Aston Villa sealed their place in Europe with a draw that put them into the InterToto Cup - and cut short their summer holiday.
While the rest of the Premier League can put up their competitive feet until August, Villa will be back in action in seven weeks.
But boss Martin O'Neill believes it is worth taking part in the competition because of the possibility of a UEFA Cup place. He said: "I'd have agreed with people who took the mickey out of the InterToto Cup a few years ago.
"But you don't have to play 17 games now, it's just one two legged match. The only drawback is you may have to come back to training a week early. I think the games are at the end of July, so we'll beback into competitive football earlier than I'd have wanted."
Villa knew a win yesterday would give them at least a place in the InterToto, and direct entry to the UEFA Cup spot if Everton slipped up.
After a nearly scare as Bobby Zamora headed over, Villa started to exert pressure.
Booed mercilessly after his fall-out with the Hammers fans during last year's relegation scrap, Nigel Reo-Coker broke forward and slid the ball through for Gabriel Agbonlahor. The winger's cutback fell perfectly into the path of Ashley Young whose shot thudded back off the post.
Yet it was West Ham who took an eigth-minute lead. Scott Carson got a hand to Nobby Solano's free-kick from just outside the box, but was only able to send the ball into the top corner.
Villa were level six minutes later, Reo-Coker finding Young who rolled the ball across goal and in at the back post.
John Carew and Agbonlahor then fired wide for Villa, before Mark Noble missed with a snap volley at the other end.
With half-time approaching a deflected Zamora shot flew just wide and a block from James Tomkins on Carew ensured the teams were level at the break.
Carew's effort was easily smothered by Robert Green, West Ham's player of the year and the only one to survive every minute of every game in an injury-littered season.
But the keeper needed a goal-line clearance from Noble to prevent Villa going in front after Young's corner found the head of Carew.
Then on 58 minutes Villa found the goal they had been threatening. Gareth Barry ran at the West Ham defence before slipping the ball to Reo-Coker.
Green kept out the shot from his former team-mate but was helpless as Barry tucked in the rebound, the Villa captain running over to celebrate with travelling fans who will be hoping the prospect of European football will tempt him to ignore Liverpool's advances.
Stiliyan Petrov's header off the line two minutes later denied Ashton, then Zamora rattled the bar with a header.
Villa were still attacking, Young dragging a shot wide and Olof Mellberg blasted into the side-netting in his farewell appearance before a free transfer to Juventus.
But Ashton's first-time shot from the edge of the box on 89 minutes ensured West Ham finished with a point.
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JONATHAN PEARCE
ALEC STEWART
THE MOLE