The unparalleled thrill and excitement of relegation, although fans of Wolves, West Ham, Wigan, West Brom and Birmingham may beg to differ

With only eight or nine games left to play depending on the team, the fight for the title is once again reaching its climax.

As has so often been the case in the history of the Premier League, Manchester United are once again leading the way, with Arsenal and Chelsea threatening from second and third respectively.

This has a frustratingly repetitive feel to it though, which has slightly diminished my excitement for the conclusion of the season and as a result my interest is focused elsewhere, as I’m keenly anticipating the outcome of the relegation dogfight at the other end of the table.

With only six points separating the entire bottom half of the table this unfashionable battle at the ugly end of the league has an unpredictability that can’t be matched by those at the top.

Admittedly the football might not be of the same quality and the players on show don’t always posses that world renowned star quality that United, Chelsea, Arsenal etc have in reserves, but in its place there is a passion and hunger to remain amongst the best in the country and this produces games of drama that not even Shakespeare could match.

Desperation, panic, passion, calamitous defending and the occasional cool and tactically astute head all collide in games that are fantastic, maddening and downright entertaining, just so long as your side isn’t involved, as teams desperately try to avoid falling into the relative obscurity of the Championship.

This season, it is far from clear cut which team is set to take the plunge, with any side in the bottom half standing a realistic chance and it is this amazing unpredictability that has brought me back season after season with amazed eyes to the relegation battle.

Remember in recent times West Brom miraculously escaping the drop on the last day, having been rock bottom at the start of play? (Resulting pitch invasion below) The might of Newcastle and their vast network of supporters limply and surprisingly succumbing to relegation? Roy Hodgson’s seemingly doomed Fulham confounding the critics? And of course David Pleat joyfully skipping across the pitch after Yugoslav Raddy Antic saved Luton from the drop with a late strike to send opponents City down?

A similar level of unpredictability hasn’t been replicated at the top of the table since Jack Walker, Kenny Dalglish and Alan Shearer hauled unfashionable and unfancied Blackburn Rovers to the title in 1994/95 and even the financial clout of City has so far been unable to affect the status quo.

Whilst I will still be watching to see who comes out on top by the close of play on Sunday 22 May, the familiarity of it all has bred a level of disinterest in the bru-hah-hah of the title, as mind games are repeated and the same old teams doggedly imitate the actions of seasons gone by, with the occasional place change.

The unforgiving nature of relegation though gives it an advantage over its more fussy opposition at the top, as this season, Premier League perennials Aston Villa have been dragged into the descent and occasional good-time-Charlie’s West Ham have been flirting dangerously with the drop all year.

The fact that clubs labelled as too big for the drop, can seemingly be swallowed up by the desperation of relegation is a fascinating side show to the increasingly predictable top half.

Come the season’s end the relegation battle will be where my attention is focused, as nowhere else in the table or in any other competition is the drama and excitement as fantastically pronounced.

Tags: Birmingham City, Premier League, West Brom, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic, Wolves