BURNLEY boss Brian Laws has started planning for Europe after Fulham’s progression to the Europa League final left the door open for the Clarets to take the fair play place this season.

Burnley are well-placed in the Premier League fair play table and are favourites to earn a spot in the Europa League if Fulham beat Atletico Madrid in this season’s final on May 12.

That would mean entry into the first qualifying round on July 1 and the potential disruption to the Clarets’ pre-season means Laws has already had to start making plans should they qualify.

Burnley have confirmed that they have been granted a UEFA licence – the problem that blocked Portsmouth’s European hopes – and Laws said: “If we can get into Europe, by whatever means, it would be fantastic for the club and the town itself because it spreads our word globally.

“It would give people a big lift from the disappointment of coming out of the Premier League.

“We will all be supporting Fulham now. They are our new club!

“But our pre-season plans would be scrapped because the first competitive game is July 1.

“We would have to start pre-season well in advance of everybody else.

“I’ll have to give the players a plan A and a plan B – get back for this date if this happens and another date if that happens – because they might be leaving the club before we know.”

Burnley still need three things to happen before they qualify for Europe.

Any fair play place is dependent on England remaining in the top three fairest nations in Europe this season.

They were third on December 31 and the final rankings are expected to be published in the next couple of weeks.

If they remain in the top three, the Premier League will automatically receive a place in the Europa League and confirmation of the winners of the English fair play table is likely to come around a week after the end of Burnley’s season.

Arsenal and Tottenham currently lead the league, which is dependent on other factors as well as yellow and red cards, but they have qualified for Europe anyway - meaning third-placed Fulham are the first club who could benefit.

Unless Burnley catch Fulham in the fair play table, which is looking unlikely, Roy Hodgson’s side will take that European place but they would qualify for Europe automatically if they beat Atletico Madrid.

The Clarets, currently sixth in the fair play league behind fellow Europe-bound sides Manchester United and Chelsea, would be next in line if Fulham won the Europa League but they would still need to stay ahead of the likes of West Ham and Wigan in the fair play table.

Burnley’s relegation does not affect their eligibility for European competition, with Ipswich previously qualifying for Europe via the same method despite being dropping out of the top flight.