It has certainly been a memorable season for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners will have fantastic memories of beating both Inter and AC Milan in their maiden Champions League voyage and it only ended when they lost to the nine-time winners in Real Madrid in the quarter finals.

But this historic year looks like it will end in disappointment for Spurs, who lie in fifth place with five games left, four points behind Manchester City and with a resurgent Liverpool breathing down their neck in sixth.

Even with a showdown against Manchester City next Tuesday, Tottenham still have it all to do to qualify for the Champions League once again and have a chance to recreate the memories of their European tour this campaign.

Would fifth place be a bad season for Tottenham? When Harry Redknapp arrived in 2008 they were in the relegation zone and it was an incredible achievement to qualify for the top four last season, infiltrate the “big four” following Liverpool’s demise and overcome the billionaires at Eastlands.

Everton were the last club to infiltrate the “big four” in 2005 but while this was regarded as a triumph, David Moyes’ men were not expected to do it every season. Given that Spurs have players like Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart it seems like they have set a precedent to be part of the “big four” themselves.

The fear for Tottenham is that without Champions League football it would be hard to hold on to these types of players. Everyone who is anyone is interested in PFA player of the year Bale, with Chelsea apparently putting together a £40million bid, and Manchester United are also keeping a close eye on Modric.

There is also the money aspect. Last season every club was given over £6million for competing in Europe’s top competition, money that helped pay for van der Vaart on deadline day. Clubs like Manchester City do not need that money but for Spurs, who aren’t poor but by the same token do not have a sugar daddy, money like this can really help matters especially given the Europa League only pays out £900,000.

Romantics would say that the exciting, expansive, fast tempo football that Tottenham play in matches like the 3-3 draw with Arsenal belongs in the Champions League. But why should a team who cannot beat West Brom, Wigan, West Ham, Wolves and Blackpool expect to be able to compete alongside Barcelona and the other giants of European football?

The battle for fourth has become a great mini-league since Tottenham and Manchester City got in the mix and perhaps it is Totteham’s huge desire to get there and build a history to match Liverpool’s and win the money to take another step towards Manchester City’s financial muscle that drives them on. But they should take a reality check and realise they are doing well to be up there and simply competing for Champions League football shows how far they have come.