PHIL Brown believes Wanderers have what it takes to qualify for Europe this season, provided they can keep their nerve.

"We are so close now that you can almost touch it, feel it and taste it," said the Wanderers assistant manager.

"We just have to make sure we hold ourselves together."

Wanderers put themselves in the UEFA Cup frame when they moved up to sixth place in the Premiership after beating Manchester City at Eastlands on Monday. And they go into Saturday's sixth round FA Cup clash with Arsenal at the Reebok, knowing they have an alternative route to Europe, should they need it.

Brown is confident Sam Allardyce has the players to handle the European challenge .

"In that respect Sam has recruited wisely," he said. "He's got players here who have the desire to get there.

"We have something like 16 or 17 players who are equipped to get us there, for sure. We may need a little bit more when we get there but, yes, I think many of them are well equipped to go into Europe.

"It's just a matter of getting us over that finishing line and I believe the players have what it takes to get us there. We've waited long enough, now we're in touching distance."

While Allardyce would prefer to qualify for Europe by winning the FA Cup, Brown believes the Premiership route would be a fiitting reconition for the progress Wanderers have made.

He said: "I understand Sam wanting to win something but, for me, the league is always the be-all and end-all when it comes to judging how good you are.

"And to be so close with so many people wanting it. You think of fans like Dave Higson, who we sadly lost recently and other members of the brethren who dreamed of watching Wanderers in Europe. And all the ex-players who contributed and who still have the club at heart.

"They will all be wanting us to do it. Now it's just a case of holding it together."