As Newcastle won their first major trophy for 70 years on Sunday, West Ham should have been happy for them.
As clubs with massive, passionate fanbases who have spent far too much of their storied histories living in the shadows of rivals, West Ham and Newcastle share a lot in common.
Some Hammers fans have often referred to Newcastle as ‘the West Ham of the north’. It’s also been said in the other direction that the Hammers are ‘the Geordies of the south’.
West Ham and Newcastle United fans are demanding but fiercely loyal.
Both fanbases will let you know when they’re not happy with something.
On the flip side, though, few clubs match the kind of adoration the Magpies and Hammers will afford those who win their hearts.
There aren’t many clubs’ fans who love a maverick striker more than those of West Ham and Newcastle.
And of course, the limited glory both have had, ties them together too.
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West Ham had their long overdue day in the sun less than two years ago with that Europa Conference League victory.
Many Newcastle fans congratulated their Hammers counterparts at the time, wishing it was them.
West Ham know how Newcastle feel more than most having not won a domestic trophy since 1980.
As serial winners of the biggest titles, Liverpool had few neutral fans when they faced Eddie Howe’s side in the Carabao Cup final.
But Newcastle’s triumph adds to West Ham’s pain as Graham Potter risks wasting a big second chance.
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Newcastle triumph adds to West Ham’s pain
Dan Burn and Aleksander Isak were the heroes as the Geordies finally got their hands on some long-awaited and deserved silverware in a 2-1 win at Wembley.
Make no mistake east London was happy for the Toon.
But as the realisation of what it could means dawns on West Ham, it will leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
Some have labelled this the worst Premier League season for years.
It certainly has been for West Ham.
Whatever your view, it has been one of the most wide open in the last 12 years outside of the title and relegation battles.
That meant the points needed to qualify for Europe are also set to be among the lowest for over a decade.
Potter risks wasting big second chance for Hammers
After consecutive three years of European adventures, West Ham have sorely missed playing on the continent this season.
The hope and aim ahead of the season, after spending £155m and appointing ex Real Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui, was to get back there.
Lopetegui and Tim Steidten left the Hammers in a mess, though.
It has been a season wasted, especially given how many so-called top sides are struggling or in transition.
West Ham fans feel they should have been waiting to pounce and take advantage of that fact.
After all, who knows when the chance might present itself again?
It emerged recently that European places could astonishingly go down as low as 11th place this season.
But while Potter has improved certain aspects at West Ham in his first two months, there has been no massive new manager bounce in terms of results.
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
How West Ham may have squandered a second shot at Europe
The Premier League is now guaranteed an extra Champions League place this season.
Newcastle have won the League Cup – which is rewarded with a Conference League play-off spot – and are on course to qualify for Europe via their league position anyway.
That means the European places look almost certain to drop at least as low as eighth or ninth.
That is quite sickening for West Ham.
Even an average season would have seen the Hammers in the mix for a return to Europe.
But things could taken an even more sickening twist yet for the Hammers.
And Potter is risking wasting a massive opportunity if they do.
Because that crazy scenario where the European spots could drop as low as 10th or 11th is edging closer to being a reality after Newcastle’s triumph.
Yet West Ham’s failure to catch fire under Potter as yet sees them effectively eight points off 11th placed Brentford given their vastly inferior goal difference.
It will take some run in the last nine games to overhaul a deficit that big.
If the Euro spots do drop that low then West Ham will be left kicking themselves for their missteps this season.
How European places could go to the teams as low as 10th or 11th in the Premier League
Champions League
The top four teams in the Premier League qualify for the league phase of the Champions League.
The fifth-placed team will now also likely get a Champions League spot due to the UEFA coefficient for progress in competitions.
Europa League qualification
Two Europa League places are given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria:
– The fifth-placed team in the Premier League qualify for the league phase (or the sixth-placed team if the top five clubs qualify for the Champions League).
– The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the league phase.
Conference League qualification
The EFL Cup winners qualify for the playoff stage of the Conference League.
How and why European qualifications change
If the FA Cup winners have qualified for the Champions League or the Europa League via their Premier League position, or by winning the Champions League, their Europa League place will go to the next-highest ranked team who have not already qualified for UEFA competitions.
If the EFL Cup winners have qualified for the Champions League or Europa League via their Premier League position, or by winning either of those European competitions, their Conference League playoff place will go to the next-highest ranked team in the Premier League who have not already qualified for Europe
– Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City all qualify for the Champions League as the top four teams
– Newcastle qualify for Europe via league position, with UEFA awarding an extra place for English clubs’ performances in Europe this season
– Brighton & Hove Albion qualify for the Europa League by finishing sixth
– AFC Bournemouth finish seventh and qualify for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup
– Chelsea finish eighth and qualify for the Europa League by winning the Conference League
– Aston Villa finish ninth and qualify for the Champions League by winning that competition this season
– Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur finish 10th and qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League
In the example above, the Conference League place earned by Newcastle for winning the EFL Cup could not be allocated to any of the top 10 teams, as they would all have qualified for another European competition.
It would therefore go to the team in the next-highest Premier League position: 11th.