Teams in European competition not from the top flight

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crooky

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16 Sep 2012
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This random question popped in my head and I reckon you knowledgeable lot would know a few teams. Basically I'm looking for any examples of teams that have been in European competition (Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Cup, European Cup etc) who were not in their respective countries top flight the year they played in Europe.

Only one I can think of is Millwall back in 2004-2005 but I'm sure there's more.

EDIT: I think Wigan may have done it recently as well?
 
crooky said:
This random question popped in my head and I reckon you knowledgeable lot would know a few teams. Basically I'm looking for any examples of teams that have been in European competition (Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Cup, European Cup etc) who were not in their respective countries top flight the year they played in Europe.

Only one I can think of is Millwall back in 2004-2005 but I'm sure there's more.
Click to expand...
Wigan
 
WHU in the 80's after beating Arsenal in the FA cup the season before.

Edit 1980-81, Cup Winners Cup.
 
FC Zürich this season pal. They won the Swiss Cup but got relegated too. Hibs competed in the Europa League qualifiers too despite being in the 2nd division having won the Scottish Cup last season.

It happens from time to time, but I think in England they've changed the rules so that only the winner of the competition gets a European spot now, meaning the likes of Millwall would have missed out.
 
Many Welsh teams used to qualify for the Cup Winners Cup by winning the Welsh cup but still playing in England. Newport County (80-81 CWC 1/4 finals), Wrexham (75-76 CWC 1/4 finals), (Cardiff City (67-68 CWC 1/2 final), Atalanta from Serie B (87-88 CWC 1/2 final) and Birmingham (11/12 Europa League) from the championship to go with those already mentioned.
 
Birmingham, Millwall, Wigan, Cardiff, Atalanta (reached semi final of the CWC as a Serie B side) and of course Newport County.
 
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