Chelsea become first Londoners to retain title in 71 years

Chelsea made sure that the Premier League crown will remain in their Stamford Bridge cabinet for another year when they clinched the title with three matches to go in season 2005/06.

Chelsea, thus, became the first London side to claim the Premier League title for two years running.

In four of the last five seasons the title went to sides from the capital - twice to Arsenal and the same number of times to Chelsea.

One has to go back to pre-World War Two days to discover that the English League title was held for successive seasons by a London side.

Arsenal had won it three years in a row in 1933, 1934 and 1935.

Chelsea and Manchester United will be the automatic representatives in the Champions League.

Liverpool and Arsenal have to play one qualifying match to earn a place in the group phase of the lucrative tournament.

There was a sad ending for the season in England last month when Arsenal and Middlesbrough failed to win the Champions League and UEFA Cup after going down to Spanish sides Barcelona and Sevilla respectively.

The UEFA Cup will be contested by Tottenham and Blackburn next season after they finished fifth and sixth in the league, and FA Cup finalists West Ham. Newcastle will play in the Intertoto Cup. Four of the seven representatives in the continent hail from the capital.

The trophies

The silverware in the English game were captured as follow:

Premier League champions: Chelsea.

FA Cup winners: Liverpool.

League Cup winners: Manchester United.

Community Shield: Chelsea.

Play Fair trophy: Charlton.

Euro Super Cup: Liverpool.

Football League title: Reading.

LDV Vans Trophy: Swansea.

Conference League champions: Accrington Stanley.

FA Trophy: Grays.

Leading scorers

27 - Thierry Henry (Arsenal).

21 - Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United).

18 - Darren Bent (Charlton).

16 - Robbie Keane (Tottenham), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

The awards

Manager of the Year: Jose Mourinho (Chelsea).

League Managers Association Manager of the Year: Steve Coppell (Reading).

Football Writers Footballer of the Year: Thierry Henry (Arsenal).

Premiership Player of the Year: Thierry Henry.

PFA Player of the Year: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool).

PFA Young Player of the Year: Wayne Rooney (Man. United).

Premier Golden Boot Award: Thierry Henry (Arsenal).

Premier Golden Glove Award: Pepe Reina (Liverpool).

PFA Select XI

Shay Given (Newcastle), Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan), John Terry (Chelsea), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), William Gallas (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).