The football season has ended and for the local teams they survived relegation but only just but at least they both had a hand in settling that it is Arsenal and not Spurs who gained the fourth Championship League position.
There has been one result of great joy as Crystal Palace beat Watford in the play off for the premiership on Monday and return to the top flight after nearly a decade, and also after going into Administration three years ago. I investigated getting a ticket for the home semi final play off game against Brighton which took place on the Friday of my Croydon visit but the released tickets were only available to members and season ticket holders. I listened to the game on the radio which was a draw with Brighton the inform team as Palace had gone through a bad patch losing games and dropping out of a certain promotion position.
As I continually remind I went to watch Palace at Brighton in my youth with a win required to prevent Palace going to the new Fourth Division rather than the Third after the decision to abolish the separate Third Divisions North and South. The loss fuelled rivalry although nothing like the problems with Millwall. On return home I watched Palace win at Brighton through Zaha who after ten years they have sold to Manchester United. He has earned his place in the sun and big money but he gave everything in both games to enable Palace to reach the Play off final which I was able to watch in 3D.
As with most of these finals both teams played cautiously knowing that one goal can settle these encounters and where the stakes because of start up funds and parachute payments if they immediately return, are said to be worth £120 million. As the 90 minutes came to an end, Zaha was brought down in the penalty area and the kick was given Kevin Phillips who had started with the opponents Watford from a league side and then moved to Sunderland where he became a goal scoring favourite and call up to the England squad. Although approaching 40 he was taken by Ian Holloway to strengthen the Blackpool squad during their time in the top flights and attempt to return. Holloway was brought to Palace to replace the manager because of the slide down the table. Holloway had then brought Phillips to Palace and put him on the field with half an hour to play. Phillips smashed the ball into the top of the net with minutes left on the game.
I watched the early part of the FA Cup Final in the President’s Tea Room at the Oval but decided to make my way back to Croydon when rain ended play. I was delighted that Wigan won although they have since been relegated and lost their fine manager. Likely to prove a good candidate for the Everton post vacant after their manager took over at Manchester United after Alex Ferguson retired in glory..
I also watched Chelsea win the lesser of the two European competitions and all four semi finalists and come into the competition have been knocked out of the Champions league. I should have placed my long shot bet on them this year as I did successfully last but went with the heart for Newcastle.
It now seems a long time since going to Newcastle to watch them play at West Ham in a large screen in a pub. The match was not being shown at the pubs/Clubs in my immediate vicinity and having left going out late I decided to take the Metro to Newcastle and find a pub there. It was pleasantly warm and which a coat I was overdressed. Ticket barriers are being installed and on return from the trip to London I visited the local transport shop in Shields for an instant renewal and found that the separate card is being replaced by adding the Metro to the plastic Bus pass which means they will introducing an Oyster type swiping system as they have on some buses.
Previously I have watched a Newcastle game in the bar at the far end of the Gate complex next to entrance to the Casino. This time I followed Newcastle shirts to the two story bar at the entrance where I noticed 18 year old plus only sign at entrance but did not grasp the significance until half time in the game. I had noticed a young woman sitting on a stool to one side on her own behind an area roped off. At the Interval she commenced gyrations to music on a pole and after a few minutes removed her top to reveal she was not wearing bra. All was revealed as they say.
I did not see if there was a similar act in the other corner of the first floor where there was a large HD screen with small screens placed in various parts of the two bars. There were seats, comfortable sofa chairs but these were understandably all occupied as I arrived just as the match was beginning and clutching a dizzy drink purchased on my way in I spent the rest fo the game hugging a wall or holding the back of an sofa’s reluctant to go back to the bar in fear of losing the prized location. The match ended in a 0.0 draw an overall fait result although the ball just about crossed the goal line in a disallowed goal for Newcastle but which goal line technology might have also given the referee the benefit of the doubt.
Newcastle then played already relegated QPR on the Saturday of my London visit, I had attempted to go to a match at the Club the previous year but only members were able to get tickets I addition to season ticket holders so I had joined and received emails but again have only been able to go via the Newcastle away supporters tickets system. However I not realised this game was taking place so listened to the last half on a London radio station. Newcastle won the game by 2 goals to 1 with goals from Ben Arfa and Gouffron. A win which because of other results took then out of the relegation zone and they would relax for the final game of he season, at home against Arsenal. If Newcastle won this game and Sunderland lost at Spurs, then Spurs not Arsenal would take the fourth Champions league spot next season. Because of the interest in both games they were shown split screen by Sky, although I watched both games full screen time to times when it looked that both might take the lead.
Sunderland had achieved safety with two home draws recently. On May 4th a 1.1 draw against Southampton at home, in match marking the 40th anniversary since Sunderland won the FA Cup with 11 of the 12 players involved in the game paraded before the game commenced. Unfortunately Sunderland had a woeful first half giving a goal in 9th minute and then going down to 10 men. However they rallied in the second to get a goal and the draw. On May 12th there was a home draw against Southampton which placed Sunderland in peril until Wigan lost at Arsenal in the subsequent mid week and also removed the pressure Newcastle at the same time.
As previously reported the main controversy at Sunderland has been over the appointment of Paolo Di Canio because his previous apparent support for Italian Fascism although his clear denial of present day support following the resignations of David Miliband as a Vice president and threatened withdrawal of the Durham Miners, banner (the ground was created above the former Sunderland Coal mine, hence its name as the Stadium of Light and large Miner’s helmet light at the entrance) has had the effect of calming things down.
Spurs should have had a penalty against Sunderland early on as Gareth Bale was pulled down but to compound the injustice he was booked for allegedly diving. Sunderland were further lucky as goal bound shots clipped the posts and rebounded out. However justice came but too late for Spurs with a brilliant goal from Bale, perhaps his last for the club as this talented winger is open to offers from one of the great clubs offering Champions league football next season.
It was too late because Arsenal had already scored at Newcastle to secure their place. Newcastle performed better than the previous two humiliating home games losing 3.0 to Sunderland and then the highest home lost for decades. The problem has been the arrival of those eight Frenchman ad difficulty of creating an effective spirit and play with the threat of relegation. Alan Pardue their manager with his eight year contract appears to have survived talks with the owner, but not so Roberto Mancini at Man City. It is interspersing that he has not survived after winning the League title last year and at Chelsea the Interim manager remained interim despite winning the other European competition whereas Arsenal’s manager has won nothing for five years and survives.
I had no interest in the meaningless friendly between England at Wembley and Eire. This match has not been held for close on two decades as The English Defence league types went over to Eire close on two decades ago and wrecked the stadium, There was no trouble last night in what appears to have been a boring match. England lacks creative players in midfield. I also ought to record that David Beckham is the most well known of a number of seasoned players who retired, The season is best forgotten.
The American ESPN British edition which provided coverage of 18 Premiership games, the Europe Cup competition hence all the Newcastle Games home and away, and the FA Cup has been taken over by BT who have taken over the Media centre at Queen Elizabeth Park, the Olympic Stadium site and are making available its two channels free to those who take the Internet and telephone line package. I will investigate if changing will be worth while.
I decided to do this immediately, At present my Sky Broadband costs £7.50 a month plus £15.85 for line and call package and the ESPN £11 a total of £406.20 a year and £812.40 for 24 months. Although new BT contract 18 month contract for unlimited broadband( not fibre optic infinity) is available the best deal involves paying for the TV line and call package annually at £129 2 years £258. Broad is available at £16 a month with six months free that is £288 for two years a total of £546, a saving of between £150 and £250.Just had a chat with Annabel at BT ( I wonder if she works at the South Shields centre!) and she confirms that the HD version of BT Sports will be available free for one year but still not clear if the standard version will continue to be free. Watch this space.
No comments:
Post a Comment