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THE WEEKEND THAT WAS 5-5-06
Kean Thomas
THE WEEKEND THAT WAS IS SPONSORED BY PADDY POWER - CLICK THE BANNER FOR A FREE TEN QUID BET
The Season That Was...
Or... One Season In Four Days.
Part 1
What a difference a year makes. This time last year we were celebrating a 1-1 draw with Manchester City that ensured our return to the Uefa Cup competition. Wigan, West Ham and Sunderland were dreaming of Premiership survival. Newcastle were the biggest club in the land. Chelsea were celebrating their first league title in fifty years. Everyone one was cooing over Liverpool's second half fight back against AC Milan and we had the Ashes series to look forward to.
Fast forward one year and this is was you get...
Sunderland
A record breaking year for the Blackcats with the lowest points tally ever in Premier League history and if last night's result had gone against them then they would have been the first team not to win a home match all season. Generally accepted as the worst team ever to grace the top flight, beating Swindon Town's marvellous effort in 1993/94.
They did, somehow, manage to get themselves out of the bottom three at one point during the season and up to the heady heights of 9th.
Bob Murray endeared himself to the Mackem hordes with his wonderful policy of spending less on players than he did on meals out with Mrs Murray. Mick McCarthy finally admitted his team were shite midway through the season and kept us all amused with his post-match interviews.
"Every single one of the players has been slapped around the head but they still keep coming back for more."
Jon Stead managed to score once in the league. A bargain buy at £1.5 million then.
What does next season bring? The chance to win three points at home more than once.
West Bromwich Albion
Robbo's perfect record continues. Three clubs managed, three clubs relegated.
After last seasons euphoria of 'Survival Sunday' it all went a bit flat this season. Once again Robbo's talent in the transfer market was called into question.
You're struggling for goals in the Premiership. Do you?
a) Sign a world class striker who'll get you twenty goals a season?
b) Put your faith in the talent you have?
c) Sell the one guy who was scoring for you?
Yep, he choose option c) and off Robert Earnshaw went, leaving West Brom to score more than two goals just eight times this season and netting a total of just twenty-nine this season.
It remains to be seen if Robbo will stay and if he'll get any substantial money to invest in new players for next season. How he must feel when he sees us in the Uefa Cup final you can only guess at.
Birmingham City
During pre-season Steve Bruce must have fancied his team to be pushing for a top ten finish and a possible Uefa Cup spot. How wrong can you be?
After an indifferent start things went downhill. After failing to win in September, October and most of November (if they hadn't played the Mackems then it would haven been the whole of November) it was no surprise to see them firmly entrenched in the bottom five where they remained all season.
But then what should you expect when you rely on Emile Heskey to be your main goal getter? Steve Bruce has and will blame a horrific injury that lead to a season of underachievement.
How many of their 'International' players (Butt, Heskey..etc) will fancy a couple of seasons hard fight in the Championship? Not many is my guess. And will Mr Bruce jump ship to his beloved Newcastle?
I hope so.
Portsmouth
'Arry Houdini did it again. Took over a club who were dead and buried just after Christmas, signed a few players and ended up safe with a couple of weeks to spare.
Yes he was a lucky bugger - £10 million investment during the transfer window and meeting a whole host of teams preparing (and resting players) for big Cup matches, but he still managed it.
Turning point was Pedro Mendes' late, late winner against Manchester City. This started a run of twenty points from a possible twenty-seven which is Champions League form. Their only reverse came at Charlton and against the run of play.
What will happen next year? God only knows, with 'Arry refusing to commit to anything at the moment, rumours of his son coming to help him and the continuing suspicion over the new co-owner Alexandre Gaydamak.
Expect a last day reprieve though.
PART TWO OF THE SEASON THAT WAS COMING SOON...
THE WEEKEND THAT WAS IS SPONSORED BY PADDY POWER - CLICK THE BANNER FOR A FREE TEN QUID BET
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