IF YOU held a vote on the most memorable end to a season that Sergio Aguero moment would win it by a mile.
But I’m pretty sure what would be second — the amazing day in 1995 when my West Ham side drew with Manchester United and Blackburn won the title at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Man City are chasing the Premier League title on the final day of the seasonCredit: ReutersBlackburn Rovers won the title at Anfield in 1995 after West Ham held Man Utd to a 1-1 draw at Upton ParkCredit: Rex
Everyone thought Liverpool would roll over to make sure Kenny Dalglish won the league with Rovers, while no one gave us a prayer against United.
It was my first season at West Ham and after being at the bottom all season, we’d turned it around and got out of trouble a few weeks earlier.
So the fact we had nothing obvious left to play for, and Liverpool could stop their big rivals, meant there were loads of conspiracy theories about.
In the end Blackburn DID win the league but not because of any half-hearted or dodgy performances.
How final day could unfold from epic Prem title race to relegation fight & Europe
Liverpool came from behind to beat them but we drew with United, so Kenny was champion after all — and no one could question either game.
It proved that not only is the Premier League the best in the world but also the fairest. And that’s not something you could say 100 per cent about every country out there.
I bring it back up because there have been a few nudges and winks going into the final day this time, with so much up for grabs at both ends of the table.
But the great thing about the Premier League, about the entire English game, is that anything you win has to be earned.
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When we played United all those years ago, there probably weren’t even many of our own fans who gave us much of a chance.
The one thing they did know, though, was that we’d give it a damned good go.
They wouldn’t expect or accept anything else and, to be honest, all that talk was pretty annoying.
United at Upton Park was always a massive game. They were THE club to beat and it was never a problem getting the players up for it, whatever was at stake.
So there was no way anyone was already on the beach and although we needed our keeper, Ludek Miklosko, to have an absolute blinder, we got what we deserved.
United were hammering away at our goal, knowing they only needed a point to be champions.
Paul Ince trudges off the pitch after West Ham held them to a famous 1-1 draw on the final day of the season in 1995Credit: Rex
But Ludek had one of those days, we hung on and Kenny won the league at his old club — even though Blackburn had lost in the last minute.
We were just relieved we’d stayed up and, fair play to Alex Ferguson, he had a glass of wine in my office afterwards, even though he was so choked.
Me and Fergie were two of the last old-school managers who’d have a drink after games, and quite often you’d get a knock on the door telling you the players were on the coach.
If you’d lost, you would say, ‘Let them wait . . . and there’s no fish and chips on the way home’, which was a big thing back then.
I seem to remember Fergie stayed for a couple of glasses! It was an unbelievable day, but not for the reasons some had suggested beforehand, even though that will never stop some people having their own theories about things.
Today is no different. They all expect Steven Gerrard to have a right go at City, because if Villa get a result it opens the door for Liverpool.
Sir Alex Ferguson saw his team lose out on the titleCredit: Rex
But there are others who think Wolves will roll over at Anfield because they’ve got nothing left to play for. Which is absolutely rubbish, for sure.
And at the bottom there’s plenty of that as well. Will Brentford be 100 per cent on it against Leeds? How hard will Newcastle go at Burnley?
Well, I tell you something — whatever happens at either end won’t be down to anyone having a day off. That’s what makes this league the best.
For the record, I think both City and Liverpool will win because they’re the top two teams in the world, never mind this country, which means the title stays in Manchester.
As for who joins Norwich and Watford in the Championship? I can see it being decided by goal difference — and if I’m right, that means Leeds are going down.
But the one thing I can say with total confidence is whatever the outcome, it will only come after a hell of a fight.
BRAVE JAKE FIRST CLASS
AFTER Jake Daniels came out as the first openly gay professional player in this country, I am sure many others will follow suit.
It was a very brave decision and will go down as one of the defining moments in football history. He’s got my total admiration because it can’t have been easy.
Jake Daniels came out as gay this weekCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
The dressing room can be a pretty brutal place at times, even if views have obviously changed a lot for the better over the years.
There will have been plenty of gay footballers in the past who kept quiet because of how society was back then, and the way Jake spoke was both impressive and very mature.
I don’t think being gay would ever affect anyone’s chances of making it or not. It certainly shouldn’t, anyway.
People should be judged on one thing and one thing alone: whether you’re good enough. Nothing else really comes into it.
