What a Final Day!
M-U-F-C...OK!
By Chris O'Brien
May 18 2005
The sight of thousands of Baggies stole the back pages as Bryan Robson led West Brom to Premiership safety on 'Survival Sunday' against all the odds. The other big story of the day came at Eastlands, where Robbie Fowler blew Manchester City's chances of Uefa Cup football in hilarious fashion.
It was a superb final day of the Premiership season, with most attention on the scrap for survival between the bottom four. Southampton, Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace were all battling against the drop, but it was the most unlikeliest of outcomes as 'Captain Marvel' Bryan Robson completed an historic great escape to secure Baggies' status amongst England's football elite.
West Brom did the business at the Hawthorns with a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth courtesy of second-half goals from Geoff Horsefield and MUFC loan star Kieran Richardson. With the job done in the Midlands, Baggies fans relied heavily on results from elsewhere knowing that victory for any of the other three struggling clubs would see them make another quick return to the Football League Championship. It didn't happen.
Andrew Johnson looked to have saved Iain Dowie's side when he netted a late penalty to give Crystal Palace a 2-1 lead at the Valley. However, defensive frailties have cost the Londoners points all season and a late header from Jon Fortune saw Charlton Athletic relegate their arch-rivals in the cruellest of fashion. The Eagles were touted as the most likely to stave off relegation from last season's promoted trio, but with only one win on the road all season the passionate supporters of the Selhurst Park outfit were left disappointed.
Norwich City started the day in an optimistic mood, with thousands of supporters, including high-profile owner Delia Smith, travelling from Norfolk to Craven Cottage to watch the Canaries fight the drop. Starting the day in 17th position, Nigel Worthington's side could afford to lose and still have the possibility of beating the drop should the teams below them all suffer defeats - and lose they did! Fulham have hardly had a great season, but they ripped apart the men in yellow and green with a 6-0 drubbing, with Andy Cole netting the final goal. West Brom's victory sent the boys from Carrow Road back to the Championship, whilst Palace's point rubbed salt into the wounds as they ended up in 19th.
"We'll be back to send you down" was what the Red Army sang as they knocked Southampton out of the F.A Cup earlier in the season. We like to keep our promises - and the Saints go marching down! For Manchester United fans, the game was overshadowed by Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover but on the pitch it was all smiles as an early goal from ? was cancelled out by Darren Fletcher and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Over a quarter of a century in the top flight crumbled for Harry Redknapp's side, who have looked out of all sorts all season. And so it was, West Bromwich celebrated late into the night.
The other big issue of the day was for the Uefa Cup spot. Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Spurs were all fighting it out to finish 7th and qualify through the back door for a slot in Europe's second competition. For the red side of Manchester, the events that unfolded made very entertaining viewing with a certain Scouser cocking it all up for the Bitter Blues! Providing Spurs did not win by three goals or more, a win by the most narrow margins against 'Boro would have been enough to send Stuart Pearce's side into the Uefa Cup. To be fair, 'Psycho' has worked wonders with a team who have won nothing for nearly 30 years, and he looked set to have delivered City fans Europe without resorting to the likes of the Fair Play system, as was the case previously. With the score at 1-1, the hosts got a penalty and Robbie Fowler stepped up. The over-paid, over-rated former Liverpool forward blew it - big time! His weak attempt was saved, and the goalless stalemate between Tottenham Hotspur and Blackburn Rovers became irrelevant for our neighbours! Middlesbrough will represent England along with Bolton Wanderers, and probably Liverpool, in the Uefa Cup next term.
The rest of the games proved fairly irrelevant, with only the pride of sneaking into the top half, or gaining the odd league position at stake.
Chelsea, Premiership and League Cup double winners, are now the proud holders of several top-flight records. Jose Mourinho's side have bought their way to success, but achievements including the most clean sheets and fewest goals conceded in a top-flight season must be greatly admired. Their season ended in somewhat unspectacular fashion with a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United. A capacity crowd at St.James' Park watched a Geremi own goal give the hosts a lead, as they searched for consolation in what has been a woeful season on all fronts, only for the simply awesome Frank Lampard to equalise with a penalty only two minutes later.
The gap closed by three points on Arsenal as the donkey that is Emile Heskey capped a fine season with a late strike to seal a surprise 2-1 win for Birmingham City. Arsene Wenger's tedious post-match interview claimed his side weren't really trying. For lessons in effort, he needn't have looked further than the Reebok Stadium where Bolton Wanderers came from behind to defeat Everton 3-2. Both sides will be representing the Premiership in Europe next term, but you have to say Bolton look a better bet for success in the Uefa Cup than the Toffees do in the Champions League. Well done to LMA Manager of the Year David Moyes on his side's great success, but the 7-0 defeat at Highbury was evidence of how they are not ready to tackle Europe's elite and also showed how there are too many opportunities to qualify for the European Cup.
Ahead of the Champions League Final, Liverpool stuttered to a 2-1 win over an unimpressive Aston Villa. A brace from Djibril Cisse sent the Scousers on their way in the first-half, but Gareth Barry hit back with just over twenty minutes on the clock. Spirits on the Kop seemed to have dampened slightly with it looking increasingly unlikely that the Reds will be able to play in next season's Champions League regardless of the result in Istanbul. Never mind, eh? Come on AC Milan!
That's all from an exciting final day, with Southampton, Norwich City and Crystal Palace off the away trip agenda next season. Lancashire's JJB Stadium and the Stadium of Light will welcome the Red Army next season, with Sunderland winning the Football League Championship and Wigan finishing not far behind them after blowing it 12 months ago. ManUtdWeb tips West Ham United in the play-offs, with the boys from Upton Park up against Ipswich Town over two-legs, with the other tie between Derby County and another Lancastrian side, Preston North End.
United end up third, again. Chelsea went untouched on 95 points, a whopping 18 points ahead of our lot. Arsenal were also out of sight in the runners-up slot. Not the best of seasons, but attentions now turn to the F.A Cup Final - everything can be put right with victory over Wenger's wobblers. Fingers crossed as the boys roll on down to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. Come on United! Keep the faith.