I believe I heard it years ago as an idea to improve English football, I was searching for the rule and found this site that offers the same solution.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2007/11/15/steve_coppell_interview_feature.shtml
Hey wiki is FAST.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_UEFA_European_Football_Championship_qualifying
" Euro 2008 will be the first European Championships or FIFA World Cup since Euro 84 not to feature any teams from the British Isles. "
"..just keep on trying 'till you run out of cake"