Welcome back to the third part of season four.  Last episode we couldn’t buy a win in the league and had slumped to 13th in the table, however there was a small glimmer, well, that might be too generous, we were still in the FA Cup and Champions League, let’s leave it at that.

A new episode, but not new beginnings, we draw 0-0 at home to Sheffield United in the FA Cup 5th round, what the hell, cups are our specialism.  The players ratings highlighting how dismal of a game it was, at least we get a replay.

After a match like that you can only hope to face Man United next.  They’ve swapped Schmeichel for Matteo Guardalben (who) but surprise surprise, he’s nearly unbeatable and despite having nine shots on target to their two, we draw, which I suppose, is one point better than a loss, so hey ho.

We head to Sheffield for the 5th round replay, and despite trying our best to self-sabotage we hold on to the win, 45 minutes of nine vs eleven was tough going.

With no league wins in seven matches we head to White Hart Lane and a game of, who can defend the worst.  Even Pistol has begun to misfire, squandering a penalty that would have seen us win 4-3, who am I kidding, we would have found a way to draw 4-4.

The Champions League quarter final first leg is at the San Siro, we do what we do best, get a man sent off and manage a draw, which is actually a pretty good result, all things considered.

Finally, a win, for once it’s not us who get a man sent off and we do something that we haven’t been able to do in a while, capitalise on our advantage.

Hold up ….

The almost compulsory double dismissal but the less often seen reverse Champ Man.

The second leg of the Champions League is another up and down match, we dominate the tie, but of course get a man sent off, it’s just what we do now.  Somehow, we still manage to get a result. 

The semi-final draw is as kind as it could be.

For some reason we go straight from the quarter finals to the semi-finals, with three players suspended and another three injured we’re not in the best position to face Bayern.

The holes caused by injuries and suspensions can’t be plugged and Bayern manage to get an away goal and a 0-1 win.

The next match is another semi-final, this time it’s the FA Cup, we’re in the same position regarding injuries and suspensions, except the players are different.  Maybe we could try and stop being such dirty bastards.

It’s an even match against Middlesbrough, Mully gets the only goal, we’ve unbelievably made it to the FA Cup final!

Something is stirring at the Moor, we’ve found some zip and zazz, three games in a row, without a sending off and a win!

We head to the Bridge and manage to get a draw after going one down, it was a pretty dull 60 minutes after that with neither team looking like winning.

Last time we played Coventry we battered them, but Magnus denied us at every turn. This time it’s a lot more even, we end up with the win in a close game, something we haven’t done enough this season.

Buoyed by our win against Coventry we head to Munich 0-1 down after the first leg.  We use all our cup magic up in a game for the ages and we’ve made it to another cup final.  This season has been the strangest I’ve ever played!  Man Utd beat Juve 2-0 at home to set up an all English Champions League Final.

After the excitement of Munich it’s another humdinger away at Anfield.  Liverpool keeper Neil Alexander gets sent off, Pistol misses a penalty, again and Fowler scores a hat trick with an 88th minute strike as we finish 3-3.

Savio’s four months into his eleven month layoff but he’s still holding a grudge about me trying to free transfer him the moment he got injured.  He’s decided he needs to go to a bigger club, plonker.  This is why I don’t like you!

Things have definitely taken an upward turn, along with making it to both cup finals not even a super keeper display by Richard Wright can stop us beating Sheffield Wednesday.  Dave 2.0 with the goal.

It’s another home match three days later and another win. 2.0 and Pistol with the goals, as we beat City.

We always seem to get a result when playing Arsenal and despite not being at our best we manage a 2-0 win.

We haven’t lost a league game so far this episode, and somehow, despite playing our fourth game in seven days we find the energy to score an 88th minute winner against Wolves.

The three day break before facing Leicester feels like a month and we make the most of our extended rest period by putting four past Bengt on the final day of the season.  Wow, that snuck up on me fast.

What a recovery, we won nine and drew four of our final thirteen games, almost doubling our points total for the season.  Because the League is so tight we finish third only four points shy of winners Man Utd!

The final two games of the season are the FA Cup final against Everton and the Champions League final against Man Utd.

After the free flowing football of the final episode, the FA Cup is a dry affair.  Both teams have chances but struggle to find the target.  Mully pops up just after half time to slot home and the Clarets hold on for the win.  Wembley hears the Turf Roar, an almost forgotten sound this season.

So, we head to Rome for the Champions League Final. The game is almost as even as they come, in fact until the 90th minute it was perfectly even.

Thank you Denis!  Strangely, scoring a 90th minute winner in the Champions League Final doesn’t get you MOM, that honour went to John Curtis, makes perfect sense. 

What a season, equal parts frustrating, ridiculous and incredible. That middle third was so bad!  It’s not how you start but how you finish.

The club stats.

Petko “Pistols” Gintchev has been one of the few bright lights this season, his 35 goals and 18 assists earn him.

Join us next week for the beginning of season five, I’m going to try and figure out how to develop consistency across a whole season, rather than just for 13 games.  Can’t complain though, somehow, we won two trophies, which I still can’t quite believe.