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Watford versus West Ham is the real pay day

The drama on the final day of the Premier League season tomorrow is naturally focused on the fates of Liverpool and Manchester United, but the most important game in financial terms is between Watford and West Ham United.

There is a range of three places available to both teams and this could make a difference of just under £5.8m to their final payout from the Premier League. Leaving aside the relegated clubs, it is the teams at the top and the bottom that will see the smallest difference to their prize money: £1.93m for Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Brighton.

Wolves will finish seventh whatever happens and should therefore, leaving some unlikely outcomes aside, be in the Europa League next season. It's a just reward for a team who have not been daunted following promotion and made a big impact on the league. Paradoxically, the long drawn out Europa League campaign may hold them back next season (Burnley were negatively impacted this season).

The real excitement tomorrow will be whether City can steal the title or whether they will stumble at the last minute. Probably not. From a neutral's perspective, both title contenders have played some fantastic football this season. In a way justice would be done if City retained the title and Liverpool took the Champions League. However, there is a sense in which Liverpool fans would have preferred the title, while Spurs think that the Champions League title can be theirs.

Anfield is a superb stadium for atmosphere and all football fans remember with sadness what happened at Hillsborough. However, there is a sense in which City fans are a more cerebral lot, although they may be surprised to hear it. My sense is that if City win the title they will celebrate for a few days and that will be it. Liverpool fans will celebrate all summer and all next season as well. This is not to say that is wrong, just different.

Gary James, a lecturer in sports history at Manchester Metropolitan University (and a City fan) put it this way to The Times:'Liverpool's supporters have this great ability, no matter what the scoreline is, they're convinced they'll win. I'm not saying that's wrong, because their history bears it out. City fans aren't like that. We're a bit more realistic.'

If you are fan of a club like Charlton, as I have been since 1953, you realise that there is going to be a lot of disappointment, but that makes the good moments even better.

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