Chelsea’s Avram Grant, whose side had been pipped to the title, was honest and open in his interview on Match of the Day. He congratulated the champions, Man U, and expressed his admiration of their manager Sir Alex Ferguson in a dignified interview.

Roy Hodgson, who had helped Fulham escape the drop, expressed his sympathy for the two managers whose clubs were relegated on the last day, Reading’s Steve Coppell and Birmingham’s Alex McLeish. These two hid their huge disappointment to say a few words, their conduct was admirable.

A pity some Birmingham fans didn’t show the same restraint. After some nasty jeering at members of the board and frightening their families, the supporters sportingly trashed the goalposts. They were complaining money had been wasted – now some will have to be spent on new posts.

It’s unfortunate Sir Alex still has a private battle going with BBC TV for what he regards as unfair treatment of one of his sons and refuses to speak to them. He may have good reason, most people can’t recall what it was about or saw the programme, and it would have been nice to hear the great man give his views after again winning the title.

There are times when the Beeb blunder about and if they dish out treatment, they must expect some back.

Mind you, not everybody took the last day seriously. Middlesbrough, who had previously scored 35 goals in 37 matches, thumped eight past Man City, and they said they were all trying.

So that’s it, the end of the Premier League season. Tears of happiness, tears of despair and tears of those who have just discovered there’s still more football to come on TV. Those clowns who drag kids to football and let them sob their hearts out should be locked up.

One slight relief is that when Man U and Chelsea meet in the European final next Wednesday, it’s out of the way in Moscow. So not many coach parties and hopefully no silly interviews with dressed-up half-wits without tickets, other than the players of course.

Another good thing about Moscow is that, along with Zimbabwe and China, it probably guarantees there won’t be too much trouble from the fans. They should send some of the Birmingham lot over there.

n Chelsea’s John Terry was carried off last Sunday with a dislocated elbow. I am no medic and go funny at the sight of an aspirin or a nurse’s legs but how does an injured elbow stop you walking?

Apparently they have now banned the old magic sponge – for health and safety reasons. On a bitterly cold day there was nothing guaranteed to get an injured player up faster than the sight of a trainer running across the pitch, carrying a sponge dripping with icy water. You had to be bad to stay down.

n The fuss over Chelsea and Man U has virtually swept aside the FA Cup Final.