European football was a long way off then we qualified for the europa league

I think there may be some confusion here!

The Europa League is a European football competition, and qualifying for it is a significant achievement for a football club. However, it's not possible for a club to "qualify for the Europa League" in the sense that it's a destination or a goal, as the Europa League is a competition that already exists.

Instead, clubs compete in various domestic and international competitions, and the winners or runners-up of those competitions earn the right to participate in the Europa League. For example, the winners of the domestic cup competitions in each country typically qualify for the Europa League, as do the teams that finish in certain positions in their domestic league.

So, if you're saying that your club qualified for the Europa League, that's a great achievement! Congratulations to your team!