End of 2004/2005 Season Part 2

Today the final placings in the Premiership were decided. Everton secured their Champions League place for next season last week yet still managed to finish the season with a negative goal difference. It wouldn't surprise me if this is the first time an entrant in the Champions League has finished with a negative goal difference. They probably won't qualify for the group stages anyway as they are quite useless as they showed by losing 7-0 to Arsenal.

Middlesborough secured the last UEFA Cup spot with a draw against Man City who would have claimed it if Robbie Fowler had not have missed a penalty in the last minute. Still, he couldn't have a more understanding manager in Stuart Pearce.

Relegation was the main issue of the day though with the live matches shown on Sky being Norwich who had their destiny in their own hands only to throw it away losing 6-0 though they were unlucky not to have 2 penalties and a goal disallowed while it was 1-0. After 2-0 though it was all Fulham so I tuned in to Southampton v Man Utd. Southampton had led but Man Utd ended up 2-1 victors leaving Southampton bottom of the table.

When it went to 2-1, I switched to Sky Sports News for news of West Brom and Crystal Palcace's matches. West Brom had just taken the lead thanks to ex-Halifax star "super" Deoff Horsfield. Palace then took the lead with a penalty with Lionel Richie look-a-like Chris Kamara saying "It's unbelievable! Charlton lead! I mean Palace lead! Unbelievable!" West Brom then scored again but Portsmouth fans didn't seem too bothered as they knew Southampton's 27 year top division reign was coming to an end. With 8 minutes to go, Charlton equalised in the south east London derby which sent Palace back into the drop zone and that was how it stayed. Everyone happy at The Hawthorns but tears everywhere else. Hard luck to fans of the relegated (possibly 2 semi regular readers) but look forward to season in the top half next season and hopefully coming back to top league. All in all though a very exciting afternoon.