bradley headstone
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Posted: April 30th 2009
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While the Football season ends at the very end of May, for most Football fans the season is over. The majority of teams cannot go up or down or win any trophy worth remembering.
So what do we do now? There’s always the vicarious pleasure watching other fans’ pleasure and pain I suppose. I am vaguely interested in who wins the Premier League, though in truth I take a little more pleasure in watching the ‘big’ teams bugger up! Liverpool's recent goal bonanza’s have been enjoyable though I can’t help but think I’m enjoying Mr Potato Head Rafa’s inability to impose his footballing truths on teams who should know better than to stand in his righteous team’s way.
Manchester United have taken to teasing their fans, crossing the line playing like Manchester City has added fresh impetus to a season destined to end in a dull, predictable five trophies. Sir Fergie has joined in with the charade. The FA cup semi final was devalued enough by its double header at Wembley so it was no surprise that United rolled out its B team for the day. Ignoring possibly the most blatant penalty I’ve ever seen, they got exactly what they deserved and they even got the penalty back the following week!
I’ve tried to add a bit of interest to the end of season by picking up on some interesting stories to get me through to the summer. I’ve mentioned before that Rochdale may be the least honoured team in history and I’m keenly following their hunt for promotion. They must be delighted. Since I showed an interest they’ve dropped out of contention for automatic promotion and although a draw at doomed Luton secured a play off spot they head towards them in a wretched run of form. My fingers are firmly crossed.
In the division currently known as League one, you have to admire Leicester bouncing straight back up. It’s not easy for a ‘big’ club to get out of that league, ask Sheffield Wednesday, QPR, Nottingham Forest and particularly Leeds. It’s not a lot of fun.
Peterborough has achieved successive promotions and if they can hang on to Ferguson junior must be fancied to do well again next year. The play offs will be fascinating. Leeds, Millwall and MK Dons…so many reasons to dislike them all. Whether it’s Scunthorpe or Tranmere taking the final spot there will be a groundswell of support for the plucky final team.
The Championship has probably been the worst in living memory. The top teams having been desperate to avoid going up. But three teams have to be promoted and Wolves made the unforgivable error of winning too many games early and have become champions by default. Birmingham with one game to go appear to be trying to tease Sheffield United, a dangerous strategy, taunting a litigious club like that!
I can’t say I’m thrilled by the potential play off line up. The fight to be the third club expected to be relegated next year ought to be compelling, not this year though.
Should Preston creep in, I’d root for them. Mostly because they’ve gone close recently and the Premiership deserves John Parkin.
The bottom evokes more sympathy. Charlton were for many years everyone’s idea of how a club should be run. They condemned themselves by sacking Ian Dowie after a handful of games in the Prem and disaster has ensued. I take no pleasure in Southampton’s predicament; many fans being manipulated by hopeless owners will look at them and wonder when it’ll be their turn. The 10-point deduction has to be right though. The loopholes must be closed.
As to who joins them, well Bryan Gunn is much liked and it would be nice to see a man who has his club at heart succeed, but I fear it’s unlikely. Barnsley by a strange mix of belligerence, grit and a myriad of Latin imports will probably have too much to go down.
Nottingham Forest, despite employing horrible shouty Billy Davies have improbably survived. Mostly it was down to a quite brilliant delve into the loan market. McSheffery from Brum, Gunther from Spurs, Osbourne from Villa and Blackstock from QPR are four quality players and they’ve driven the hapless Forest to a point where they can crack open the cigars when playing doomed Southampton on the last day.
Elsewhere we can note that Burton Albion dragged themselves into the football league despite an appalling record in recent months. AFC Wimbledon took another step towards their ultimate dream of overtaking the MK Dons by getting into the Conference (that’ll be the League Formerly Known as The Conference...? – pernickety Ed.). FC United of Manchester, created to annoy Manchester United have had their rise through the leagues halted for now after they failed to make the play offs in the Unibond premier.
Back in the stratosphere surrounding the mortal football world, there must be a fair number of us hoping that Pep Guardiola and the Barcelona globetrotters can embarrass a Premier League giant or two. Whether they can impose their sublime attacking style on Chelsea at the Bridge having failed to do so at home is debatable, but a final line up with United or Arsenal would be something to savour…and would keep me watching.
But as the pouring rain signals April moving onto May one footballing thought dominates all others. For all the Ronaldos, Lampards, Stevie Gs and Theos that the Premier League celebrates, it’s the Phil Jagielkas of football that fans truly identify with.
He’s a very good footballer, adaptable, wholehearted and consistent. Good teams are built on players like this. As fans we often overlook this type of player, preferring instead more ephemeral delights. We accept that they’ll not have long international careers, (Jagielka was thoroughly Villa’d in Spain recently), but that just makes them try harder for their club.
So it was particularly sad that a freak slip has led to a serious knee injury that will prevent him taking his place in the FA Cup final. Its not just that Everton will miss him, it’s the reminder of the perilous career length of the modern footballer. Even if you can’t bring yourself to be concerned over a decently paid player’s future, think about the countless players up and down the leagues that are nursing potentially career threatening injuries with the possibility of no club to support them. I hope Jagielka gets another day in the sun.