Hammers through to the last eight to play Lyon of France in the Europa League.

 Hammers through to the last eight to play Lyon of France in Europa League quarter finals.

They told us it would never happen. They were quite clearly wrong. They told us to stop living in dreamland. We were just wishful thinkers with our heads in the clouds. In fact they insisted that we'd never get anywhere as remotely close to a Europa League final. And although they may have a point some of us do believe in miracles. It all came true last night and just for a moment or two that was good enough.

Last night West Ham United reached the quarter finals of the Europa League. Now there's a sentence that none of us could have possibly uttered without cracking into a guffawing laugh. In fact if West Ham do overcome Lyon of France in the last eight of the Europa League some of us might have been tempted to believe that Hans Christian Andersen was a real character. The prospect that could await them in the semi final is a potential meeting with the legendary Barcelona and that would be an astonishing achievement given everything West Ham have been through in recent seasons.

But first things first. West Ham were worthy winners over Sevilla despite the 1-0 deficit the East Londoners had to overhaul. In theory West Ham's first leg defeat in Spain was never the end of the world and there was nothing daunting about the challenge West Ham may have faced since the tie was always evenly balanced anyway. 

For much of the game yesterday evening Sevilla may have been the weavers of a thousand, intricate and well stitched passing movements but there came a point when they seemed to drop just a few. West Ham must have known that the Spanish mentality was that of a nation who had once won World Cups and European Championships. So it was that the team from the pretty, orange growing region of Seville gave us an impressive lesson in controlled possession, arty, bohemian football and cultured approach work. 

Of course Seville are no Real or Atletico Madrid and Barcelona may have put them firmly in their place but they did come to East London with a plan which looked as though it might pay off but failed miserably in the final third. They came to dominate and then overwhelm West Ham with their well structured approach work but West Ham had much left in the tank after their exertions in Spain last week. 

And so it is that West Ham go marching ahead into a last eight place. For those who can remember it this morning's Europa League draw pitted the Hammers together in a potential final four meeting with a name from the past. In 1976 West Ham met Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi finals of the European Cup Winners Cup. After losing the first leg in Germany, West Ham returned to London with a renewed confidence. The tie was still intriguingly poised and any positive result would have taken them into the European Cup Winners Cup Final against the mighty Anderlecht, one of Belgium's leading sides. This they did with some comfort. 

In the final, however there was a palpable air of gloom and sombreness as West Ham were eventually outlclassed by an outstanding  Anderlecht team including one Francois Van Der Elst who would later sign for the East London club. After going behind in the Final, West Ham levelled the game before the Belgians regained a slender lead before Pat Holland and Keith Robson scored for the Hammers. Anderlecht though had a Robbie Rensenbrink at his most masterful and Van Der Elst who was just an extremely clever forward. Anderlecht would score a third and fourth. The rest is history. 

Fast forward 45 years and West Ham are two matches away from their first European final since that classic game against Anderlecht. From this view it still feels like one of those impossible dreams that may just fizzle out. Still, West Ham have fond memories of Dutch artists Den Haag in 1976 when everybody must have thought their chances were fairly negligible even then. But then there was Eintracht Frankfurt and to those who trust encouraging omens this could be the one you're looking for. 

On the final whistle last night a vast throng of West Ham fans totalling almost 60,000 fervent and loyal partisans gave full vent to their feelings. The London Stadium last found itself in truly ecstatic voice when Mo Farah kicked beautifully to the front before winning Olympic gold for Team GB. Now though West Ham will be permanent residents at this remarkable piece of architecture. It did feel as if the nervousness of those first, few seasons at the London Stadium had lifted and and an overwhelming anxiety had become replaced by a carefree optimism. It could be the kind of season that may yet go down as one of the most unforgettable of all times for West Ham. Oh for those claret and blue bubbles.