.

As an additional note, from next season Fairplay will no longer reward a qualification spot for Europa League but instead financial bonuses.

So Saints will enter at the Third Qualifying Round if Arsenal win the FA Cup and we should be seeded because of England's UEFA coefficient currently being ranked 2nd. And so we would be drawn against an inferior side.

After that we will have to play a two legged Playoff Round in order to reach the Group Stages. That round we may not be seeded in depending on the coefficient ratings of the clubs who also feature, some of which will be the losing sides from the Third Qualifying Round of the Champions League, so they could have a higher coefficient score.

{Ed002's Note - The seeding for clubs is using the UEFA club coefficients and Southampton will be close to the bottom of the pile there.}

2.) 27 May 2015
27 May 2015 16:17:13
Thanks for that Ed002 however I am maybe seeming a bit thick here but what happens if West Ham beat Arsenal in the final?

{Ed002's Note - A lot of people will be very shocked. I suspect the bookies will be very happy.}

3.) 27 May 2015
27 May 2015 17:17:27
David Cameron maybe!?!

4.) 27 May 2015
27 May 2015 18:12:17
i might put my house on west ham.

5.) 27 May 2015
27 May 2015 18:50:36
Am I missing something here? I know they play in the same colours but have Wet Spam moved to the Midlands?

6.) 27 May 2015
27 May 2015 20:02:28
Clearly the banter brigade is in session Teejaysaint.

7.) 28 May 2015
28 May 2015 20:33:24
Seeding of southampton will be near bottom of the pile?and I suppose u believe the Switzerland and Austria and ireland and scottish teams will be better seeded yeah

{Ed001's Note - perhaps you should go check the rankings, you don't have a history of European competition to raise yours. You seem to talk a lot, but nothing you have said shows any sign of understanding, perhaps you should try reading about these things before telling people that do understand them that they are wrong.}

8.) 28 May 2015
28 May 2015 22:29:30
On the European website it states that each countrys association is rated as a whole not individual teams
And on overall rating over 5 seasons is 2nd out of all associations
And on this season were rated 4th so as there site stated it is averaged out over the 5 seasons and our rank in that is second.
But lol I agree if it was worked out by individual clubs we would probably be bottom but it is worked out buy the association as a hole
I did double check on uefa website

{Ed001's Note - yes, but then you have individual rankings for the draws. That is done on the team's ranking, which would put Southampton very near the bottom due to not having played in Europe over the last 5 seasons. The country's association rankings is used to decide how many teams you have in the competitions and when they enter the comp.}

9.) 29 May 2015
28 May 2015 23:04:01
Nice one ed I here u loud and clear and will shut my trap for ya