PREM GUIDE

LUCK is always earned, never borrowed. Leicester followed that mantra and took the Premier League into dreamland.

How we’d like another piece of something out of a Hollywood script.

Football desperately needs another Leicester (below) – a plucky underdog, rather than a glamorous club, to give their fans a never-to-forget season.

Make football interesting again, rather than a procession.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City win titles, while Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal also battle for top spot.

Not that these giants of football do not deserve it. Like City last season, who produced a wonderful kaleidoscope of everything good about the game.

They spend a lot of money

– and most of that is well spent. City took club football to another level last season and made even the most cynical fan fall in love with the game once more.

Liverpool’s flight to the final of the Champions League was a shot in the arm and restored the gloss of that great club.

They have been spending this summer like City once did. But come on, wouldn’t we all like the imposter now and again to tweak the nose of the well-heeled? An uninvited guest who stayed to be the star of the party. How about Burnley, West Ham, Crystal Palace, maybe, or even once mighty Wolves to nip in and steal the crown jewels?

A Hammers title challenge would be a wonderful story. Their ground might have its problems but in Manuel Pellegrini they have a manager who knows what it is like to win a title.

There was a great American writer called Red Smith who wrote about his local baseball team and how almost every game their star player hit home run after home run but did not acknowledge the cheers once.

He questioned why he should be praised more than the plumber, the builder or the baker.

Then came his final game. He finished with yet another home run and raced to the tunnel. The crowd willed him back for a farewell. The local hero almost reached the exit when he stopped. He turned, waved, then left.

The crowd went mad. Gods do answer letters. Perhaps the ones who run football might answer this one.

STENGUN’S PICKS Prem winners: Liverpool

Top four: Manchester City,

Arsenal, Spurs Chasing Europe: Manchester

United, West Ham Relegated: Huddersfield, Brighton,

Cardiff

FA Cup winners: Chelsea League Cup winners: Wolves Champions League winners:

Juventus