With the last weekend of the 2006/07 Premiership season in the books I was hoping to slip silently past the editor's office and begin my summer holiday - not a chance!

 

"Webster, come here please. Do you remember your predictions from the beginning of the season; well it's time to dust them off."

 

In all honesty, I was really hoping to avoid this embarrassment as my crystal ball in August obviously was malfunctioning - a fact that I'll blame on a massive World Cup hangover. What my predictions did show though is that the Premiership despite being a four horse race at the top is still hugely unpredictable.

 

So without further ado let the flogging and humiliation begin. (My pre-season predictions in brackets)

 

20th Watford (20th): One for one and a sensational start by Webster although you didn't need to be Nostradamus to get this right. It was always going to be a struggle for the Hornets and losing Marlon King for most of the campaign was a huge blow for them. Only five wins and twenty-eight goals tell the story. Will they be straight back? The balloon payment will help.

19th Charlton (16th): Four different managers in the space of six months after a decade plus of stability doomed the Addicks. After the departure of Alan Curbishley, Iain Dowie wasn't given enough time, Les Reed was hopelessly out of his depth and Alan Pardew was left to pick up the pieces. The infrastructure is there to bounce straight back if they can keep hold of their crown jewel, Darren Bent.

 

18th Sheffield United (19th): Yes, I did pick them to go down but not in such dramatic circumstances. I do feel sorry for Neil Warnock and his Blades though as they've been a breath of fresh air to the Premiership. Ultimately a paper thin squad and lack of a recognized goal scorer after the loss of Rob Hulse has doomed them however I do fancy them to come straight back up.

 

17th Wigan (14th): I predicted that Wigan would experience a sophomore slump, I just didn't realize it would be quite this bad. A horror run in that saw them winless in nine meant that whoever held their nerve at Bramall Lane would survive. All credit to Paul Jewell for supplying the belief to his players needed in the $80 million dollar match.

 

16th Fulham (17th): I'll take a partial success here as I did predict that Chris Coleman wouldn't last the season - it was tough on Cookie though. With limited resources he squeezed everything out of the Cottagers however they were on the brink from Christmas onwards. The arrival of Laurie Sanchez may have just tipped the balance into the positive column. A tip of the hat to the American trio of Brian McBride (9), Carlos Bocanegra (5) and Clint Dempsey (1) who all scored massive goals in securing the Londoners Premiership survival.

 

15th West Ham (9th): After last seasons success I think we were al stunned by the Hammers meltdown this season. With rumors of legal action over the Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano signings this story may still have some legs. Ultimately it was all about Tevez as he carried the team on his shoulders scoring seven goals in their last ten matches including the winner at the Theater of Dreams. I hope he is around for next season as he is a real talent.

 

14th Manchester City (13th):  Ten goals at home all season is a disgrace but pales in comparison to other events at the once proud club. With Ben Thatcher and Joey Barton mistaking the EPL for the WWE it was more about off field problems than the rubbish served up on it. Don't be surprised if Stuart Pearce is let go in the summer.

 

13th Newcastle United (10th): Are Newcastle a big club is a question that I think many of us ask - after another season of underachievement that answer has to be no! Glenn Roeder who took the honorable route by resigning will blame injuries and you can't dispute that because the dressing room resembled a MASH unit for most of the season. Will Sam Allardyce who is rumored to be taking over breathe life into this beast or will they continue to go backwards - find out next August.

 

12th Middlesbrough (11th): Gareth Southgate in his managerial debut offered very little other than taking points of Chelsea and United to make the title race interesting. It's hard to see how they can improve however they do have one of the best youth systems in the country and patience may well be a virtue at the Riverside.

 

11th Aston Villa (8th): The Martin O'Neill feel good factor wore off rather quickly however he did make them hard to beat as SEVENTEEN draws can attest to. I believe the Irishman has laid the foundations for success in seasons to come and with the financial clout of Randy Lerner, Villa will be challenging in the future. Overall though, it was a pretty nondescript campaign.

 

10th Blackburn (6th): Where would Blackburn have finished without Benni McCarthy? The South African striker plundered 24 goals in all competition and it still wasn't enough to get Rovers into Europe. Perhaps Mark Hughes' team took a couple of steps backwards this season and without 'want-away' McCarthy it looks like more of the same mid-table existence for the Ewood Park mob.

 

9th Portsmouth (18th): Pompey made me look foolish after I predicted that they'd be going down. An electrifying start that saw them flirt with the top of the table was the key to success plus the signings of Sol Campbell, David James and Lauren. Harry Redknapp should be knighted for taking the South coast club to their highest ever finish while yours truly should stand in the corner with the 'dunces' hat on.

 

8th Reading (15th): Incredibly if the Royals had found a winner at Blackburn on the last day they would've qualified for the UEFA Cup. The Cinderella story of the season and deservedly so as they've played football in the right spirit and in the right way. Can you imagine what Steve Coppell will do when he takes the reins of a club with a big transfer kitty.

7th Bolton (12th): Talk about limping over the line to European qualification. The Trotters went winless in their last six and you just can't help but feel that the loss of 'Big' Sam Allardyce has taken the wind out their sales. New gaffer, Sammy Lee has big boots to fill and if they're not careful the pieces are in place for them to do a Charlton.

6th Everton (7th): The Merseysiders are quietly becoming a very consistent club under David Moyes and with the right kind of investment perhaps they could offer a challenge to the 'Big Four'. What they lack in flair they more than make up for in passion and commitment - is that enough to win the league I don't know, maybe we should ask Chelsea!

 

5th Tottenham (4th): I had Spurs breaking up the 'B4' party but after starting the campaign with only one win in six, the season was over before it had even begun. A couple of cup runs took the pressure of Martin Jol but surely the board will want to see more return on their money. Dimitar Berbatov has been sensational and his partnership with Robbie Keane the best in the league however they couldn't defend a lick. Keeping the Bulgarian will be top of the 'to do' list this summer as well as buying defenders who can actually defend.

4th Arsenal (5th): The Gunners on song played football at a completely different level to anyone else. The only comparison could be with Brazil in the 1970 World Cup, it was that good. The trouble for Arsene Wenger was consistency and their wretched away form (7 losses) as well as dropping too many points at their new Emirates Stadium. The future is bright though with a crop of exciting youngsters poised to break through. I just hope that the annual Thierry Henry 'will he or won't he' saga doesn't drag on all summer.

 

3rd Liverpool (1st): Thanks for mugging me Rafa, because even getting to the Champions League final doesn't make up for the fact that in the Premiership it was another disastrous season. Nine loses away from Anfield is ridiculous for a team that thinks it can contend for the title - in fact they didn't win on the road in the league until December 12th! With new ownership promising a big transfer war chest next season must be the year for the Reds to finally reclaim the trophy that means the most.

 

2nd Chelsea (2nd): This is what I wrote in August in an all to brief moment of crystal ball clarity...'They'll be no three-peat for the Blues as this is the year of the blip and perhaps the final episode of the Jose Mourinho era. No doubt they'll be competitive in the Prem but with eyes firmly on the Champions League, the 'Special One' has stacked his squad with players to win this trophy'. To be fair, injuries to Petr Cech and John Terry probably cost them the title along with the bickering between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich. Somehow I expect big changes at the Bridge this summer.

 

1st Manchester United (3rd): Doh! The table doesn't lie and United played the most consistent and at times exhilarating football of the campaign. Sir Alex Ferguson once again shoved it all down our throats. First he patched up the Rooney and Ronaldo bust up. Second he trusted his instincts with Michael Carrick. Third Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes guzzled from the fountain of youth and forth he just doesn't know when he's beaten. EPL title number nine snatched from Chelsea must be one of the sweetest of the lot. Congratulations United!

 

Blimey, two correct places out of twenty and a couple of close calls really isn't good enough but it just goes to show you how tough the prediction business is. It's hard to believe nine months has flown by so quickly - here's to August when we all do it again.

 

Until then, get the beers in.