Tonight, Tottenham become only the second team outside the traditional 'Big Four' to have a pop at the Champions League since 2003 when Newcastle finished third. The only other side to have broken the quadopoly was Everton in 2004/05, and Spurs fans would do well to remember how that worked out.
After fighting hard for an entire season, scraping lucky result after lucky result (a particularly painful and ludicrously fortunate Marcus Bent wondergoal at St Marys that year still haunts me) the Toffees had to overcome the Yellow Submarine of Villarreal in their qualifier. They narrowly succumbed to the torpedo attack led by Riquelme; and came away with the feeling that nine months of effort went ultimately unrewarded - being beaten early in the consolation of the UEFA Cup just rubber stamped this.
Fortunately for everyone at Tottenham, they face much less 'stiffer' opposition in Young Boys of Berne, who earnt their place by finishing as runners up in their domestic league. They were narrowly beaten on the final day by Bigger Boys FC, who's physical presence, intimidatory tactics and stealing of lunch money had the Young Boys rattled.
Based on the strength of their squad, and the bright start to the season opener against Man City, Tottenham should certainly have enough to cope with this level of opponent, plastic pitch or not. They will be fully expecting to make it through to the group stages and the glamour and excitement that the tests within will bring. It will be extremely foolhardy however to expect this to be a walkover, no team reaches this level without having something about them - the likes of Rubin Kazan and Unirea Urziceni demomstrated that last year.
Perhaps the biggest factor to cock things up for Spurs (that is actually a brilliant pun believe it or not) could be the inexperience at this level of a significant portion of their squad. Not perhaps the players themselves - many of them have experienced Champs League football before - but just the club as an entity. This is what they have been working towards for so long, they are almost there - will they crack?
The holy grail is within reach, but like that stupid Nazi at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - act too quickly, get carried away; and your head will melt off and leave you a hideous misshapen mess that no-one can bear to look at without screaming.
Hmm...
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