It’s perhaps befitting that a club that was founded some 131 years ago by worshippers at the Church of England on Star Road, West Kensington stands on the threshold of glory of a somewhat divine nature. It’s perhaps also apt that the 62 year old veteran responsible for this miraculous renaissance at London’s oldest club, has been down this road before in 1997 with Inter Milan, falling agonizingly at the final hurdle, via the lottery of penalty kicks against German opposition in front of his own crowd. Most appropriate of all, from a partisan Ghanaian point of view, is the fact that the former Berekum Arsenal and Liberty Professionals star, John Paintsil- not Pantsil as wrongly inscribed on his number 4 jersey for Fulham F.C- will make history this evening, by taking home UEFA’s inaugural Europa League trophy. Fulham’s journey to Europe’s other showpiece event has bordered on the incredible, a feat akin to that made by two dogs and a cat in travelling all of 300 miles through the Canadian wilderness searching for their beloved masters. Courage, perseverance, belief and loyalty were the tools that ensured that Luath, Bodger and Tao successfully made ‘the incredible journey’ home. To these attributes, Roy Hodgson’s men have added hard work, meticulous planning and sheer doggedness on their own incredible journey to today’s final at the Hamburg Arena. Fulhams’ victim’s have included defending UEFA Cup champions, Shakhtar Donetsk, Italian giants Juventus, Bundesliga Champions Wolfsburg and hosts of the Europa League final itself, Hamburg. The Londoners, in the quarter-finals against Juventus for instance, found themselves 4-1 down on aggregate, staring elimination dead in the face. But Hodgson’s men, seemingly made of sterner stuff, refused to back down. Their 4-1 retaliatory hammering of the ‘Old Lady of Turin’, ignited Fulham’s run to the final where , Quique Flores’s Atletico Madrid remains the last obstacle on their path to unprecedented glory. Fulham’s team is well equipped to cope with whatever the Madridstas will throw at them. Captain Danny Murhphy was part of Liverpool FC’s memorable 5-4 UEFA Cup final win against another Spanish side, Deportivo Alaves. Australian goalie Mark Schwarzer, was part of the Middlesborough team that was humbled by Sevilla 4-0 in the 2006 final. Damien Duff was the left wing ‘terrorist’ of sorts in Jose Mourinho’s all conquering Chelsea team a few years ago. And then there is John Paintsil, the soft-spoken right back who ironically should not even be in the final in the first place. First, he suffered what was thought to be a season ending nasty knee injury in a derby defeat to Chelsea in December and then an administrative error ensured his name remained on Fulham’s squad list to play in Europe when it should in fact have been omitted. Diego Forlan and company are the last of 191 teams standing in the way of Fulham and their first ever major trophy. Sergio Aguero, Simao Sabrosa, Jose Antonio Reyes will hope to play the role of party poopers this evening. The Madrid side are worthy finalists having overcome Galatasaray, Valencia and Liverpool to get this far. The Rojiblancos, are also looking to win their first piece of meaningful silverware since 1996 to put an end to the misery their fans (called the sufferers) have had to endure. Atletico Madrid will start the game as slight favourites but they will have to earn the Europa league against a Fulham side brimming with confidence and backed by overwhelming support. Fulham’s legion of support is inclusive of: neutrals in England, followers of well –travelled Fulham manager Roy Hodgson in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Italy and more ominously, the worshippers from the Church of England on Star Road, West Kensington, who founded this great club in 1879, some 131 years ago. Glory of a divine nature beckons for John Paintsil and his teammates. 22 million Ghanaians pray that they can and will heed their call to glory! The Europa League Final kicks off LIVE at 6:45pm on both Joy Sports and Adom TV, exclusively on Multi-TV, more TV for free. Joseph K.b. Hanson Multi-TV Sports Department