NOT since the Grand Old Duke of York revealed his somewhat bewildering plan to march his 10,000 men up a hill and then back down again has so much effort been put in for so little reward as Scottish clubs trying to qualify for Europe. As we approach the 50th anniversary of having two of our representatives play in a continental final in the space of six days, what was once viewed as an integral component of our leading clubs’ fixture lists, and then latterly as a worthwhile reward for an honest season’s toil, is in danger of being considered more of a nuisance than a badge of honour. It can’t be too far off the point where some clubs begin to wonder if it is really worth the bother at all.

These are changed days indeed. Ask supporters for their greatest memories and many will list unforgettable European nights under the floodlights. Even beyond the obvious highlights of Lisbon '67, Barcelona '72 and Gothenburg '83, there are results that in the modern day seem almost unfathomable; Dundee United winning in the Nou Camp, twice, their rivals from across the street putting eight past Cologne, Dunfermline lashing Valencia 6-2, and Kilmarnock thudding Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1. At each of these clubs – most starved of regular success - these are occasions that have passed into folklore.

It is a different story now, of course. Leaving aside Celtic and their now annual quest to reach the group stage of the Champions League, there is little glory to be found in Scottish football’s increasingly brief odyssey into European football. Hamstrung by a self-perpetuating ever-worsening co-efficient, this year’s continental entrants – Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian – were all out of the Europa League qualifiers before the domestic league campaign had even begun. Along the way there were losses to sides from Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Malta, those defeats sparking the briefest of post-mortems alongside a collective shrugging of the shoulders. This is where Scottish football is now and it won’t get better any time soon.

In a division where for the foreseeable future only one team can win the title, qualifying for Europe has been held up as the reward for those following – but not too closely – in the chasing pack. In truth, it has become more like receiving a present that clubs would probably return if they could.

With Scotland having fallen to 25th in the Uefa club rankings – below European behemoths such as Cyprus, Belarus, and Norway – all three of our Europa League representatives learned this week that they will start their adventure in the first of four qualifying rounds. That means whoever finishes second and third in the Premiership, as well as the Scottish Cup winners (or the fourth-place team should Celtic conclude the treble), lining up for a competitive match before June is even out, just a month and two days after the cup final.

Summer football has, therefore, arrived in Scotland by stealth. Those clubs involved – Aberdeen, Rangers and Hearts, based on current standings and assuming Celtic win the cup – will then be forced with the dilemma of either reducing their players’ close season break and recovery time, or accepting they will head into European competition ill-prepared to meet that challenge properly. It is a vicious circle to which there is little solution as long at the status quo remains in place.

Switching to a proper summer season – playing from February/March until November – would ensure clubs were in their stride by the time they returned to the European arena but such a move, although backed by figures such as Brendan Rodgers, is likely to be met by hostile opposition. In the meantime, Scottish clubs will continue to enjoy stays in Europe shorter than most people spend on their summer holidays.

It is a slightly different picture for Celtic as they look to repeat this season’s feat of making the group phase of the Champions League but once more there are hurdles that must be overcome. Again, they must pick their way delicately through three qualifying rounds – they failed to win any of their away ties in this year’s qualifiers, losing in Gibraltar and Israel, and drawing in Kazakhstan – although with Rodgers now comfortably ensconced in the manager’s seat they ought to be better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead this summer.

It will get more fraught for the Scottish champions in future years, however. From 2018, when the Big Four of Spain, Germany, Italy and England are guaranteed 16 places in the group stage, it is expected the amount of berths available for those coming through the champions’ path will be reduced from five to three.

The prospect of having to play four qualifying rounds – as with the Europa League entrants – grows ever likely, too. Celtic, along with clubs from similar-sized nations, have this week been lobbying for the Champions League to be expanded to 48 teams from the current 32, but the bigger, more powerful clubs instead want to go the other way and reduce it to 24 in what would effectively be creating a closed shop. European football used to be so vital for Scottish clubs. Soon those memories may be all we have left.