No success for English teams in final years

No team from the United Kingdom managed to lift the UEFA Cup in the final seven years of the competition before it was re-vamped and renamed the Europa League.

Up to that point, British clubs had enjoyed 10 triumphs − four in the Fairs Cup contest and six in the UEFA Cup.

In 2002-03, Celtic made it all the way to the final but lost by the odd goal in five to Porto in Seville.

Qualifying round: Vaduz (Liechtenstein)-Livingston 1-1, 0-0 (1-1). Aberdeen-Nistru Otaci (Moldova) 1-0, 0-0 (1-0). Avenir Beggen (Luxembourg)-Ipswich Town 0-1, 1-8 (1-9).

First round: Aberdeen-Hertha Berlin 0-0, 0-1 (0-1). Ipswich-Sartid Smederevo (Yugoslavia) 1-1, 1-0 (2-1). Chelsea-Viking FK (Stavanger) 2-1, 2-4 (4-5). FK Viktoria Zizkov-Rangers 2-0, 1-3 (3-3 aet). Leeds-Metalurg (Ukraine) 1-0, 1-1 (2-1). Sturm Graz-Livingston 5-2, 3-4 (8-6). Hajduk Split-Fulham 0-1, 2-2 (2-3). Celtic-Suduva 8-1, 2-0 (10-1). Blackburn Rovers-CSKA Sofia 1-1, 3-3 (4-4).

Second round: Ipswich-Slovan Liberec 1-0, 0-1 (1-1; 2-4 pens). Dinamo Zagreb-Fulham 0-3, 1-2 (1-5). Leeds-Hapoel Tel-Aviv 1-0, 4-1 (5-1). Celtic-Blackburn-Rovers 1-0, 2-0 (3-0).

Third round: Vitesse-Liverpool 0-1, 0-1 (0-2). Malaga-Leeds 0-0, 2-1 (2-1). Hertha Berlin-Fulham 2-1, 0-0 (2-1). Celtic-Celta Vigo 1-0, 1-2 (2-2).

Fourth round: Celtic-Stuttgart 3-1, 2-3 (5-4). Auxerre-Liverpool 0-1, 0-2 (0-3).

Quarter-finals: Celtic-Liverpool 1-1, 2-0 (3-1).

Semi-finals: Celtic-Boavista 1-1, 1-0 (2-1).

Final: (Sevilla, May 21) Celtic-Porto 2-3 aet.

Celtic formation: Douglas, Mjallby, Balde, Valgaeren (Laur-sen), Agathe, Lambert (McNamara), Lennon, Petrov (Mahoney), Thompson, Larsson, Sutton.

In season 2003-04, after the buoyant performance by Celtic who went down to Jose Mourinho’s Porto in the final, Newcastle just missed out on a place in the ultimate showdown.

Qualifying round: Vllaznia (Albania)-Dundee 0-2, 0-4 (0-6). Manchester City-Llansantffraid (Wales) 5-0, 2-0 (7-0).

First round: Dundee-Perugia 1-2, 0-1, 1-3. Newcastle-NAC Breda 5-0, 1-0 (6-0). Hearts-Zeljeznicar (Bos-nia) 2-0, 0-0 (2-0). Genclerbirligi-Blackburn 3-1, 1-1 (4-2). Olimpija Ljubljana-Liverpool 1-1, 0-3 (1-4). Man. City-Lokeren 3-2, 1-0 (4-2). Southampton-Steaua 1-1, 0-1 (1-2).

Second round: Man. City-Grod-zisk (Poland) 1-1, 0-0 (1-1). Steaua Bucurest-Liverpool 1-1, 0-1 (1-2). Basel-Newcastle 2-3, 0-1 (2-4). Bordeaux-Hearts 0-1, 2-0 (2-1).

Third round: Celtic-Teplice 3-0, 0-1 (3-1). Liverpool-Levski Sofia 2-0, 4-2 (6-2). Valerenga-Newcastle 1-1, 1-3 (2-4).

Fourth round: Celtic-Barcelona 1-0, 0-0 (1-0). Newcastle-Mallorca 4-1, 3-0 (7-1). Liverpool-Marseille 1-1, 1-2 (2-3).

Quarter-finals: Celtic-Villarreal 1-1, 0-2 (1-3). PSV Eindhoven-Newcastle 1-1, 1-2 (2-3).

Semi-finals: Newcastle-Marseille 0-0, 0-2 (0-2).

In season 2004-05, when the group phase was introduced, Newcastle this time made it to the last eight of the tournament but went down to Sporting Lisbon.

First round: Hearts-Braga 3-1, 2-2 (5-3). Newcastle-Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin 2-0, 5-1 (7-1). Millwall-Ferencvaros 1-1, 1-3, (2-4). Middlesbrough-Banik Ostrava 3-0, 1-1 (4-1). CS Maritimo-Rangers 1-0, 0-1 (1-1, 2-4 pens).

Group A: Feyenoord-Hearts 3-0. Hearts-Schalke 0-4. Basel-Hearts 1-2. Hearts-Ferencvaros 0-1.

Group D: Panionios-Newcastle 0-1. Newcastle-D. Tbilisi 2-0. Sochaux-Newcastle United 0-4. Newcastle-Sporting 1-1.

Group E: Aigaleo (Greece)-Middlesbrough 0-1. Middlesbrough-Lazio 2-0. Villarreal-Middlesbrough 2-0. Middlesbrough- Partizan 3-0.

Group F: Amica Wronki-Rangers 0-5. Rangers-Grazer 3-0. Rangers-Auxerre 0-2. AZ Alkmaar-Rangers 1-0.

Intermediate round: Graz-Middlesbrough 2-2, 1-2 (3-4). Heerenveen-Newcastle United 1-2, 1-2 (2-4).

Second round: Middlesbrough-Sporting 2-3, 0-1 (2-4). Olympiakos-Newcastle 1-3, 0-4 (1-7).

Quarter-finals: Newcastle-Sporting 1-0, 1-4 (2-4).