Monday 13 May
Brighton & Hove Albion expressed their gratitude to Chris Hughton for another season in the Premier League by giving him the push. Quite who they think they can bring in to do a better job on their budget is a mystery but relegation is the usual punishment for such callous, cold-hearted thinking.
Bolton Wanderers entered administration. The Trotters have been struggling for funds and with chancers like Laurence Bassini, stumbling around with his lunch spilled down his front, the only possible saviour they looked doomed.
Competent administrators should be able to revive the club, who are the first club to enter administration since Aldershot in 2013.
Manchester City are deep in trouble. Uefa’s committee investigating the obvious financial fair play rule breaches are recommending that City be banned from European competition.
The report in The New York Times gives us hope that the FA will come to the same conclusions as Uefa and strip City’s last three titles.
Tuesday 14 May
Tammy Abraham stepped up to fire home the winning penalty for Aston Villa as they beat West Brom on penalties. His technique was flawless and his nerve under pressure admirable. Tammy is going to be a very important player for Chelsea, if only we don’t have our head turned by another flashy continental superstar.
Wednesday 15 May
Leeds United 2:4 Derby County
The Chelsea enclave in Derbyshire took a big step towards the Premier League as underdogs County, already 2-1 down in the tie, showed up in the second-half and took everything going.
It was magnificent to watch… after the “ stop crying Frank Lampard song a new tune was heard last night… Leeds, Leeds are falling apart again…
The goal that gave Derby hope came just before the interval but it was just after the break that Mason Mount, stumbling and off balance, managed to chip the ball in.
Ashley Cole made a substitute appearance late on meaning all of the Chelsea and ex-Chelsea were on show: Frank Lampard, Jody Morris, Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Ashley Cole are all on their way to Wembley to meet Tammy Abraham and Villa.
Another late sub for the hosts was Izzy Brown, after a miserable season with injury it was good to see Izzy fit enough to play out the last few minutes that sealed Leeds United’s 16th season outside the top flight.
Thursday 16 May
New England Revolution 0:3 Chelsea
The charity match went off well for the organisers, the club and fans in the stands but Ruben Loftus-Cheek might rue his appearance as an ankle knock looks to rob him of the Uefa Cup final and possibly the Nations League finals in Portugal.
Ross Barkley scored two, although the last glanced off him from a Higuain shot, and Olivier Giroud headed the second.
Connor Gallagher has been impressing in the U23 side all season and looked to relish his first taste of the first
Manchester City have been reported to Uefa’s financial control body adjudicatory chamber for sentencing. A complete ban from European competition is the very least they deserve.
A City statement lied: “The … referral ignores a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence provided by Manchester City FC to the chamber.” Which means in English: Uefa have seen through our amateurish attempts to doctor evidence and provide a smoke screen to cover up our wrong doing.
#StripTheTitles.
Saturday 18 May
The FA Cup final resulted in a very one-sided thrashing as Watford shipped six goals but not their pride. The referee made it quite clear who was going to win in the early stages by refusing a clear penalty for handball and allowing some questionable City tackling.
As the revelations that Manchester City are only as powerful and they are now because they’ve driven a horse and cart through the financial fair play regulations so admiration for their achievements wains.
Watford fans can console themselves that they might not have won the FA Cup but they only have to wait for City’s titles to be stripped for this season’s competition to be void.
Sunday 19 May
Steve Clarke took his leave of Kilmarnock fans this afternoon. As his Killie side beat Rangers to secure third and European football for the first time in a generation, Steve looks like he will be taking over the Scotland job.
