Reds and big heads. Big surprises. Manchester United excused from the FA Cup to help England's World Cup bid; the form of Leeds and Sunderland; Wimbledon relegated after 14 years; Thierry Henry the striker. Nice surprises. The belated recognition of Dennis Wise's playing qualities; troubled Paul Merson's rehabilitation; Joe Cole's emergence; Gary McAllister imperious again after long-term injury; friendly Charlton bounce back. No surprises. Manchester United win the title; Watford relegated; Ipswich in the play-offs; Tottenham nowhere; Martin O'Neill works miracles at Leicester; even more criticism heaped on referees; calls for a cap on foreign players.
Best piece of business: Paolo Di Canio to West Ham for £1.7 million, a knock-down price for a referee-pusher, but it proved an inspired gamble by Harry Redknapp.
The Frank Sinatra comeback award: Bobby Robson returned home to work his likeable magic on a Newcastle team demoralised by the egocentric Ruud Gullit. Alex Ferguson mistake shock! Massimo Taibi turned into the 1990's Gary Sprake, his reputation finally killed off when Matthew Le Tissier's powder-puff trickled through his legs. Uneasy bedfellows: John Gregory, clinical depression and Stan Collymore; George Graham and David Ginola; Ruud Gullit and humility; Alex Ferguson and the media; Bobby Robson and the English language.
We never doubted you. Kevin Phillips scored 30 goals in the Premiership; Alan Shearer scored 30 goals in the face of growing criticism; Steve McManaman, lost in Liverpool and re-born in Madrid. The Robert Maxwell belly-flop award goes jointly to Egil Olsen, Danny Wilson, Brian Kidd, Brian Little (now at Hull), Coventry on the road, Wimbledon replacing Joe Kinnear.
Most embarrassing moments: anything to do with David Beckham off the pitch; 11 men on the pitch at Tranmere; Gazza's suicidal comeback collision with George Boateng; West Ham's Worthington Cup exit for fielding an ineligible player; the depths England's World Cup bid will sink to curry favour. Fighting times. Leeds and Tottenham each handed record £150,000 fines after 18man brawl during their match in February; Chelsea and Wimbledon fined £50,000 each for tunnel bust-up after their game; Patrick Vieira's six-match ban for spitting at West Ham. Worrying times. Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer of Leeds charged with GBH on an Asian student; Chelsea's Jody Morris charged with assault on a 23 year old. Sobering times Two Leeds fans killed in Istanbul; father of two dies under the hooves of a police horse at Rotherham. The love of money. Premiership salaries heading for £1 billion; next TV deal worth £2 billion.
The love of football. Stanley Matthews, RIP.
