In the 21st century, finishing inside the Premier League's top four can be celebrated as much as winning the whole thing altogether. The riches of qualifying for the Champions League can prove transformative.
That's what took Tottenham from just another top-flight team to a member of the 'Big Six'. Since their first qualification in 2010, only three sides from beyond that bracket have cracked the top four - 2015-16 champions Leicester City, Newcastle United in 2022-23, and Aston Villa in 2023-24.
It's proven a pretty closed shop towards the top of the table. The views from the summit's peak are mostly exclusive and often a once-in-a-generation look for the outsider.
As Newcastle and Villa are discovering this season, it's one thing to crash the Champions League party, but another to stay and make yourself feel welcome. Both have stumbled through the campaign and are unlikely to rank fourth or higher come May. But just why have they found it so hard to maintain that previously upward trajectory?
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