United v Chelsea, the wait for technology and my tips for relegation

United progressed to the Champions League final with ease

Manchester United v Barcelona is the perfect Wembley final

You should bet your last dollar that Sir Alex Ferguson will ensure that his Manchester United team give their everything in the classic match up for the European Champions League final at Wembley on May 28. But don’t put your house on United beating Barcelona. Lionel Messi looks unstoppable. Barca are a great team and you would expect them to win this final. But as my old on screen partner Jimmy Greaves used to tell me: “football, gal, is a funny old game”

Old Trafford clash is a classic near decider

Manchester United v Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon is a classic not to be missed on Sky Sports. United 73 points 38 goals difference. Chelsea 70 points also 38 goals difference. The winner takes all? Not quite but nearly! After this weekend United will play relegation threatened Blackburn away and finish with struggling Blackpool at home. Chelsea then have Newcastle at home and Everton away, slightly trickier. If United beat Chelsea you have to fancy them strongly again. If Chelsea win then goal difference is going to be a massive factor. A draw definitely favours United. I have been with Manchester United all season and I am going to stay with them now. I believe that United will get a result against Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Boring and frustrating wait for technology

Chelsea had a lucky win over Spurs. They deserved the result but both goals were dodgy. The ball was not completely over the line for the equaliser. The linesman, who gave it, could not possibly tell from his position. The winner was offside but in fairness to the officials you need a slide rule to tell, not the human eye at first sight, normal speed… I have been campaigning for years for technology but if Sepp Blatter and his boys cannot give it after the World Cup “goal” by Frank Lampard what hope has the English game with the current FIFA set-up? I am blue in the face with frustration and the negative attitude and arguments about the amount of time. It could be done in the same amount of time that the game is delayed by the players arguing over it with the officals! And the grassroots argument is rubbish. They have it in cricket Test matches but not county and village cricket. They have it in Rugby Union internationals but not club matches. Its a cop out by the richest sport in the world!

Its so tight in the relegation stakes

Who goes down? Forecasts keep changing because it is so very tight at the bottom. West Ham keep being tipped by some to go down; others to stay up. They do look to have an easier fixture list than their rivals… threatened Blackburn at home, bottom three Wigan away and off form but safe Sunderland to finish at home. Wolves have biggest rivals West Brom at home on Sunday (just what you need!), Sunderland away and Blackburn at home on the last day. Wigan have Villa away, that West Ham home match and then Stoke away after the FA Cup final! Blackpool, very much in trouble, have Spurs away, Bolton at home and Man Utd away… and Blackburn have West Ham away, Manchester United at home and just what they need – Wolves away on the last day! Take your pick… I’ve got Wolves, Blackpool and Blackburn to go down!

West Bromwich Albion pair my choice

I enjoy sitting on the Barclays Premier League manager and player of the month awards panel. Its good to be involved. This month my votes went to Roy Hodgson as manager and his striker Peter Odemwingie. The Baggies had a great month. Hodgson has brought organisation to the team and lifted them to safety, currently 11th.. .Odemwingie has scored 14 Premier League goals this season. I look forward to seeing what my fellow panelists come up with…

David Coleman is the greatest television sports presenter

Did you see BBC’s excellent documentary of that great television sports presenter David Coleman on his 85th birthday? He was brilliant as presenter, interviewer and commentator. He did everything including eleven Olympic Games… and they only come round every four years. David is the best I have ever seen and heard by miles and I have been in the same game for 43 years… Its wonderful that his channel should remember this ultimate professional. We don’t have enough on screen journalists these days. A mixture of former sports stars and journalist trained performers is always the best mix.

Sad about the passing of Sir Henry Cooper

A few months ago I hosted the Variety Club of Great Britain Golfing Society’s tribute to their former captain Sir Henry Cooper. It was an honour. Among the tributes to this modest, friendly, down to earth boxing legend were those from Jimmy Tarbutt, top writer Colin Hart, and former World champion John Conteh. Afterwards I asked him to sign my menu after sitting at his table. He did so and thanked me for the nice things I said about Henry. Typical of him. Henry looked frail. He was going deaf and his body would no longer allow him to play his golf. He was recovering from recently losing his identical twin brother George and he would never recover from losing his wife Albina two years earlier. Indeed the day after our event he flew to Italy to scatter her ashes in her native country. His emotions must have been an ordeal for him. Albina had been his rock. Sir Henry, the only boxer to be Knighted was one of the truly great English sporting heroes. The punch that floored Cassius Clay will live on forever as will his image. The passing of a proper man.

Leicester City dip out but need promotion next season

Off to see my beloved Foxes play Ipswich in their last home match of the season on Saturday. “If only” was the name of former Nottingham Forest chairman Fred Reacher’s house in the Brian Clough days. “If Only” Sven had started the season with Leicester I am pretty sure they would be in the play-offs. But he didn’t and they aren’t. The new Thai owners have given him all the money he has needed to bring a stack of on loan players including the highly paid Yakubu but they have fallen short. They will need to do it next season with all the resources available. Here’s hoping!… Player of the season? Richie Wellens…

Paul Lambert is another Martin O’Neill type manager

Congratulations to Norwich. Regular readers of this blog will know how much I fancied the Canaries for promotion and how highly I rate Paul Lambert. I recommended him to my team Leicester City at the start of the season but I was told that the Foxes were too far down the road with Paulo Sousa (what ever happened to him?). Lambert played under Martin O’Neill, looks like him in a tracksuit; glasses, socks tucked in plus fours style and gestures. And clearly he has the same managerial talent. The team have done well even if the directors are more famous, i.e. Delia Smith and Stephen Fry! Delia and her husband Michael have poured millions into their club and deserve their return to the Premier League. I hope they can stay up.

QPR case should have been dealt with earlier

Rules are rules folks and should be obeyed. QPR face a points deduction if found guilty over charges of a transfer irregulation. It would mean almost certainly that they would have to go into the play-offs. Surely this should have been dealt with earlier. There will be controversy whatever happens… and delays to play-offs if an appeal is necessary and sought! Messy! Only winners besides the other team to be automatically promoted would be the lawyers…

For more from Gary, go to www.garynewbon.com

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