A season to cheer after the summer of suffering

Manchester United and Chelsea contested the most fascinating title race in years, while Liverpool joined them in the semi-finals of the Champions League and went one stage further by reaching a second final in three years.

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Three years that have also included an appearance in the final for Arsenal. But in a season when Premier League executives cashed in on the success of England's leading clubs by securing a fabulously lucrative new television deal, controversy has overshadowed their achievements.

The Carlos Tevez saga has left clubs incensed, administrators embarrassed and opened the door to what promises to be a bitter legal battle that will be led by Sheffield United and supported by up to six other clubs.

Managers have perished under the pressure that comes with the increasing demand for success. Iain Dowie, Les Reed, Alan Pardew, Chris Coleman, Glenn Roeder and Stuart Pearce have all suffered, often at the hands of employers far more incompetent than them.

What were Charlton thinking when they turned from Dowie to Reed? Why did Fulham suddenly call time on Coleman's tenure when he had done so remarkably well in what, we often forget, was his first job in management?

Why, fans of Wigan and Bolton should be asking, did their respective chairmen not consider the credentials of men like Coleman, Aidy Boothroyd, Mike Newell and David O'Leary before appointing Chris Hutchings and Sammy Lee as successors to Paul Jewell and Sam Allardyce?

If the answer has something to do with expense, perhaps they should remember the cost of relegation. It would be cheaper to appoint Jose Mourinho than make an appointment which sends a club down — Manchester City take note.

It's not often Freddy Shepherd can be applauded, but in recruiting Allardyce as Roeder's replacement he has displayed more wit than Dave Whelan and Phil Gartside.

But Mourinho would love to work for a man like Whelan, wouldn't he?

No doubt after the season Chelsea's manager has just had. A season that almost ended with his dismissal, thanks to the disintegration of his relationship with Roman Abramovich.

The situation has become so serious Chelsea's Russian owner even misses matches as important as the second leg of that Champions League semi-final at Anfield. And if it's all about enjoyment for the billionaire, where's the fun in that?

Is Mourinho to blame?

He does have a habit of upsetting people, as he once again demonstrated with those disgraceful comments about Cristiano Ronaldo.

"It's a game where a kid had some statements... not showing maturity and respect, maybe education, difficult childhood, no education, maybe the consequence of that," sniped Mourinho after his countryman dared call him a bad loser.

Sir Alex Ferguson put him in his place, though

Indeed he did, telling his rival that bringing "class" into the argument "lacked class". Full marks to Fergie, on and off the field.

Shame about his neighbour

Maybe so, but Pearce was asking for trouble the moment he declared he was "not the worst manager in the Premiership". After giving it some thought, the City hierarchy weren't so sure. To think some people thought he should have been England coach.

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Has being a Premiership boss ever been so difficult?

Well Jewell thought it was pretty tough, as he explained recently: "Someone once said to me you need to be a marriage guidance counsellor, a money lender, a coach, a psychologist, a friend and a foe. In fact, the only thing you haven't got to be is a gynaecologist, even if you do have to deal with..."

And it sounds like he might need a marriage guidance counsellor?

Whelan certainly seems to think he does after revealing that his now ex-manager had "fallen out with his wife". If Whelan is ever invited to dinner again, he may need the suit of armour he gave to Mrs Jewell as a gift.

But shouldn't women stay out of it?

In overseeing Birmingham's return to the Premiership, Karren Brady has once again taken a sledgehammer to that particular theory.

And when Mike Newell arrived at St Andrew's with his Luton side this season, City's managing director came up with the perfect riposte to comments he made about women. She made it Ladies' Day and slashed ticket prices for female fans.

Newell talked himself into a bit of trouble when he said there was no place for female officials in the game, didn't he?

He did, but he also took the stick with a degree of charm. After being branded a "Neanderthal" by Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan, Newell replied wryly: "Tell me something I don't know."

But aren't there more important things in life?

Ian Holloway would say there are. "It worries me when I sit on the team coach and look at my players. They've all got their individual music things, or DVDs or what have you.

"The art of communication is dying. We'll all end up with thumbs like crabs soon because all these kids are doing is playing those little computer games."

And when he's not thumping team-mates, Joey Barton has better things to do, does he?

Well he's not keen on reading the autobiographies of England's World Cup flops. "We got beat in the quarter-finals. I played like s***. Here's my book," said Barton. "Who'd want to read that?"

One thing Jamie Carragher didn't want to do was groundshare with Everton, a move it appeared Liverpool's new American owners were considering

"I asked George Gillett about it and let him know that it wouldn't have gone down too well," revealed Liverpool's Player of the Year.

And someone who, as one of the finest centre halves in Europe, has taken some major scalps this season

Which is more than can be said for Lord Stevens and his bungs inquiry.

Weren't the Premier League involved with that one as well?

MATT LAWTON'S PREMIER PRIZES

PLAYER OF THE SEASON: Cristiano Ronaldo deserves his clutch of awards but, for me, Didier Drogba has been number one. The striker has carried Chelsea for much of this season.

BOSS OF THE SEASON: A-grades to Steve Coppell and David Moyes but full marks to Sir Alex Ferguson for conquering Chelsea.

MATCH OF THE SEASON: Nothing held my attention more than Chelsea's Champions League triumph in Valencia, but in the Premiership it has to be West Ham 3 Tottenham 4.

COMEBACK OF THE SEASON: A special mention here for Petr Cech. He has shown so much courage and professionalism since returning from that life-threatening head injury.