CHECK the passport is in date, stock up on the miniature toiletries and invest in a map of Eastern Europe. Burnley are going on a European tour.

Theoretically there remains a ‘what if’ scenario, but nobody is seriously considering it. It would require the Clarets to lose their last two games, Everton to win twice and a 15 goal swing. It’s not going to happen.

Instead Sean Dyche and his staff can start planning for Europe. This is new territory for them. It’s new territory for almost all of us.

There will inevitably be questions about the impact it will have on Burnley’s season, but that can wait. For now the moment is to be enjoyed. It’s 51 years since the Clarets last graced the European stage.

None of us saw this coming when Dyche was appointed. None of us saw it coming in August. But here it is.

The only shame is that a return to Europe couldn’t be secured with the win that it has deserved in a season that has scaled ever greater heights.

There’s been many memorable matches during 2017/18, but this wasn’t one of them, notable more for controversy stirring off the pitch than any incident on it. Over 180 minutes these sides have failed to muster a goal this season and bar a bright finish to the first half from the Clarets one never looked like arriving at Turf Moor.

That was probably no great surprise. Brighton are edging themselves to safety, a sizeable achievement for Chris Hughton’s side, while for Dyche’s men the job has been all but done since that win over Leicester City. They are beginning to ease down after a long season and with a new one set to dawn earlier than ever nobody can begrudge them that.

After three days off last week it certainly took them a little while to go through the gears on Saturday, with Bruno volleying the first presentable chance wide for Brighton from Pascal Gross’ corner.

Burnley’s best chance came midway through the first half in a frantic goalmouth scramble which saw Mat Ryan deny Ashley Barnes and Jack Cork inside the six-yard box, before scooping the loose ball away from his own goalline. James Tarkowski kept it alive with an improvised backheel across the box but Kevin Long could then only hit a post from a matter of yards out.

It was Lewis Dunk who eventually forced the ball behind, although the Clarets felt he’d done so with a hand. There was an even more obvious handball later in the half when Long’s header struck Bruno’s arm, but again Roger East waved the appeals away. It’s been so long since Burnley have had a Premier League penalty - 41 games and counting - that nobody will be quite sure who is supposed to take it.

This all came during the Clarets’ best spell, with Ashley Barnes’ flicked shot from Matt Lowton’s low cross going straight at Ryan, who then pushed away Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s 20-yard free-kick.

The was that the bright end to the first half would be the start of Burnley’s dominance, instead it turned out to be the high point. The break ended their momentum.

The second half quickly turned into a scrappy affair, a stop-start contest that suited neither side and never developed a narrative.

Nick Pope was forced into a comfortable save at this near post from Gross, while for Burnley Chris Wood was crowded out by Bruno as he charged into the box.

The script should have seen Burnley seal their European spot with a win, but not everything runs to plan. Instead they had to settle for a draw, but it’s job done.