Yesterday was the final day of the 2021/22 Premier League Season. In case you missed that. Or weren’t aware. And it was, in the final matches, all played together at 4 o’clock, even for those who’ve been forced to watch in excess of 14,572 games so far this year, it was spectacular. Down to the wire. Nail-biting. Touch and go. Everything to play for. You pick your cliche, pick your metaphor, double it and that’s how exciting it was.

Particularly as, for Spurs fans, and Arsenal fans too, one of the ‘big questions’ which was to be answered on this most holy of days, was ‘which of those 2 would make it to the Champions League, and which would rot in Thursday night mediocrity, forever labelled as LOSERS!!!’ And that question was mercifully answered early on. As Spurs were knocking in the goals at Norwich, it became meaningless what events unfolded at the Emirates. The only fortunate thing for Arsenal is that Spurs fans are notoriously kind, gentle, sympathetic and not prone to gloating, sarcasm or piss-taking.

So we could all relax and concentrate on the massive turmoil being played out at the very top and very bottom of the league. And all four of the matches concerned were as wild and unpredictable as matches could be. Man plans, God laughs. That possibly summed up the situation as Liverpool went 1-0 down in 3 minutes of their ‘must win’ match, equalising a bit later before Man City went 1-0 down in theirs. Spoiler alert: Man City won the league. With amazing difficulty, for the first 65 minutes but win they did.

At the other end, Burnley did what they do best and Leeds didn’t. Which is to lose matches. Though Leeds, with their 90th minute relegation-avoiding goal, they have scored 8 times this season so late in the game. Their prize is that they can go down next year.

So the season’s over, its all decided. But just like ‘the king is dead; long live the king!!!’, we’re already into next season. The buying, the selling, the promises, the lies, the excitement and, as ever, that damnable hope.

Happy Monday

A xxxx