West Ham United won the Europa Conference League last season after keeping the faith in manager David Moyes, who was struggling to replicate his past success in the Premier League.
The Hammers currently top their Europa League group after two matches, having qualified for continental competition despite finishing 16th in the league last season after winning the Conference League.
The return to Thursday night football also means that the east London outfit are now enjoying their fourth successive term on the European scene, and will undoubtedly be targetting further silverware after getting a taste in June.
They are doing so without Declan Rice, with the coveted England international joining Arsenal in a £105m transfer in the summer having risen from the Irons academy to a position as one of the game's finest midfielders.
His development will have been galvanising for the club's latest crop of youthful talent to witness, who know that they too could tread the path that the 24-year-old was walked.
Moyes might want to make use of such players to fill the gaps, with a host of first-teamers, including Aaron Cresswell, set to depart at the end of the season.
Is Aaron Cresswell going to leave West Ham?
With multiple aces currently enjoying their final term at West Ham, Moyes and his transfer team will indeed be discussing internally the options possible to continue the rich vein of form that has stretched, by and large, across four campaigns now.
Of course, this will arrive in a blend of new additions, youth players and the inevitable extensions for one or two possible departees.
Player
Age
Tomas Soucek*
28
Pablo Fornals
27
Ben Johnson
23
Vladimir Coufal*
31
Michail Antonio*
33
Conor Coventry
23
Aaron Cresswell
33
Lukasz Fabianski
38
Angelo Ogbonna
35
Divin Mubama
18
Joseph Anang
23
*Club option to extend for another year
One player on the list who likely will be headed for the exit is Cresswell, who would complete a decade of service to United upon his contract's expiry, having joined from Ipswich Town for around £2m in 2014.
Having made 332 appearances, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers were both interested in his signature over the summer but he ultimately remained in London.
Despite his ageing years, Cresswell still maintains his fantastic ball-playing ability, with FBref ranking him among the top 11% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for passes attempted and the top 10% for progressive passes per 90.
The £50k-per-week ace has been a solid and significant stalwart in West Ham's progress over recent years, with his role at the club leading talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino to hail him as an "unsung hero" for the club.
But given that he is out of contract at the end of the campaign, his journey might now be set to reach its culmination, especially given his dwindling presence on the pitch over the past few years.
Because of this, the time might be right to start providing youngster Regan Clayton with added responsibility, with the academy starlet boasting all the attributes to succeed at West Ham and serve as Cresswell's heir.
Who is Regan Clayton?
Clayton has been at West Ham's academy since he was ten, having shone during his formative years and now moves within reach of a senior debut in the not-too-distant future.
Citing Bayern Munich phenom Alphonso Davies as his inspiration, the 18-year-old is electric, unflinching and eager to contribute to offensive passages of play whenever he can, with such dynamic qualities custom-made for a place in a Moyes team.
The club's Scottish manager is perhaps known for his conservative, disciplined philosophy, but would certainly scoff at the 'defensive football' tag at the London Stadium, having scored more goals than Chelsea and Manchester United this season and led West Ham to new, silver-laden heights since his appointment.
A more accurate description is that he instils resilience and solidity and in return breeds fluidity in transition, with overlapping full-backs opening pockets for offensive focal points to work laterally across the frontline.
Clayton would be a fantastic addition to this system, and the teenage talent actually benefits from the rich resources the club currently offers at left-back.
Emerson is considered the Irons' first-choice option, while Ben Johnson offers flexibility across both full-back positions; Cresswell is now a veteran but still brings his creative, rounded skill set to the table.
Davies might be Clayton's idol but it is his senior teammate who is the role model, remarking at the 33-year-old's protean ability across the spectrum of a defender's game.
What is Regan Clayton's style of play?
Now a seasoned veteran at youth level, Clayton has chalked up 90 appearances for the Irons' development squads, posting five goals and assists apiece.
Last season, the prodigy even earned a place on the bench on two occasions in the Conference League for the Hammers – meaning he received a winners medal – emphasising the trust already placed in his ability.
Robson said: “Regan Clayton came in from the U18s and I thought he did excellent when he came on and added some quality, and it’s great we get that level from these lads coming into the U23s.”
One scout was particularly impressed by his displays in a less-favoured centre-back role, claiming that he "has anticipated and defended transitions excellently. Using his intelligence to negate his lack of height at the back."
Such intellect and understanding on the pitch will be crucial in taking the steps towards first-team involvement, but based on the current evidence, he truly is well on the way to realising this.
While Clayton will likely need to build some minutes at U21 level before Moyes decides that he is ready for the senior side, he is set for a big role under Robson this season and could find himself on Premier League soil in no time.
The fact that Emerson, Johnson and co ply their trade at the club should really be viewed as a positive; Clayton can develop and absorb the fruits of his peers' labour, and steadily work his way to the top – a position very much attainable for so talented a prospect.