With the last of the 2014-15 fixtures to be played at very early tomorrow morning – The Champions League Final between Juventus and Barcelona – it gives us time to reflect and think about the seasons that were across UK and Europe and get it over and done with before transfers take over as the only news in football. Well, outside of how many crimes FIFA have committed by the time they flush everyone out.
It was a season where there wasn’t any real close finish to any of the big leagues with the titles decided with a week to go in most cases, and in some of the more lop sided, well before then.
We’re too lazy to do a full league by league break down, that’s what professional journalists and people with more time on their hands can do. We’ll just pick a few things we liked from the season.
LEAGUE OF THE YEAR
CHAMPIONSHIP – with a title race, top 2, and top 6 battle that raged until the last half of the season, it was the closest and most exciting league to follow. The Top 2 changed all season, and dead certainties Derby County became just dead as they missed the playoffs all together in a choke that came with a tick of approval from Greg Norman. Although the relegation battle was sorted early, that end of the table finished off with a sit in at Blackpool as they rightly protested their owner. So interest right until the end. It was an indication of both team’s position that they just abandoned the game.
TEAM OF THE YEAR
BOURNEMOUTH – A club the size of Bournemouth who just survived in fourth division not long ago due to -17 penalty to start the season with deserve their promotion to the EPL, and it provides a feel good story for any club in the UK and hope to follow in their footsteps. One of the keys is very few manager changes – Eddie Howe was the man who saved them from demotion and was at the helm when they went up this year. His move to Burnley necessitated a change.
They scored plenty too, 98 goals with a goal difference of +53, and they’ll need every one of those with the big boys next year.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ADEBAYTO AKINFENWA – aka The Beast – is the Miguel Angel Jiminez of Football, a man who looks like and unlikely footballer, but who belies that with his skills and physicality. Looking more like a professional arm wrestling champion he terrorised Liverpool in the FA Cup, and there was always a highlight or two during the League Two bit on Soccer AM. Hopefully he stays at Wimbledon and takes them up to League One next season.
BEST FOOTBALL MEDIA
GUARDIAN FOOTBALL WEEKLY + EXTRA – perfect mix of Football news and views with interest in something other than EPL giving a budding football hipster a starting point for following football all over the world. The intro from AC Jimbo is the finest pun filled 30 seconds on internet media anywhere.
BEST FOOTBALL TV SHOW
SANTO SAM & ED’s TOTAL FOOTBALL – once again the perfect mix of football and fun. Hopefully another series next year on Fox.
BEST FOOTBALL PUNDIT
TIZIANO CRUDELI – Without the above show we may not have found this gentleman who loves his AC Milan. You couldn’t have more than one, but gotta have one. Couldn’t you go one – follow the link below.
BEST TEAM TO WATCH
BARCELONA – With a forward line like Messi, Neymar and Suarez there was plenty to see.
CRYSTAL PALACE – not sure why, maybe it was all the early kick offs, but it was enjoyable to watch their style with some of the skills on show, plus the enjoyment of seeing a Championship club doing so well in the division aboe. It gives an Ipswich Town fan hope.
ARSENAL – In the FA Cup or playing someone outside the Top 6. Hopefully they recruit well and give the punters a close season next year.
THE BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
NEWCASTLE UNITED – After demanding Pardew out for so long the fans in the Newcastle may have realised what a small % of the problem Pardew was in the north east as they slid all the way past Crystal Palace and almost to the Championship with an appalling run of form after Christmas.
THE BUGGER ME DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING
SOUTHAMPTON AND SWANSEA – given their squads and in Southampton’s case the massive summer clearance sale it was hard to see either team in the top 10, but that is exactly what happened.
IPSWICH TOWN – making the playoffs after so much mediocrity.
FIFA CRACKDOWN – it’s obvious what they’re up to and we’ll only find out more juicy details over the next few weeks, but the thing we didn’t see coming is that anyone would stand up to them.
MOMENT OF THE SEASON
IPSWICH TOWN EQUALISED IN SECOND PLAYOFF GAME V NORWICH – After having a man sent off not too long before and playing a side much better than them, somehow Ipswich pulled an equaliser out of somewhere. They lose, but nice to have some reward for a long lean time supporting Ipswich.
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
HARTLEPOOL UNITED – The Monkey Hangers were dead and buried in the fourth division at the half way point, but somehow they saved themselves from the drop to obscurity.
ENIGMA OF THE YEAR
SHEFFIELD UNITED – how can a team that makes Wembley finals for comps involving big teams not get through the League One playoffs.
That’s about it as I need the sleep. Help yourself to add your favourite bit of the season or you could just as easily ignore this bit.
