After 7 months (or 28 weeks if you prefer) at the top of the pile, Adam Patterson was finally crowned as the 19th sfp champion on Sunday, for the 2013/14 season.
Just The Tip romped home in style at the weekend, with a further 56 points, setting a new sfp finishing total record of 1466. That’s 19 points more than Nick Jermy scored in 2011/12, and was an incredible 121 ahead of Jolly Rogers in 2nd place. That all sounds a little harsh on Rob Dale, who was only 5 short of AC Spartak’s total last season.
In fact, it was only Rob who managed to put up any kind of challenge. The narrowest the gap ever got was on the 11th January when there was only 7 points between them, and after a strong December, Dale himself looked favourite to take lead of the pack. But Just The Tip held firm, as key men Toure, Gerrard, Ramsey and Bony all put in consistent performances for the remainder of the season.
At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking that the league was won at the auction, but actually only 8 of those players remained in the final squad, and only 6 of them featured on the final day of scoring. Ramsey, Bony and Fonte were picked up in September for £20.2m, and Jelavic in Janaury for just £1.1m.
Having led the way since mid October, it seemed only a matter of time before Just The Tip would be out of reach. But Patterson wasn't always as confident:
"It was always in doubt up until the last couple of weeks when Ramsey returned and I had my first choice midfield starting for the first time in some time."
"I'm really proud of everything that Just The Tip have achieved this year and especially the record points haul. The key I think was consistent performers and always being able to guarantee that some one would step up to the plate even when the rest of team wasn't performing. Week in week out we had a point scoring midfield and a strike force who also chipped in with a good haul of points towards the end of the season."
"It has been a great season from start to finish with some exciting transfer windows, who would have thought that I could have won the league after starting with Berbatov, Defoe and Bent as my strike force at the beginning of the season!! I am slightly disappointed that we didn't do the double but next year who knows, could it be the clean sweep of silverware?!? Let's hope so!!"
In the SFP Cup, Adam Patterson missed the opportunity of a double, losing to a single goal against Ross Peggs. Adam Walters claimed the 5ASide Cup, while Rob Dale claimed the FFA Cup and a Fantasy World Cup trophy. Finally, Michael Lucchesi was the winner of the inaugural SFP Super Cup.
The season also marked the 20th Birthday of the SFP, which turned the big two zero on the 26 February.
