End-of-season reports: Part three

Manchester City.

Premier League: 3rd. Europa League: Last 16. FA Cup: Winners. Carling Cup: 3rd round.

Lowdown: It wasn't all plain sailing at Manchester City this season but Roberto Mancini and his squad can look back at a job well done. To qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the club's history and win the club's first trophy in 35 years was a major achievement, however they got there. City's success was built on a strong defence, with the side boasting the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League. Goalkeeper Joe Hart and defender Vincent Kompany, as well as Nigel De Jong in the holding role, were crucial throughout and key factors behind City's good season. The start they had to the season gave them a good foundation, losing just once in the first eight league games, including a 1-0 victory over Chelsea. Things did turn sour after that though, with the side losing to Arsenal and Wolves in successive games. A 0-0 draw at home to Birmingham in mid-November was greeted with widespread condemnation from City's fans and Mancini appeared to be on the way out due to his negative style of play, but the Italian should be given enormous credit for the way he turned it around, however much money has been spent on assembling the squad.

Carlos Tevez scored the only goal in City's early-season victory over Chelsea

Following the Wolves defeat, City lost just one game in 13 and that cemented their place in the top four and gave the team renewed confidence. After the turn of the year, their away form did falter, with five defeats on the road, but their home form was flawless as they comfortably secured Champions League qualification. City had been tipped for a title challenge before the season and that never materialised, but they should be happy with their season's work as the club needed to secure a top four finish to establish themselves among the European elite. As for the FA Cup triumph, that was surely City's most important success this season. Their trophy drought of 35 years is now over and the club can truly look forward without that spectre looming over them. Manchester United fans can no longer taunt them with the ticking clock banner representing how many years City have gone without a trophy so this FA Cup victory was priceless. They were on the ropes in the fourth round against Notts County and looked set to go out, but they recovered and beat a host of teams along the way to winning the competition, including rivals Manchester United in the semi-final and Stoke in the final. Yaya Toure scored the winner in both those games to enter City folklore and his contribution throughout the season was immense. As for skipper Carlos Tevez, his work-rate and 23 goals kept his side going throughout the campaign and it would be a major blow for City if they were to lose him this summer. He handed in a transfer request - which he later removed - during the season and has done nothing to stop speculation about his future, so it appears doubtful he will still be there next season. Mario Balotelli brought his mix of brilliance and bizarreness to Eastlands in his debut season in English football and next season will be the defining one for him to determine whether he will truly make it in the Premier League. He certainly needs to tone down some of his behaviour, on and off the pitch, as negative headlines are the last thing City need when they are challenging for honours. This season has provided another stepping stone for City on the road to becoming a major superpower and so Mancini should be more than satisfied by how the campaign developed.

Best player: Vincent Kompany was a rock at the back for City and their success would have been a lot harder to achieve without him. Kompany sometimes does not get as much credit as some of his team-mates - largely due to the fact he wasn't signed for a large fee - but ask most City fans who their player of the season was and they will say Kompany. Whatever money City spend, they will be hard-pressed to find a better defender than the Belgian. Mentions must also go to Tevez, Hart, De Jong, Yaya Toure and David Silva, who all had excellent seasons.

Kompany was a colossus at the back all season for City

Worst player: Jo. City signed Jo for a reported fee of £18million in 2008 and it is hard to think of a worse piece of business in the history of English football. Somehow, he remains at Eastlands (probably because no-one else will have him) and this season he made 23 appearances (most of them as a substitute), scoring just three times. City fans must be praying the Brazilian leaves this summer. Others who had poor seasons include Wayne Bridge, Shaun-Wright Phillips and Roque Santa Cruz. Edin Dzeko has also failed to impress since his big-money move in January and will need to hit the ground running next season to avoid being labelled as a flop.

Highlight: Manchester City 1-0 Stoke, FA Cup final, 14 May 2011. 35 years of hurt for City finally came to an end when they earned a well-deserved victory over Stoke at Wembley. Yaya Toure scored the winner as his side dominated the game, and it is this success which will buy Roberto Mancini the time he needs to deliver even greater success at City. The FA Cup may have lost some of its appeal in recent years but try telling that to City fans right now.

City's FA Cup triumph was a momentous occasion for the club

Lowlight: Manchester City 0-0 Birmingham, Premier League, 13 November 2010. Nothing seemed to work for City in this game and Roberto Mancini felt the full wrath of the club's fans. He brought captain (and biggest goal threat) Carlos Tevez off in the closing stages and replaced him with defence-minded Gareth Barry, with Mancini seemingly settling for the draw. Things did improve for City after this but it is performances like this one which raise questions about Mancini's long-term future at Eastlands.

Manager: Roberto Mancini is revered among City fans for delivering Champions League football and the club's first trophy in 35 years, and should be congratulated for his achievements this season. However, his style of football was dour at times and that may need to improve if he is to have a successful long-term future at Eastlands. The FA Cup triumph has undoubtedly bought him more time to shape City the way he wants to but the club's owners are sure to expect their side to be more involved in the title race next season.

Roberto Mancini's style of football was criticised at times this season

Five games that shaped their season:
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, Premier League, 25 September 2010.
Wolves 2-1 Manchester City, Premier League, 30 October 2010.
Manchester City 0-0 Birmingham, Premier League, 13 November 2010.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United, FA Cup, 16 April 2011.
Manchester City 1-0 Stoke, FA Cup, 14 May 2011.

Transfer activity: City's squad will need slightly improving in the summer, but most of their business will be players on the way out. Coming in, Carlos Tevez will need to be replaced should he leave while the club should also target a left-back and a winger. The quality of the squad should also be increased as City did not have enough strength in depth this season. Good summer acquisitions could include Leighton Baines, Raphael Varane, Alexis Sanchez, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain.

Expect plenty of players to be leaving City this summer as they have a number of players on their books who are simply not good enough for the Champions League and would stand no chance of getting in the 25-man squad. Carlos Tevez may leave as he is reportedly unsettled while Shay Given and Jerome Boateng may leave in search of regular first-team football. Others, like Jo, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Roque Santa Cruz, Craig Bellamy, Michael Johnson, Wayne Bridge, Emmanuel Adebayor, Nedum Onuoha and Felipe Caicedo are sure to be offloaded by the club, if anyone will take them.

Aim for next season: At the very least, Mancini must again lead City into the Champions League. Ideally, the club would like him to guide them as close to the title as possible and with the experience this squad now has, that should be achievable. In the Champions League, the aim will be to at least progress from the group stage and anything beyond that will be a major bonus. With the resources City have, an improvement on this season should be inevitable and don't be surprised to see them winning more silverware in the next campaign.

Season rating out of 10: 8. Winning the title was always quite an unrealistic aim this season so qualifying for the Champions League and winning the FA Cup are major achievements. They may need to improve their style of play next season if they are to win over the neutrals, but their successes this season have provided a real platform for the club to build on.

Manchester United.

Premier League: 1st (Winners). Champions League: Final. FA Cup: Semi-Final. Carling Cup: Quarter-Final.

Lowdown: This season was a historic one for Manchester United. They won their 19th league title to overtake great rivals Liverpool and reached the Champions League final, so the season couldn't really have gone any better for Sir Alex Ferguson and his side. There were some disappointments, like the 4-0 Carling Cup defeat to West Ham and 1-0 loss in the FA Cup semi-final to rivals Manchester City, but they will be delighted by how they fared in the two major competitions. They started their league campaign with a remarkable 24-game unbeaten record, but failed to open up a large lead at the top of the table as much of their away games resulted in draws (they won just once away from home before the turn of the year and conceded late goals to be denied victory at Fulham, Everton and Birmingham). Dimitar Berbatov was particularly pivotal with Wayne Rooney struggling for fitness and form, with the Bulgarian scoring three hat-tricks and eventually ending with 20 league goals, the joint best in the Premier League. Nani was also key, particularly in the first half of the season, as he finally realised his true potential.

Wayne Rooney's contract extension in October was seen by many as a pivotal moment in United's season

Rooney was involved in a bitter contract dispute with the club in October and handed in a transfer request, but he eventually signed a new deal and United were to reap the benefits of that as the season progressed. They lost their unbeaten record away at Wolves and later lost successive games at Chelsea and Liverpool, but overall they lost just four times in the league. They only failed to win at home once - a 2-2 draw with West Brom in October - and it was that home record that set them apart from their rivals and won them the league. A 4-2 win from 2-0 down at West Ham, with Rooney grabbing a hat-trick, was pivotal in winning the league but they still looked under threat from Chelsea when they faced the Blues in May. However, the Red Devils never looked in any trouble and won the game 2-1 before sealing the title with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn. Their loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final was a major disappointment but they more than made up for that with their run to the Champions League final at Wembley. They breezed through the group stage before sweeping Marseille, Chelsea and Schalke aside in the knockouts, only to be well beaten in the final by Barcelona. Barca were on another level so United should not be too downhearted with their 3-1 defeat as no team could have matched the Catalans in that form. Nemanja Vidic was a colossus all season and Ryan Giggs seemed better than ever, while Javier Hernandez scored a magnificent 20 goals in his debut season in English football and the likes of Wayne Rooney, Park Ji-Sung and Antonio Valencia played key parts in the closing stages of the season. Edwin van der Sar was almost faultless in goal in his last season before retiring while Gary Neville and Paul Scholes both called an end to their illustrious careers, so United will have some gaps to fill this summer. United were criticised at times during the campaign for not possessing enough 'magic' and they were described as mechanical at times, but their success was a real team effort and their achievements will fill Sir Alex Ferguson with possibly more pride than he has ever felt at United.

Best player: Nemanja Vidic was a rock at the back for United all season as he captained his side to glory. The Serbian was a key reason behind United's excellent defensive record - they conceded just 37 times in the league - and he was a big threat in the opposition's box from set pieces, scoring five times. He has stepped up to the plate brilliantly since taking over the captain's armband from Rio Ferdinand and his leadership helped drive his team-mates on at crucial stages in the season. Javier Hernandez also deserves a mention for his excellent debut season in English football while Edwin van der Sar's contribution in goal cannot be ignored and Wayne Rooney's stunning end to the season was also crucial. Nani and Dimitar Berbatov's excellent form for much of the season should also not be forgotten.

Vidic's consistency throughout the season was a key factor behind United's success

Worst player: Bebe. Sir Alex Ferguson has made some great signings over the years at Manchester United but Bebe must rank alongside his very worst. He was signed last summer for a reported fee of £7.4million and it is already being reported United are ready to cut their losses on the Portuguese forward having loaned him out to Besiktas. He played just twice in the league and failed to impress in the cup competitions, and even looked out of his depth against non-league Crawley in the FA Cup. Looking back, his signing was extremely strange and it is unlikely Ferguson will take such a gamble again.

Highlight: West Ham 2-4 Manchester United, Premier League, 2 April 2011. A defeat for United in this game would have put them right into the clutches of Arsenal and Chelsea, and things didn't look good for them as they went in at half-time 2-0 down. Ryan Giggs was then moved to left-back and Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick as the Red Devils completed a trademark comeback to give them the belief they needed to go on and win the title. After the game, the headlines were negative due to Rooney swearing down a camera after scoring his third but the significance of the game was clear and perhaps the defining moment of United's season. Home wins over Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea were also highlights for United fans.

United's comeback at West Ham was the hallmark of champions

Lowlight: Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United, FA Cup Semi-Final, 16 April 2011. The FA Cup may not have been the most important competition for United fans this season but it would have hurt them badly to see their 'noisy neighbours' celebrating. City had not won a major trophy for 35 years and United wanted to keep it that way, but City controlled the game and grabbed the win courtesy of Yaya Toure's strike. This result opened the door for City to win the cup and truly announce their arrival as major threats for the top competitions. United's 4-0 loss in the Carling Cup to West Ham was also a massive disappointment while defeats in the Premier League to Wolves and Liverpool would also have hurt. The Champions League final loss to Barcelona was also a disappointment but, overall, the City loss was United's lowlight of the season.

Manager: There aren't enough words to describe how good a job Sir Alex Ferguson has done at Old Trafford and this season's title will rank among his greatest achievements. It is widely acknowledged this Manchester United team is not as good as United sides of the past but Ferguson has somehow defied that to still win the league. The gap between his side and Barcelona in the Champions League final will have hurt him but that will just provide further motivation for him to improve his side and match Barca in the future. He has now achieved his aim of "knocking Liverpool off their perch" and now the challenge is to knock Barcelona off theirs. It would not be a surprise to see Ferguson continue as manager for at least another three years.

Sir Alex Ferguson won his 12th league title this season

Five games that shaped their season:
Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool, Premier League, 19 September 2010.
West Ham 2-4 Manchester United, Premier League, 2 April 2011.
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea, Champions League and Premier League, 12 April 2011 and 8 May 2011.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United, FA Cup, 16 April 2011.
Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, Champions League, 28 May 2011.

Transfer activity: The Manchester United squad does not need a major overhaul but expect a couple of flair players to join this summer. Sir Alex Ferguson has acted early to secure the signature of highly-rated defender Phil Jones from Blackburn for around £20million and Ashley Young is also set to join from Aston Villa. United need a new goalkeeper, central midfielder and winger but they look set to conclude their business early in this transfer window. Goalkeeper David de Gea is heavily tipped to sign and Raphael Varane, Wesley Sneijder and Alexis Sanchez have also been strongly linked, while the return from loan spells of the likes of Federico Macheda, Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley will add real depth to Ferguson's squad.

A number of fringe players should leave United this summer, while Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes have brought an end to their illustrious playing careers. Nani could leave as there may be no space for him after the arrival of Young and Dimitar Berbatov could also be on his way out as he seems to have fallen behind Michael Owen in the pecking order and failed to make the matchday squad for the Champions League final. Darron Gibson, Wes Brown and John O'Shea all seem surplus to requirements and all have been given permission to speak to Sunderland, while Bebe has joined Besiktas on loan and Gabriel Obertan may also be on his way out. Owen Hargreaves has already been released after a catalogue of injury problems but Michael Owen has been handed a new contract at Old Trafford.

Aim for next season: For all the achievements at Manchester United over the past 20 or so years come high expectations. Fans will expect Ferguson to lead United to the league title again next season and will want another strong run in the Champions League, but do not expect anyone calling for Ferguson's departure should they not win a trophy. Whatever happens, United will be there or thereabouts next season in both competitions, with neither trophy given preference over the other.

Season rating out of 10: 9. This was a real team effort from Manchester United and to win the title was a massive achievement. The only things stopping this from being a 10 were their defeats to Manchester City and West Ham in the cup competitions and to Barcelona in the Champions League.

Newcastle.

Premier League: 12th. FA Cup: 3rd round. Carling Cup: 4th round.

Lowdown: Newcastle United just don't do quiet seasons but even by their standards this campaign has been unbelievable. Mismanagement in the board room is still very much there, with the crazy sacking of Chris Hughton in December and sale of Andy Carroll in January doing nothing to improve Mike Ashley's reputation on Tyneside, but on the pitch this was a successful season for the Magpies in their first season back in the top flight. The decision to sack Hughton was strange given the magnificent job he did in leading Newcastle back to the Premier League last season and the great wins he achieved in the early part of this season: 6-0 against Aston Villa, 1-0 away at Everton and Arsenal, 2-1 away at West Ham, 4-3 away at Chelsea in the Carling Cup and, or course, the 5-1 demolition of bitter rivals Sunderland. There were some bad results, for instance home defeats against Blackpool, Stoke and Blackburn and heavy defeats at Bolton and West Brom, but Hughton was well-loved by the fans and his sacking angered them. The loss of Hatem Ben Arfa to a broken leg in October was a major blow to Hughton while his other signings James Perch and Sol Campbell did not work, and their failures may have contributed to his sacking.

Cheik Tiote's stunning equaliser in the amazing comeback against Arsenal was one of the moments of the season

Alan Pardew was appointed his replacement in December, and started well with a 3-1 win over Liverpool and 5-0 victory against West Ham, but trouble was to follow for him in January. Carroll, who scored 11 league goals before the turn of the year and was called up for the England team, was sold on transfer deadline day to Liverpool for £35million, with no time left to replace him. That followed a humiliating 3-1 defeat at Stevenage in the FA Cup so Pardew was under intense pressure a matter of weeks after taking charge. He did become more popular thanks to the astonishing comeback from 4-0 down at half-time to draw with Arsenal, and his side lost just one league game in nine across January and February, but he is still to win over certain sections of Newcastle's support after winning just six of his 22 league games in charge. Late-season draws against Manchester United and Chelsea offer great hope for the future but the loss of talismanic skipper Kevin Nolan, who was excellent all season and scored 12 league goals, and potential loss of Joey Barton, who had a fantastic campaign, mean Newcastle's fans are again restless and critical of the regime. Jose Enrique is also in a similar situation - with just one year left on his contract - and it seems inevitable he will leave as he will not discuss a new deal. Fans will be desperately hoping most of their other stars will stay though, such as Cheik Tiote, who was immense and proved to be a bargain signing, and Fabricio Coloccini, who was a calming influence at the back and is a cult hero with fans.

Best player: Joey Barton. A number of players made big impressions in Newcastle's first season back in the Premier League, but the brilliant Barton just beats them to this award. He started the season by growing a moustache but it was on the pitch he did his talking, starting with a magnificent goal in the 6-0 win against Aston Villa. He avoided the injuries which had blighted his time at St James' Park and showed exactly what he could do when given a sustained run in the side with a mixture of talent, commitment and effort. Barton was magnificent all season and became more popular with fans as the season went on, and it seems unthinkable the club will not give him the new contract he deserves. Others who deserve notable mentions are Kevin Nolan, Jose Enrique, Cheik Tiote and Fabricio Coloccini.

Barton looks set for a summer departure despite having a fantastic season

Worst player: James Perch was signed last summer from Nottingham Forest but failed to make the step up to the Premier League. He looked out of his depth in the sustained run he had early in the season due to Danny Simpson's injury, and barely featured when Simpson returned. His poor form may have been a factor behind Chris Hughton's sacking, as the board may have questioned Hughton's judgement. Others who had disappointing seasons were Sol Campbell, who barely played and looked well past his best when he did, Alan Smith, who couldn't break into the team and Wayne Routledge, whose form was patchy before he was farmed out on loan in January.

Highlight: Newcastle 5-1 Sunderland, Premier League, 31 October 2010. This is a day Newcastle fans will never forget as they ran riot against their arch rivals, with Kevin Nolan grabbing a hat-trick and Shola Ameobi scoring twice. To make it even sweeter, ex-Magpie Titus Bramble was sent off and ex-Newcastle fan Steve Bruce was forced to watch on as his side were soundly beaten. Not even Darren Bent's stoppage-time consolation goal could dampen the mood and this result sent Chris Hughton's reputation on Tyneside soaring. Just five weeks later, he was sacked. Other games which will live long in the memory for Newcastle fans are the 6-0 home win against Aston Villa, 5-0 victory against West Ham, 3-1 win against Liverpool, 1-0 win at Arsenal and the astonishing four-goal comeback at home to Arsenal.

Kevin Nolan wrote his name into Geordie folklore with a hat-trick in the Tyne-Wear derby

Lowlight: Stevenage 3-1 Newcastle, FA Cup 3rd round, 8 January 2011. Any hopes of Newcastle bringing their long wait for a trophy to an end this season were brought to a shuddering halt at League Two Stevenage. Newcastle were outplayed despite naming an almost full-strength side and this result led many fans to doubt Alan Pardew and whether he was right for the job. Other disappointments were the 5-1 loss at Bolton, 3-1 defeat at West Brom and 4-0 defeat at Stoke.

Manager: Alan Pardew was in a difficult situation after replacing fans' favourite Chris Hughton as manager in December but overall he has done a decent job. He only won six of his 22 league games and lost in the FA Cup to Stevenage, but he only lost seven times in the league and so he has not done too badly. Fans still view him with suspicion due to his relationship with the board and apparent lies over the Andy Carroll transfer, and it remains to be seen how big an influence he is in the club's transfer policy. Some view him as Mike Ashley's puppet but Pardew does appear to be a good manager and Newcastle should be in safe hands with him.

Chris Hughton was replaced as manager by Alan Pardew in December

Five games that shaped their season:
Newcastle 5-1 Sunderland, Premier League, 31 October 2010.
Arsenal 0-1 Newcastle, Premier League, 7 November 2010.
Stevenage 3-1 Newcastle, FA Cup, 8 January 2011.
Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal, Premier League, 5 February 2011.
Stoke 4-0 Newcastle, Premier League, 19 March 2011.

Transfer activity: Newcastle's squad looks set for a major overhaul this summer as a number of key performers are set to leave. Andy Carroll will need to be replaced after his January departure, while Joey Barton and Jose Enrique will also need to be replaced should they leave along with skipper Kevin Nolan, who has already joined West Ham. Therefore, Newcastle will be targeting a left-back, central midfielder or two, a couple of wingers and at least two strikers to ensure they can push on from their 12th-placed finish next season. Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba have already joined while Neil Taylor looks sure to join them, with the likes of Stephen Warnock, Craig Gardner, Charles N'Zogbia, Tranquillo Barnetta and Mevlut Erding all heavily linked. Dan Gosling and Hatem Ben Arfa will be like new signings when they return from long-term injuries.

A number of players will leave the club this summer, with the contract situations of Barton and Enrique making their departures seemingly inevitable, while captain Kevin Nolan has already left to join West Ham. Sol Campbell has already left while Alan Smith has been told he can find a new club and Shefki Kuqi has been released. James Perch, Wayne Routledge, Xisco, Leon Best, Nile Ranger and Kazenga Lua Lua could also be set to leave. Alan Pardew also has a difficult decision to make on who will be his number one goalkeeper, with Tim Krul, Fraser Forster and Steve Harper all quality keepers. Expect one of them to leave as none of these goalkeepers would settle for being third-choice.

Aim for next season: With all the upheaval which is set to take place this summer, a top half finish would be a major achievement next season. A club like Newcastle should be aiming for a European place with their magnificent fan-base but that appears out of reach at the moment unless Mike Ashley is willing to fund a major spending spree. Newcastle's first target will again be to secure survival as they will be desperately trying to avoid suffering from second-season syndrome.

Season rating out of 10: 8. It was a major achievement for this newly-promoted side to steer comfortably clear of relegation this season. Fans would have more than settled for this before the season and they always knew there were going to be bumps along the way, so the squad and two managers should be satisfied with their season's work.

Stoke.

Premier League: 13th. FA Cup: Final. Carling Cup: 4th round.

Lowdown: This was another season of great progression for Stoke, with the highlight being their run to the FA Cup final, securing a place in the Europa League for next season. They did finish in a lower league position than last season but that was irrelevant as they were never in any real relegation danger and continue to improve as a club. They are still criticised in certain quarters for their style of play but they are merely playing to their strengths and if that means upsetting teams, so be it. At the start of the season, they lost games in clumps and then won several in a row, with early highlights being a win at Newcastle and home victory over Liverpool. Tony Pulis' signing of Jermaine Pennant reaped dividends, with Pennant always dangerous on the wing. With Matthew Etherington on the other flank, Stoke had two fantastic wingers all season and that was a major reason behind their success. Jonathan Walters was also an excellent addition from Ipswich, with his work-rate ideal for this Stoke team.

Stoke's 2-0 victory over Liverpool was one of their highlights of the season

In the league, Stoke didn't hit any consistent form after the turn of the year but they continued to pick up victories when they needed them and concentrated mostly on their cup run. A 4-0 home win over Newcastle in March calmed any relegation fears after going four games without a win, but in truth relegation was never a realistic prospect. Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross were immense at the back all season and if Stoke are to be a club regularly in the top ten, their defensive partnership will be the cornerstone of that as there can't be many better pairings in the Premier League. Stoke's 5-0 FA Cup semi-final hammering of Bolton showed this team are more than capable on the big occasions and that must have been reassuring for Pulis and filled him with pride. They would win just twice more in the league - convincing victories over Wolves and Arsenal - and lost the FA Cup final 1-0 to Manchester City. The Potters were never really in the game at Wembley and were extremely disappointed with their showing, but on reflection they should be very proud of their efforts in reaching the club's first ever FA Cup final and delighted with their spot in Europe. They should have finished in the top ten but missed out on that after losing their final two league fixtures, but overall this season was beyond most Stoke fans' wildest dreams and Pulis should be very happy with his and his side's campaign. They have proved they have more to their game than just throw-ins, corners and free-kicks, with neutrals finally giving them some of the plaudits their successes truly deserve.

Best player: Robert Huth. The giant German defender almost reached double-figures in terms of goals but it was at the back his presence was most important. His defensive partnership with Ryan Shawcross is domineering and no striker is in for an easy day against these two. Huth, in particular, was a colossus and consistent throughout the season, rarely making any errors, and is thoroughly deserving of this award. Special mentions should also go to Shawcross, Jonathan Walters, Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington, who all had excellent campaigns.

Huth was immense all season at the back for Stoke

Worst player: Kenwyne Jones. It is very hard to pick a player out as Stoke's worst of the season but Jones just gets it as he has failed to live up to his £8million transfer fee. He started the season well and ended it well, but in between he was poor and not the lynchpin he is supposed to be. His lethargic style is not suited to Stoke's style of play but he is likely to be given another chance next season. Jones has undoubted talent but he is not getting the best out of himself. He should score a hatful of goals in this Stoke team as his strength and aerial prowess should be perfect for a team who gets the ball in the box often, but he scored just 12 times in 42 appearances.

Highlight: Bolton 0-5 Stoke, FA Cup semi-final, 17 April 2011. This was surely one of the best performances in Stoke City's history as they tore Bolton apart at Wembley to take their place in their first-ever FA Cup final. Matthew Etherington and Jonathan Walters both scored two while Kenwyne Jones scored the other on this truly momentous occasion for the Potters. Their fans, as always, were magnificent and this day will live long in their memories. The victory also secured a place in Europe for next season and Stoke being in a European competition shows how far they have come under Tony Pulis. Other highlights from this season were their quarter-final FA Cup win over West Ham, 2-0 win against Liverpool, 4-0 victory against Newcastle and 3-1 win over Arsenal.

Stoke's thrashing of Bolton in the FA Cup semi-final was one of the best results in their history

Lowlight: West Ham 3-0 Stoke, Premier League, 5 March 2011. Stoke went into this game on a poor run of form and this heavy defeat led many fans to worry about the prospect of relegation. Their first-half display at Upton Park was extremely poor and it could have been worse than 2-0 at half-time, and despite a better showing in the second half they still lost 3-0. The result left them just four points ahead of third-bottom Birmingham - who had two games in hand - but the Potters improved markedly after this game to dispel any relegation fears. Their showing in the FA Cup final was also extremely disappointing but Stoke should remember how well they did to get there rather than worry too much about how they performed.

Manager: Tony Pulis should have a job for life at Stoke as he really has performed wonders at the Britannia Stadium. He was not widely considered for the manager of the year award but getting Stoke to their first-ever FA Cup final and continuing to stabilise them as a Premier League club are unbelievable achievements. His style of play is often criticised but you cannot blame him for playing to Stoke's strengths. For the fantastic job he has done with Stoke, he should be in the running for big jobs when they become available but unfortunately his efforts are still not widely acknowledged in the way they should be. Next season's adventure into Europe will be just rewards for the sterling efforts of Pulis and his backroom staff.

Tony Pulis is in his second spell as Stoke City manager

Five games that shaped their season:
Stoke 2-0 Liverpool, Premier League, 13 November 2010.
West Ham 3-0 Stoke, Premier League, 5 March 2011.
Stoke 4-0 Newcastle, Premier League, 19 March 2011.
Bolton 0-5 Stoke, FA Cup, 17 April 2011.
Manchester City 1-0 Stoke, FA Cup, 14 May 2011.

Transfer activity: Tony Pulis always looks to strengthen his squad but the early part of this transfer window has been quiet for Stoke. Pulis often leaves much of his business until the end of the window but fans will want early developments to help move the club onto the next level. The size of the Potters' squad will need to be increased if they are to be successful in Europe next season, as the Europa League can often become a burden if the squad size is not as it should be. A new left-back, central midfielder and striker should be priorities. Stephen Warnock, Scott Dann, Nigel Reo-Coker, Guy Moussi and Asamoah Gyan have all been linked and all would be great additions.

Pulis will want to keep the majority of his squad together as all have been excellent for him this season. Defender and skipper Ryan Shawcross is consistently linked with a move and it seems inevitable he will leave at some point in the future, but Stoke will want to keep him for at least one more season. Abdoulaye Faye, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Ibrahima Sonko have already left the club but don't expect too many more to be following them through the door.

Aim for next season: Stoke's main aim next season will be to break into the Premier League's top ten, which would be some achievement for Tony Pulis and his side. That is the next step for them to take as they have now established themselves in the Premier League and never appear to be under any threat of relegation. Stoke always seem to place a lot of emphasis on their cup campaigns so expect them to try and repeat their FA Cup exploits again, and they will have ambitions of picking up one of the two domestic cups next season. Their Europa League campaign will start as an adventure and anything will be a bonus, but as Fulham proved two seasons ago anything is possible in that competition if you truly go for it.

Season rating out of 10: 8. They may have finished in a lower league position than last season but Stoke were never in relegation trouble and that in itself is a sign of further progression at the Britannia Stadium. Reaching the first FA Cup final in the club's history ensured this season was a vintage one for the Potters and to secure a place in Europe for next season is a tremendous achievement.

Sunderland.

Premier League: 10th. FA Cup: 3rd round. Carling Cup: 3rd round.

Lowdown: At the start of the season, a place in the top ten would have been seen as a major achievement for Sunderland but their ultimate feeling at the end of the campaign would have been that of frustration. For such a long time in the season, they looked certainties to finish in the Premier League's top six but they fell away so dramatically that relegation was a real fear towards the end. They drew six of their opening eight league fixtures but that included draws against Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United as well as a win over Manchester City. Their 5-1 October hammering at fierce rivals Newcastle was a major blow for Steve Bruce's side, but they recovered with a draw at Tottenham and a fantastic 3-0 win at champions Chelsea to remain on course for European qualification. They continued on a good run of form until January and their home fixture against Newcastle, where they scored a last-minute equaliser after an abject display, but the January departure of Darren Bent destabilised them and robbed them of the potent goal threat he provided.

Sunderland recovered well from their 5-1 derby drubbing at Newcastle

After a win at Blackpool in January, the Black Cats were sitting pretty in sixth but their season was about to fall apart. They had already been humbled at home by Notts County in the FA Cup, losing 2-1, before losing eight out of nine league fixtures, the one unbeaten game being a goalless draw at Arsenal. A 2-0 loss at Birmingham left them behind the Blues and just five points above the bottom three in 15th, which had seemed unthinkable just a matter of weeks before. They also had a severe injury crisis - eventually being left with no recognised strikers available - but recorded wins over Wigan, Bolton and West Ham to preserve their top flight status. Their home form was excellent early in the campaign, but they lost seven home matches from late-December onwards to leave that record in tatters. Much of their early form was down to Jordan Henderson and Darren Bent, but Bent's January departure and Henderson's loss of form were major contributors towards Sunderland's poor end to the season. Danny Welbeck was also very impressive for much of the campaign but his season tailed off towards the end, with Welbeck seemingly feeling the effects of his first full season as a regular first-team starter. It could also be argued that without Asamoah Gyan's 10 league goals, the Black Cats could have been in severe danger. They eventually finished 10th thanks to a number of results going their way on the final day of the season but that was small consolation for the Black Cats after the success they seemed sure to achieve earlier in the campaign.

Best player: Phil Bardsley's effort and commitment throughout the season shone through after apparently being set for a move to Blackpool last summer. He has reinvented himself as an excellent left-back after spending much of his career on the right, and was one of Sunderland's most consistent performers throughout the good times and the bad this season. He also chipped in with two spectacular long-range goals to add even more to his appeal. Other players who deserve a mention here are Simon Mignolet, Asamoah Gyan and Jordan Henderson.

Phil Bardsley turned his Sunderland career around this season

Worst player: Christian Riveros arrived last summer with a big reputation after starring in the World Cup, but was a real letdown for Sunderland. He made just 12 appearances and appears set for a swift departure, probably this summer. At 28, this should have been the ideal time for him to make his mark in a foreign country but he proved to be a complete flop and one of Steve Bruce's worst pieces of business. His transfer fee was never disclosed but many predict it was between £5million and £10million, with Sunderland likely to recoup just a fraction of that should they sell. Others who had poor seasons were Sulley Muntari, Marcos Angeleri, Paulo da Silva and Stephane Sessegnon.

Highlight: Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland, Premier League, 14 November 2010. Sunderland were predicted to struggle at Stamford Bridge after a number of heavy defeats there in recent years, but they dominated champions Chelsea and the scoreline of 3-0 did not flatter them. Nedum Onuoha, Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck grabbed the goals and the Black Cats seemed sure for a very strong season at this stage. Sunderland's performance at Chelsea was one of the best Premier League displays of anyone this season and was a runaway winner in this category.

Sunderland's 3-0 win at Chelsea was built on the back of a real team performance

Lowlight: Newcastle 5-1 Sunderland, Premier League, 31 October 2010. This game was a humiliation for Sunderland from start to finish against their fierce rivals when everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Some of Sunderland's players seemed to freeze under the intense atmosphere that a Tyne-Wear derby creates and this is a day they will never be able to erase from their memories. Steve Bruce will always be reminded of this result and will never be able to shake it off, meaning he and his side will be regretting this day for the rest of their careers.

Manager: Steve Bruce was backed in some quarters to be in contention for the manager of the year award half-way through the season, with his side sitting pretty in sixth, but his team's dramatic slide led to some Sunderland fans calling for his sacking. The 5-1 thrashing at Newcastle is also a result he will forever be associated with and his past - he was a Newcastle fan as a boy - will always be brought up when his side loses games. Despite the disastrous end to the season and brush with relegation, Sunderland's board seem to have a lot of faith in him but a poor start to next season and Black Cats fans could turn on him.

Steve Bruce is under pressure because of his background and his side's poor finish to the season

Five games that shaped their season:
Newcastle 5-1 Sunderland, Premier League, 31 October 2010.
Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland, Premier League, 14 November 2010.
Sunderland 1-2 Notts County, FA Cup, 8 January 2011.
Sunderland 2-3 West Brom, Premier League, 9 April 2011.
Sunderland 4-2 Wigan, Premier League, 23 April 2011.

Transfer activity: Steve Bruce is undergoing another radical overhaul of his squad, something which seemed unthinkable a matter of months ago. Sunderland's board clearly didn't want to go down this route but their faith in Bruce has led them to back him to have another go at rebuilding a team. First of all, Darren Bent and Jordan Henderson will need to be replaced after their departures, as will the loanees whose deals have now expired. Bruce should be able to use the funds from the sales of Bent and Henderson to strengthen his recruitment drive. They will need to strengthen in the following positions: goalkeeper, right back, central defender, central midfielder, left winger, right winger, striker (with replacing Darren Bent's goals a top priority). Coventry goalkeeper Kieren Westwood and Birmingham's Sebastian Larsson have both reportedly agreed to join on free transfers, while talks are at an advanced stage to sign Manchester United trio Darron Gibson, Wes Brown and John O'Shea. Jay Bothroyd may be another brought in on a free, while Charles N'Zogbia, Craig Gardner, Peter Crouch and David N'Gog have all been strongly linked. Ahmed Elmohamady has already made his loan permanent but many more additions will follow.

There will also be a fair few players let go by Sunderland this summer to ensure their squad size remains sustainable. Bolo Zenden has left on a free transfer while Jordan Henderson has completed a reported £20million switch to Liverpool. Christian Riveros and Marcos Angeleri could be next out of the door, while John Mensah, Nedum Onouha, Sulley Muntari and Danny Welbeck have all returned to their parent clubs. Craig Gordon has also been strongly linked with a move while the future of Anton Ferdinand seems unclear. Asamoah Gyan has also reportedly been made available for transfer - which the club have strongly denied - with rumours surrounding his future continuing to circulate. It remains to be seen whether he will remain a Sunderland player next season.

Aim for next season: With the amount of upheaval taking place at the Stadium of Light this summer, another top ten finish would be a major achievement for Sunderland next season. They would like to have a more consistent campaign - with no worries of relegation - and that should be achievable with a stronger squad. A strong run in the cup competitions will also be a major aim as that is something the Black Cats have struggled with in recent years.

Season rating out of 10: 6. This campaign promised much but the terrible run from February onwards means a top half finish was seen as a consolation at the end of the season. Fans continue to doubt manager Steve Bruce and he will need a strong start to next season to silence the doubters.