Thank you once again King Edward | OneFootball

As I lounged back in my armchair after the Premier League came to it’s final conclusion, a perfect song to sum up the afternoon would have been Captain Sensible’s ‘Glad it’s all Over’.

My Sunday had started like most others, with a walk to the coast, and it was canny windy. I then popped on the bus to North Shields for some essential shopping and ended up in the Terminus Club.

Club steward Micky Milburn was sitting with some good men and there was also a committee man, who happens to be a mackem, skulking about.

After a couple of pints the company was growing and I had the pleasure of sitting with my good mate Kevan Denley, who was once one hell of a local footballer.

We both felt that the Toon would get the job done, as did others, but I said that we should also be wary.

I was then off to Tynemouth Club to deliver some kippers for another pal, JP.

The manageress Amy was there with her partner Sean, and they would soon be heading to Gallowgate and the Strawberry.

By around 3pm I’d had just about the right amount of alcohol in my system to go home and enjoy the match, or so I thought.

After watching the early exchanges I realised that something wasn’t quite right, that United were seemingly struggling to break down a well organised Everton side.

We were mediocre and sloppy and the fans in the ground were probably feeling as restless as I was.

I was obviously keeping an eye on other results and wasn’t too surprised to learn that Man City were leading at Fulham.

It was goalless at Old Trafford and Villa had their keeper Martinez sent off in the 45th minute.

As we got into the second half of all the games, I soon found out that Chelsea were winning at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest.

This meant the Toon had now dropped one position into 5th.

We were still cagily trying to strut our stuff but with little potency, before Everton then strode downfield and landed a hammer blow.

Shock horror all round and we deservedly found ourselves 1-0 down against a team with little to play for.

More crucially and significantly, United were now out of the Champions League places.

As the minutes ticked by I couldn’t see a goal on the horizon, but then news filtered through, Man Utd had taken a late lead against Villa.

The fans at St James’ Park looked mightily relieved and I had to get up and pour myself a drink.

We were still looking like a team who wouldn’t score in a month of Sundays and Pickford revelling in it.

Man Utd finally settled all nerves when they went 2-0 up.

So Eddie Howe and the players had done it, got into the Champions League on the last day of the season, and by the skin of our teeth.

Over 38 games we definitely deserved it. What really annoyed me though, was that in typical Newcastle style this season, we lost to a side we should be beating at home.

It has been a brilliant season nonetheless, that has surpassed all our expectations.

A domestic trophy after 70 barren years followed up by qualification to the European Champions League, I still have to pinch myself.

All this nonsense about Alexander Isak joining a Septic club like Liverpool and Arsenal, it should now be swept under the carpet.

The team is in need of high calibre reinforcements, that can have United comfortably competing on four fronts next season.

The mackems won their EFL play-off final against Sheffield United at Wembley on Saturday, to finally make it back into the Premier League.

They’ll not be there for long but I did have to point out something the other day to a somewhat naive young-un.

In my lifetime going right back into the 1960s, Newcastle have only three times ever taken maximum points in a season in the Tyne/Wear derbies.

These happened in 1992/93 under Kevin Keegan, 2002/03 under Sir Bobby Robson, and 2005/06 under Graeme Souness, and not all of these wins were walks in the park.

Sunderland were relegated with 15 points and 19 points respectively during these two campaigns.

I detest them and will not be welcoming them back. I prefer the mackems as far down the football league pyramid as possible.

Anyhow, back to the beginning of my article, and I’m glad that this campaign has been wrapped up.

I didn’t enjoy this ‘last day experience’ one little bit. If there is another like it, I would hope the team will give the fans a performance with more energy and fight.

Losing to the scouse mackems was also particularly disappointing.

The players still deserved their grand lap of honour though.

Thank you once again King Edward, who along with your exalted and spirited team and staff, have given us our most memorable season in decades.