The final whistle has blown on all ten Premier League games around the country and for Blackpool and Birmingham, it sounded more like a death knell, as the pair joined West Ham in dropping to the Championship.
Blackburn’s surprise win over Wolves at Molineux meant Steve Kean’s side escape the drop thanks to a stunning first forty five minute performance that saw Rovers storm to a 3-0 half-time lead. Goals from Jamie O’Hara and Stephen Hunt were not enough to earn a draw but results elsewhere saw Mick McCarthy’s side stay in the top-flight next season.
Two goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko proved the undoing of Birmingham at White Hart Lane to condemn Alex McLeish’s side to relegation. Craig Gardner cancelled out the Russian’s early second-half strike but a goal deep into injury time means the Carling Cup winners will be playing both European and Championship football in 2011/12.
Wigan’s two main threats combined when it mattered most to clinch their survival; Charles N’Zogbia crossing for Hugo Rodallega to score his first goal in five games and condemn Stoke to their first home defeat in nine matches, earning the Latics a place in next season’s Premier League.
Goals from Charlie Adam and Gary Taylor-Fletcher afforded Blackpool plenty hope at Old Trafford but in the end, Man United’s class (and an unfortunate Ian Evatt own goal) dumped the Seasiders out the Premier League in Edwin Van der Sar’s final home game for the champions.
This means we wave goodbye to Fantasy Premier League (FPL) favourites such as Charlie Adam and Ben Foster, though the pair will surely be hotly pursued over the next couple of months and will be expected to earn themselves moves back to the top-flight. The likes of DJ Campbell and Roger Johnson could well jump straight back up too, given their displays over the season.
In Fantasy Football Scout related news, Granville has won the all-important race for bragging rights over the summer, beating Mark in a final day shootout. The next podcast should make for interesting listening, then.
This upcoming week we’ll be starting our 2010/11 Season Review, focusing on the players you vote for in our position by position polls.
Fantasy Football Scout would like to say a big thanks for all your support this season. Stay tuned for more to come, folks. There’s plenty up our sleeves.
