This Premier League season’s final day has the makings of a classic. It just needs some dodgy lasagne, MOTD montages and a Liverpool collapse.
10) 2005/06
While it lacked that rich Barclaysian tapestry and depth, the final day of the 2005/06 Premier League season remains a vital cornerstone in the competition’s history. Chelsea had already successfully defended their title. There was vague interest as to whether Liverpool could finish ahead of Manchester United as runners-up, but mid-table Charlton popping up to Old Trafford meant it never seemed likely. Birmingham, West Brom and Sunderland had already succumbed to their fate. The remaining kernel of intrigue was being cooked up in north London – although speculation that it was by an Arsenal season ticket holder at the Marriott remains unfounded.
The Gunners had reached the Champions League final that season but Tottenham were in control of qualification for the subsequent season’s campaign. It was a tired and unimaginative reworking of the previous campaign’s plot, in which Everton pipped Liverpool for fourth but the Reds earned passage to the European Cup by winning it. But viewers were engrossed nonetheless.
Spurs had a one-point lead heading into their final game, away at West Ham. Arsenal hosted Wigan in Highbury’s last match. It seemed like a straightforward sprint finish. But then Martin Jol had 10 players fall to illness overnight and his side went into disarray, slipping to a 2-1 defeat as the Gunners came from behind to win 4-2. Tottenham tried to have their match postponed, or at least kick-off pushed back a few hours on the same day. They then explored the possibility of a replay and considered taking the matter to court. Claims of food poisoning were thoroughly investigated. Callum Davenport, by his own admission gave “this whopper in a Chinese takeaway container” for a stool sample as part of an internal investigation. The eventual conclusion was that a bout of norovirus tore…
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