Tonight Thank God It's Hull, Instead Of You

In the end, it was more Sophorific Sunday than Survival Sunday. Save for two correctly disallowed goals, a couple of fine saves from Victor Valdes and Marouane Fellaini's inexplicable decision to tread on Paul McShane, little of any interest took place in a dour 0-0 draw between Hull and Manchester United that sent the former down to the Championship. It wouldn't have mattered in any event as Newcastle found their first victory since February, a 2-0 win over West Ham. Hull fans are probably the only ones who would have been displeased to hear news of the second goal, scored by Jonas Gutierrez. Gutierrez returned to competitive football in March having spent the past year recovering from testicular cancer.

To have returned from health problems that could well have cost him his career (if not his life) is one thing. To score such a timely goal for his club is, I'm sure, simply icing on the cake. Hull then, slip back into the second tier. It's a difficult place to return from. Here's a list of the previous six sides to have dropped from the Premier League.

1. Norwich City. Will play Middlesbrough tomorrow at Wembley for the final place in next season's Premier League.
2. Fulham. Finished 17th in the Championship in a campaign that threatened at times to get even worse for the Cottagers.
3. Cardiff. Finished 11th. 16 points off the play-offs.
4. QPR. Promoted a little fortutiously back to the Premier League at the first time of asking through the play-offs but have just been relegated again. The textbook definition of a yo-yo club.
5. Reading.  Missed out on the play-offs by a solitary point with a 7th place finish in their first season back. Ended this season just 9 points off relegation in 19th place.
6. Wigan. Beaten in the play-offs in QPR after finishing 5th in their first season back. Have just been relegated to League One.

It doesn't auger well for Hull. Good job Sunderland have yet again gotten away with it. So, that's it then. Season over. Pretty much. Just tomorrow's Championship Play-Off final to come. And the Europa League final on Wednesday. Then, the FA Cup Final on Saturday. Followed by the Champions League Final on 6th June. Then the Women's World Cup in Canada in June/July. And the UEFA European Under 21s Championship, which starts later but ends beforehand. Finally, come July, it'll be done. Then the pre-season friendlies will start. Basically, IT NEVER ENDS.


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