By Paul Frederickson
One of the the most captivating and endearing traditions of the English Premier League is the final day. The one day of the season where dreams of winning the title or perhaps qualifying for European competitions is mixed with the dread of relegation for some supporters. Hearts beat faster, nails are chewed to the quick and the drama is enhanced with all teams kicking off at the same time meaning that radios are listened to and whispers of other scorelines become a roar.
The final day of the 2011/12 season was one for the ages, teams changed positions, titles were won and lost and fans from all over the world were glued to the on field action from their stadium seats, television and computer screens as well as radio broadcasts. Let's look back at four team's fortunes on of the most dramatic final days for many years.
At the top of the league it was the battle of Manchester with both teams on the same amount of points but Manchester City holding a decisive +8 goal difference over their rivals.
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Manchester City 86 points (+63 goal difference) vs Queens Park Rangers at home.
Manchester United 86 points (+55 goal difference) vs Sunderland away.
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At the bottom of the league there was one more relegation spot to avoid and two candidates desperate to avoid the drop.
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Bolton Wanderers 35 points (-31 goal difference) vs Stoke City away.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-22 goal difference) vs Manchester City away.
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Final day timeline
12' Jonathon Walters scores for Stoke against Bolton.
Stoke City 1 v Bolton Wanderers 0
Manchester City 0 v Queens Park Rangers 0
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 0
Bolton Wanderers 35 points (-32 goal difference) 18th in the relegation spot.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-22 goal difference) 17th and safe.
Manchester City 86 points (+63 goal difference) Nervously atop the league.
Manchester United 86 points (+55 goal difference) Pushing for the first goal.
20' Wayne Rooney scores for Manchester United.
Stoke City 1 v Bolton Wanderers 0
Manchester City 0 v Queens Park Rangers 0
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1
Bolton Wanderers 35 points (-32 goal difference) 18th in the relegation spot.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-22 goal difference) 17th and safe.
Manchester City 86 points (+63 goal difference) Their crowds bays for a goal as word gets around that United are leading Sunderland.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) The hope of a 20th title is 70m minutes away.
39' Mark Davies scores for Bolton and Pablo Zabaleta scores for Manchester City.
Stoke City 1 v Bolton Wanderers 1
Manchester City 1 v Queens Park Rangers 0
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1
Bolton Wanderers 36 points (-31 goal difference) 18th in the relegation spot but a chance to win and climb to safety.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-23 goal difference) 17th and still safe at this stage. Hoping for a Stoke win and/or equaliser against Manchester City.
Manchester City 89 points (+64 goal difference) City regains the league lead.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United concentrate on their own slim lead knowing that they must at least win their own game first.
45' Kevin Davies fires Bolton into the lead against Stoke.
Stoke City 1 v Bolton Wanderers 2
Manchester City 1 v Queens Park Rangers 0
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1
Bolton Wanderers 38 points (-30 goal difference) 17th and the great escape music and chants resonate at half-time.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-23 goal difference) Half-time is a time of despair, away to Manchester City and still hoping for their own team or Stoke to revive their hopes.
Manchester City 89 points (+64 goal difference) City maintains the league lead.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United hold a slender half-time lead.
51' Cisse scores for Queens Park Rangers.
Stoke City 1 v Bolton Wanderers 2
Manchester City 1 v Queens Park Rangers 1
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1
Bolton Wanderers 38 points (-30 goal difference) 17th with a point lead over QPR.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-22 goal difference) 18th and a chance to keep their fate in their own hands.
Manchester City 87 points (+63 goal difference) City have a fight on their hands as the 44 year drought hangs over the heads of the City faithful.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United cannot believe they can still win the league.
55' Joey Barton's brain fade and straight red leaves QPR down to 10 men.
66' Jamie Mackie's header puts QPR into the lead against Manchester City!
Stoke City 1 v Bolton Wanderers 2
Manchester City 1 v Queens Park Rangers 2
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1
Bolton Wanderers 38 points (-30 goal difference) 17th with a point lead over QPR.
Queens Park Rangers 40 points (-21 goal difference) 17th and not needing to keep an eye or ear on the Bolton match.
Manchester City 86 points (+62 goal difference) City fans memories of past failures are now prominent.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United now have one hand on the trophy.
77' Jonathon Walters converts a penalty to equalise for Stoke.
Stoke City 2 v Bolton Wanderers 2
Manchester City 1 v Queens Park Rangers 2
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1
Bolton Wanderers 36 points (-31 goal difference) 18th and back where they started at the beginning of play.
Queens Park Rangers 40 points (-21 goal difference) 17th and not needing to keep an eye or ear on the Bolton match.
Manchester City 86 points (+62 goal difference) City fans memories of past failures are still prominent.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United now have one hand on the trophy and are listening to the result at the Etihad stadium.
91' FT at two of the games:
Stoke City 2 v Bolton Wanderers 2 Bolton are relegated, Queens Park Rangers are safe.
Sunderland 0 v Manchester United 1 United are champions unless City can conjure two late miracle goals deep into extra time.
92' Dzeko scores from a point blank header to give desperate City fans the cruelest slivers of hope.
Manchester City 87 points (+63 goal difference) City fans can barely watch, urging their team for one last effort as the title slips away with every second.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United fans world-wide are praying for a final whistle to blow at the Etihad stadium.
94' The son-in-law of one of the world's greatest ever players drifts into the right side of the penalty box and rifles a shot across Kenny's outstretched right hand and with less than a minute to go Manchester City are the Champions of the English Premier League!
Bolton Wanderers 36 points (-31 goal difference) 18th and relegated. They were safe and then relegated in a roller coaster and ultimately disappointing afternoon.
Queens Park Rangers 37 points (-23 goal difference) Relegated, and then beating the Champions in waiting, ending in a defeat but more importantly Stoke's equaliser kept them in the premiership.
Manchester City 89 points (+64 goal difference) City fans will celebrate for years to come in an afternoon that would have damaged many of their hearts, nails and bleeding lips.
Manchester United 89 points (+56 goal difference) United and Ferguson fought to the end but now have to wait at least one more season for the historic 20th title.
What a day! A day that could not have been scripted with much more drama in mind!
The kind of day that sums up every feeling that the wonderful game of football evokes.
Congratulations to the new English Premiership League winners, Manchester City!
