Crystal Palace won trophy on European debut
Crystal Palace won trophy on European debut
Bournemouth start their first ever European campaign against Real Sociedad on Thursday, leaving Brentford as the only current Premier League club that haven’t played in a continental competition.
Here’s how the other 18 all got on in their maiden adventures in Europe…
Arsenal
Arsenal’s quest for that elusive Champions League title started in 1972, leaving the current crop looking to finally end 55 years of hurt.
The Gunners had more success in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the forerunner to the UEFA Cup. A second-round exit in their debut campaign of 1963/64 was followed up by success at the second bite of the cherry, with victory over Anderlecht in the final of 1970.
Aston Villa
Unlike Arsenal, Aston Villa do have a European Cup win to their name after Peter Withe’s goal secured the trophy in 1982.
However, the Villans’ first foray into continental action proved to be disastrous. Victory in the 1975 League Cup Final saw Villa gain entry into the following season’s UEFA Cup, but they went out at the first hurdle with a crushing 5-1 aggregate defeat to Royal Antwerp.
Brighton
One of England’s more recent European entrants, Brighton secured a Thursday night spot with a sixth-place finish in the 2022/23 Premier League. The Seagulls topped a Europa League group that included Ajax and Marseille but fell short in the Round of 16 against Roma, with a 4-0 first-leg defeat at the Stadio Olimpico proving too big a deficit to turn around back on the south coast.
Chelsea
Chelsea could have been the first English side to compete on the continent, after their maiden First Division title win in 1955 saw them qualify for the inaugural edition of the European Cup. However, the powers-that-be in England, having learnt nothing from their claim that the World Cup wasn’t worth the hype when it began, decided this new-fangled club competition wouldn’t come to much either.
The Stamford Bridge faithful only had to wait a few more years to witness foreign opposition on their turf though, with the Blues reaching the quarter-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in ’59.
Coventry City
Coventry’s thrilling 3-2 win over Tottenham in the 1987 FA Cup Final would have ordinarily seen the Sky Blues qualify for the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup, but the five-year ban on English clubs competing in European competition following the Heysel Stadium disaster means their Fairs Cup foray in the 1970/71 season remains the club’s solitary continental campaign.
Crystal Palace
Bournemouth will be hoping to emulate Crystal Palace with a tournament win at the end of their first-ever European adventure. The Eagles followed their magnificent win over Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup Final with victory in last season’s Conference League, following demotion from the Europa after multi-club ownership rules saw them unable to compete in the same competition as Lyon.
Everton
The 1962/63 season saw Everton top the First Division table under legendary boss Harry Catterick, but in true Toffees fashion there had to be a little misery, with Catterick’s men falling at the first hurdle in the club’s continental debut. Dunfermline knocked them out of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the following season saw more heartbreak as their reward for winning the league was the toughest start possible in the European Cup; a first-round tie with eventual winners Inter Milan.
Fulham
The 2001/02 season saw Fulham return to the top flight for the first time in over 30 years and the Cottagers made their European bow in their second Premier League campaign. Intertoto glory gave them entry into the UEFA Cup and the Craven Cottage faithful witnessed some Croatian decimation with victories over Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb before defeat in the third round to Hertha Berlin.
Hull City
Still unbeaten this season, could Hull City do the unthinkable and finish high enough to gain a European spot? The Tigers have only experienced continental competition once before after reaching the 2014 FA Cup Final. Despite losing to Arsenal, the Champions League already beckoned for the Gunners so Steve Bruce’s men found themselves in the Europa qualifying round, where an away goal loss to Belgian side Lokeren saw their journey over before the end of August.
These days, finishing as a runner-up in the FA Cup gives you no such foray. Boo.
Ipswich Town
Alf Ramsey will be forever known as the man who led England to World Cup glory but he also masterminded Ipswich Town’s solitary title win back in 1962, a feat made all the more remarkable given it was the Tractor Boys’ first ever season in the top flight. Their second campaign came with the added challenge of a European Cup debut. A comfortable start against Maltese champions Floriana, who were seen off 14-1 on aggregate, was followed up by the visit of eventual winners AC Milan, with the Italian giants ending Ramsey’s dream of another miracle.
Leeds United
Leeds United fans old enough to have witnessed the club on the cusp of European Cup glory after reaching the final of 1975 remain adamant the referee cheated them out of becoming the second English side to win the competition. Their maiden continental campaign came a decade earlier and their run to the semis of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was soon followed up by two wins in the competition, coming in ’68 and ’70.
Liverpool
England’s most successful club on the continent, Liverpool’s love affair with the European Cup began back in 1965. The Reds looked set to make the final at the first attempt after beating reigning champions Inter Milan 3-1 at Anfield in the first leg of the semis. However, the Italian side turned the tie on its head at the San Siro with three answered goals, knocking Bill Shankly’s men out.
Manchester City
Most of Manchester City’s continental adventures have of course come post 2008 takeover, but the Cityzens did have some experience abroad before Mansour’s money transformed the club. After witnessing the club’s second ever top-flight title in ’68, the Maine Road crowd had European Cup football to look forward to for the first time. However, the experience was brief, with an immediate exit to Turkish champions Fenerbahce.
Manchester United
The first English club to play in Europe, Manchester United defied the country’s governing bodies by opting to play in the European Cup, a year after Chelsea were denied a spot. The Red Devils’ position as trail blazers came with a heavy price though. The Football League big wigs, still furious at the club’s decision to play on the continent, refused to allow the league champions any extra time to return back to England, forcing the team to travel by air in order to fulfil their First Division fixtures. Tragedy in Munich struck and the Busby Babes were denied the chance to improve on the semi-final spot they achieved on their maiden voyage the previous season.
Newcastle United
European success at the first attempt can only signal good times ahead, right? It’s not like a 1969 Fairs Cup win would be followed by half a century of trophyless seasons, full of agonising near-misses.
Nottingham Forest
The only club with more European Cup wins than league titles, Nottingham Forest’s back-to-back triumphs in 1979 and 1980 under Brian Clough remain one of the most remarkable feats in the competition’s history. It was a far cry from their continental debut a decade earlier that saw Forest knocked out by FC Zurich in the second round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
Sunderland
One of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history saw Division Two side Sunderland defeat a Leeds United team in the middle of their golden era, with Jimmy Montgomery famously having the game of his life to keep a clean sheet. A 1-0 win for the North East club meant European football would be held at Roker Park for the first time, all whilst Sunderland remained in the second tier. Hungarian side Vasas were seen off in the first round of the Cup Winners’ Cup, but Sporting Lisbon knocked them out at the next stage.
Tottenham Hotspur
Only Sevilla have lifted the UEFA Cup/Europa League more often than three-time winners Tottenham Hotspur, but their continental debut came in the European Cup back in 1962 after Spurs became the first English club to win the domestic double in the 20th century. An impressive run to the last four, that included a superb win 3-1 over Feyenoord in Rotterdam, was ended by eventual champions Benfica.