TODAY is the traditional end of the domestic football season - barring the phenomenon of the play-offs, natch - with the final of the FA Cup at Wembley.

Thankfully the showdown, which pitches Arsenal against Hull City, has had its unique place on the calendar restored after that ludicrous farce of not that long ago when the gold-plated limousine of the Premier League still had fixtures to negotiate after the knockout Wembley duel.

However, the FA dénouement is still dogged by the television-driven senseless kick-off time of 5pm today. Fine for Gunners fans, who are buit a tube train, omnibus or even walk away from the arena of the arch. But for the Tigers it's hardly the most convenient of kick-off times.

Still, I suspect not even the most travel-weary of Hull supporters would complain if the pilgrimage south were to end in t'owd cup being bedecked in their conspicuous orange and black favours at around 7.30pm.

It would be Hull's first such triumph and that is ample enough reason to want the under-Tigers to have their day in the north London sun against the artists of Arsenal.

A Hull City triumph would also be fitting reward for a superb season orchestrated by manager Steve Bruce. The man, whose fizzog would suggest too many hours patrolling a fairground boxing booth, has done an outstanding job this term.

Not only has his stewardship helped to ensure Premier League status was retained in their first campaign back among the big boys, but cop it the Bruce has also steered his unsung Tigers to Wembley.

Finally, it always gladdens this columnist's heart when the game's major prizes remain 'oop-north' rather than in the mitts of the southern softies. Yes, I know that's irrational, and stereo-typical and childish but...ner ner ner ner ner.

But for all those wishes of a Hull-for-leather glory day, there's a hankering for Arsenal to eventually prevail tonight.

That's nothing to do with the fact that Arsenal and their urbane manager Arsene Wenger have gone eight seasons without amassing any silverware when in the years before that drought the Highbury club were always investing in Brasso and polishing cloths.

No the prime, the only, reason I'd accept an Arsenal victory is that it would ram one of tghe most objectionable phrases of the season just ended uttered from arguably the most objectionable gob in the Premier League down a certain Portuguese throat.

Referring to the record of Wenger, the manager of Chelsea, who does not deserve his name to be mentioned in this column, declared the Arsenal boss to be "a specialist in failure".

Victory today for the Gunners would cook up a huge portion of humble pie which I would to dearly slap into the face of the Portuguese man of bore.

If Arsenal were to be cup winners they could crow from their north London base at the leader of their west London rivals about what they had won in 2013-14, the year of the Stamford Bridge dunderhead's second coming.

The answer is a big, fat zero, zip, nothing, nowt, naught, diddly-squat, nada.

 

SEE the word on the England captain's armband, above.

Well, those of you Everton and Manchester City supporters, who go by the name of Noah Bhed, then don't start cheering Stevie G when it comes to supporting England's Three Lions in this summer's World Cup.

If you do then you will only confirm how what a shower of shameful hypocrites you are.

I don't mind the fact that some of the faithful Toffees and Citizens opted to pour scorn on the Liverpool captain in the wake of a slip to the turf against Chelsea that enabled the Reds to go behind in their critical title-chasing clash.

All's fair in planet club football.

But just as I never ever lauded John Terry, Frank Lampard, Gary Neville, Peter Shilton, post-Blackpool Alan Ball et al when they sported the national colours, then those who slagged off Gerrard in his Liverpool guise should retain their animosity when he leads England out in Brazil.

And just as I slip into Keegan groove, I would love, truly love it, if fantasy football reigned and Gerrard was to hoist that little gold trophy above his head in the Maracana Stadium on July 13.