Ah, the 2012/13 football season has (almost) come to an end.  Just the play-off final between Crystal Palace and Watford for promotion to the Premier League and Champions League Final to go, I think.  And what could sum up the absurdity of present day football administration more than that Final being contested between two German teams at, of all places, Wembley Stadium in London.   You would assume there might be enough flexibility at UEFA or FIFA to arrange for the Final to be held in the Fatherland, but when did those authorities ever give any consideration to the travelling fans or even, in this case, the good residents of Wembley and surrounding areas?

Anyway, for us Saints fans, we breathed a collective sigh of relief that relegation has not only been avoided but, indeed, there are positive signs for the future.  Possibly.   Sunday`s draw against Stoke City secured 14th place for the Saints, a situation for which I would have bitten your hand off had you offered it at the start of the season, so to speak, to be fair.

Another sigh of relief has at last been the final departure of Alex Ferguson.   It`s been a long, drawn-out process involving the kind of media coverage normally reserved for demised royalty, but at last he`s gone and, as such, future seasons promise to be much more agreeable. 

Whilst being away last week, I did manage to catch the Europa League Final, which Chelsea managed to win and we were again treated to the serial spectacle of John (`Leader, Legend, Pillock`) Terry once again being kitted up and receiving the trophy despite playing no part in the game due to injury.   He`s done it before, of course, which antics say much about the fragililty of his character and his craving for attention.   It would not surprise me in the slightest to see him donning either a Bayern Munich or Borrussia Dortmund kit and wander up to collect the Champions League trophy at Wembley.

And then it really will be over for the next three months except, of course, for the incessant rumours about transfers, the comings and goings of managers, the endless speculation and the depressing antics of Premier League footballers.   I think I`ll just sit back and enjoy the cricket.