text: It may an unorthodox way of achieving European qualification, but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce would welcome doing so through UEFA's Respect and Fair Play rankings. The top three nations in UEFA's rankings qualify for the Europa League, with England currently sitting third and West Ham topping the Barclays Premier League's Fair Play table. West Ham have little left to play for as they sit ninth ahead of Saturday's match with bottom-club Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Yet they could achieve European qualification regardless of where they end up in the Premier League by finishing top of the Fair Play table. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce wants the club to qualify for Europe next season through Fair Play . It is a case of the fewer yellow and red cards the better for Allardyce, but the West Ham manager insists he has not instructed his players to keep their discipline at all costs. Asked if his players should tone down their commitment for the final eight games, Allardyce said: 'I haven't told them that. 'If we have done what we have done all season and we have been as good as we have been I shouldn't really need to tell them any more. 'For us as a team to be where we are at this stage of the season shows that we have played the game in the right way and the right manner and achieved something that is out there to promote the game in the right fashion.' Allardyce shouts instructions at his Bolton players during a UEFA Cup match against Besiktas in 2005 . Allardyce led Bolton Wanderers into UEFA Cup qualification for the first time in the club's history in 2005, and knows first hand how it can attract players in the transfer market. 'It was never easy but there were players of much higher quality interested in coming to Bolton, there is no doubt about that,' Allardyce added. 'The journey may not be great financially, but it is not the financial journey we look for as footballers and managers – it is the experience. 'It is the fact that you are competing in Europe which in itself may help in some of your recruitment areas – however you have got there.' Bolton forward Stelios Giannakopoulos scores a goal against Marseille in the UEFA Cup back in 2006 .
target: West Ham are currently top of the Fair Play rankings in the Premier League .
  Should they finish there at the end of the season, they could qualify for the Europa League next term .
  Sam Allardyce is well aware of the benefits of being able to offer European football to players in the transfer market .
  Allardyce led Bolton Wanderers to UEFA Cup qualification in 2005 .