The Final Countdown - Football History's stories of glory and heartbreak in the biggest finals

Eight points clear. The reigning champions seemingly cruising towards another title. But Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United weren't finished yet.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we return to 2002/03, as Arsène Wenger's Arsenal look to retain their Premier League crown — only to find their greatest rivals mounting one of the most relentless comebacks in title race history.

With Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès and Patrick Vieira leading the charge, Arsenal appear destined for back-to-back championships. But Ferguson's United, inspired by Ruud van Nistelrooy's extraordinary goalscoring form, refuse to go away.

We revisit the games that turned the title race on its head — from United's crucial victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford, to the explosive 2–2 draw at Highbury, and Arsenal's devastating collapse against Bolton that handed the initiative to United.

We also explore the growing bitterness between Wenger and Ferguson, the emergence of a rivalry that was becoming increasingly personal, and the remarkable consistency that saw United finish the season with 18 wins from their final 21 league games.

So where was the 2002/03 Premier League title really won and lost? Was it United's relentless pursuit, Arsenal's failure to hold their nerve, or the moment Ferguson once again proved he was the master of the title run-in?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

Three titles in a row. A manager preparing to walk away. And an Arsenal side determined to end Manchester United's dominance.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we return to 2001/02, as Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United chase an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title — but with uncertainty hanging over Old Trafford following his announcement that he intends to retire.

With United distracted and struggling for consistency, Arsène Wenger senses his opportunity. Arsenal are building something special, with Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp spearheading a serious challenge. But they're not alone, as Gérard Houllier's Liverpool emerge as genuine contenders in a fascinating three-way title race.

We revisit United's extraordinary defensive problems, Ferguson's dramatic retirement U-turn and the key games that shifted the balance of power — culminating in Arsenal's famous victory at Old Trafford, where Sylvain Wiltord's goal secured the championship on their greatest rivals' own ground.

Was Ferguson's retirement announcement the beginning of United's downfall? Could Liverpool have broken the duopoly? And which game really decided the 2001/02 Premier League title?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

Manchester United had won the Treble. They’d followed it by winning the league by 18 points. Surely they couldn’t get even better?

They could.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we return to 2000/01, as Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United chase a third successive Premier League title — and proceed to blow away almost everyone who tries to stop them.

Arsenal remain their closest established rivals, while Liverpool and a hugely exciting Leeds side continue to develop. But by the middle of the season, United are disappearing into the distance.

We revisit the games that demonstrated just how far ahead Ferguson’s side had become — culminating in the extraordinary 6–1 demolition of Arsenal at Old Trafford, when United were 5–1 up before half-time and effectively ended any lingering hopes of a title race.

With Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Keane, Cole, Yorke, Sheringham and Solskjær, this was a United squad overflowing with attacking options — and seemingly capable of destroying opponents from anywhere.

United eventually secured the title with five games still to play, becoming only the fourth club in English football history to win three consecutive league championships.

So was the 6–1 destruction of Arsenal the game that decided the 2000/01 Premier League title — or had Ferguson’s champions already broken the chasing pack long before then?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

The Treble winners returned. Arsenal came again. And a fearless young Leeds side announced themselves as the Premier League’s next great challengers.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we return to 1999/2000 — a campaign that ultimately became one of the most dominant title victories in Premier League history.

David O’Leary’s exciting young Leeds United emerge as genuine contenders, while Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal look to reclaim the crown. But standing above them both is a Manchester United side that, once it finds its stride, simply destroys everything in its path.

We revisit the moments when the title race began to unravel for United’s challengers, including Arsenal’s damaging winter run and Leeds’ attempt to turn youthful promise into a genuine championship challenge.

And we look at the extraordinary finish from Ferguson’s side: 11 consecutive Premier League victories to end the season, as United disappear over the horizon and eventually finish a staggering 18 points clear of Arsenal.

After the drama of 1998/99, this time there was no final-day shootout. So when did the 1999/2000 title race really end — and which game made everyone else realise Manchester United were simply too good?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

The Treble. The comeback in Barcelona. Giggs against Arsenal. But before all of that, there was a Premier League title race that went right down to the final day.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we return to 1998/99, as Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal attempt to defend their title against a Manchester United side about to embark on the greatest season in their history.

United and Arsenal trade blows throughout the campaign, with barely anything separating them as the season reaches its climax. We revisit the key moments that shifted the balance — including Arsenal’s emphatic 3–0 victory over United at Highbury, the psychological shift in the FA Cup semi final, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s goal for Leeds that finally handed the advantage back to Ferguson’s side.

With one game remaining, United still had to come from behind against Tottenham at Old Trafford to make absolutely certain.

So where was the 1998/99 Premier League title really decided? And how close did Arsenal come to stopping the Treble before anyone even knew there was going to be one?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

A new manager. A new philosophy. And the beginning of the greatest rivalry the Premier League has ever seen.

The 1997/98 season was the year Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal went head-to-head with Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United — and English football would never quite be the same again.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we revisit a title race that appeared to be United’s to lose. The champions had opened up a commanding lead and, with Arsenal seemingly out of contention, another Ferguson title looked inevitable.

Then everything changed.

We look at Arsenal’s remarkable late-season charge, powered by Bergkamp, Overmars, Vieira and a defence inherited from the old Arsenal — and focus on the afternoon at Old Trafford when Marc Overmars scored the goal that transformed the title race.

But was that really where the league was won? Or had the momentum shifted earlier, when Arsenal beat United 3–2 at Highbury? And how did a side that had looked beaten suddenly become champions with games to spare?

Most importantly, this was about more than one title. Wenger had proved Manchester United could be beaten — and Ferguson had finally found an opponent who could challenge him season after season.

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

The Entertainers are back. Manchester United are champions. And somehow, Liverpool and Newcastle are about to do it all over again.

The 1996/97 Premier League season began with Newcastle desperate to finish the job after the heartbreak of the previous year. But halfway through the campaign, Kevin Keegan suddenly walked away — leaving behind a title challenge and one of the great mysteries of the Premier League era.

In this episode of The Games That Decided the Season, we ask where the title was really won.

Was it United’s response to an extraordinary autumn collapse, when Ferguson’s champions suffered three consecutive league defeats — conceding 13 goals along the way — including that infamous 5–0 humiliation at Newcastle?

Or was it another extraordinary night at Anfield, when Liverpool and Newcastle somehow produced another 4–3 classic, almost exactly a year after the first?

We revisit Keegan’s shock departure, United’s ability to recover when seemingly in crisis, Newcastle’s attempt to keep their challenge alive without the man who had transformed the club, and a title race in which nobody seemed particularly keen on taking control.

So which game really decided the 1996/97 Premier League title?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the games where an entire season changed.

In the first of our new series, The Games That Decided the Season, we go back to 1995/96 and ask a simple question: when was the Premier League title really won and lost?

Was it 4 March at St James’ Park, when Newcastle battered Manchester United for long periods, Peter Schmeichel somehow kept them out, and Eric Cantona struck to give United a huge 1–0 victory that cut Newcastle’s lead to a single point?

Or was it a month later at Anfield? Newcastle still had their destiny in their own hands when they met Liverpool on 3 April, only to lose 4–3 in one of the greatest Premier League games ever played, Stan Collymore’s stoppage-time winner leaving Kevin Keegan famously slumped over the advertising hoardings.

We revisit Ferguson’s mind games, Cantona’s influence, Newcastle’s breathtaking attacking football and the pressure that slowly engulfed Keegan’s side.

Manchester United at St James’ Park or Liverpool at Anfield — which was the game that really decided the 1995/96 Premier League title?

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia, as we look back at the moments when an entire season changed.

The World Cup is over. The flags have been put away. And after barely enough time to catch our breath… the Premier League is back.

In this episode, we preview the 2026/27 Premier League season — with champions Arsenal attempting to do it all over again, Manchester City entering a new era after Pep Guardiola, and the rest of the traditional heavyweights trying to work out how to stop them.

We look at the summer’s biggest transfers, managerial changes and World Cup stars returning to club football, before making the predictions that will almost certainly come back to embarrass us in May.

Can Arsenal retain their crown? Who will emerge from the chasing pack? Can Manchester United finally drag themselves back towards the top? And what chance do newly promoted Coventry, Ipswich and Hull have of surviving among the big boys?

Plus our title winners, top four, relegation picks, surprise packages and players to watch.

This is The Final Countdown — football history and nostalgia… with the occasional look at what might happen next.

A World Cup that was bigger, longer and occasionally completely bonkers.

Played across Canada, Mexico and the United States, the expanded 48-team tournament delivered unfamiliar opponents, major upsets and enough football to make even the most committed supporter briefly forget what day it was.

In this episode, we look back at the players, goals and controversies that defined the 2026 World Cup — while naturally spending rather more time than necessary discussing England.

We revisit their tense run through the knockout rounds, the growing belief that this might finally be the year, and another agonising semi-final defeat to Argentina. We also relive the chaotic third-place play-off, where England beat France 6–4 to secure their best World Cup finish since 1966.

Away from England, we examine Spain’s route to the trophy, Argentina’s attempt to retain it, the fall of several traditional powers and the surprise teams who embraced the expanded format.

Was the 48-team World Cup an exhilarating celebration of global football or simply too much of a good thing? And did England genuinely move forward — or just discover a new way to break our hearts?

This is The Final Countdown — a podcast dedicated to the great finals and unforgettable tournaments from the annals of football. Each week your hosts, Adam and Lewis, dive deep — with a generous helping of nostalgia, humour and occasional England-based emotional damage — into the stories that shaped the game.