Richard - 17 May 2006 05:44 AM

If Phil is around, my commiserations on the Cup Final result - a cruel way to lose such a great game (which I managed to miss - I was in Japan).

My tip for tonight - Barcelona 2 Arsenal 0.

Thanks mate.

Now Shevchenko is going to Chelsea??

This is becoming stupid.

Awesome.  I hope some of you guys will be around for some World Cup chatters.  I love World Cup football.

Now the dust has settled, here are the ups and downs from the English league:

Premiership

CHAMPIONS: Chelsea.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

UEFA CUP: Tottenham, Blackburn, West Ham.

INTERTOTO CUP: Newcastle.

RELEGATION: Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland.

CHAMPIONSHIP (2nd tier)

CHAMPIONS: Reading (1st promotion to top tier in their history - been in league since 1920).

ALSO PROMOTED: Sheffield United (hooray!), Watford

RELEGATION: Brighton, Crewe and Millwall.

LEAGUE ONE (3rd tier)
CHAMPIONS: Southend.

ALSO PROMOTED: Colchester (1st ever promotion to 2nd tier after 55 years in the league), Barnsley

RELEGATION: Walsall, Swindon, Hartlepool and MK Dons (Swindon and MK Dons 1st former Premiership teams to fall to 4th tier).

LEAGUE TWO (4th tier)
CHAMPIONS: Carlisle (a second stright promotion)

ALSO PROMOTED: Northampton, Leyton Orient and Cheltenham.

RELEGATION: Oxford United (first team to win a major trophy - League Cup in 1986 - to drop out of the League) and Rushden & Diamonds.

CONFERENCE (5th tier)

CHAMPIONS: Accrington Stanley (3rd different team from Accrington, a small town close to Blackburn, to appear in League, and 1st since 1962)

PROMOTED VIA PLAY-OFFS: Hereford. (Reappear in league after 9 year absence)

Premier League fixtures are out.

Chelsea start with Man City at home.  The Blades have Liverpool at home, just like last time we were promoted.

Phil - the Hammers start with Charlton at home.