WELL DONE, 'ARRY (And Dave). GOODBYE 'MOUTHOFAX'?

SO, Portsmouth have won the most 'unfashionable' FA Cup Final in memory as I've just found out after watching the match without knowing the score.

How nice it was to see Dave Jones' Cardiff boys giving them a proper game and for all the fans to stay for so long afterwards enjoying a moment they might never see again in their lifetime.

It might have been John 'Mouthofax' Motson's last FA Cup Final, too. If so, it'll pave the way for potentially endless after dinner speeches and bookshop appearances if he wishes to go down that route.

He's been like a lovable old sheepdog over the years, as much for his foibles and confused state at times as for his perception and, er, unrivalled Mouthofax.

Perhaps he's also been the unlucky mascot during so many years of England failures. Perhaps he's sat on the fence too often in big games.

But there was a moment in the semi-final match when Pompey somehow beat the Baggies, when I thought Mouthofax made one of the most controversial comments of his entire career.

The second half had already begun when the cameras showed manager 'Arry Redknapp on the phone... at which point Mouthofax wondered aloud if he was placing a bet!

Spare a thought for on-loan Cardiff goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, too.

The former Villa goalkeeper was judged by Messrs Hanson, Shearer and Dixon to have been 'at fault' for Kanu's goal.

In reality, I doubt if he was expecting such a good cross to be whipped in from so deep a position.

But, after his infamous cock-up in the Villa v Blues game, and now to be blamed for an FA Cup Final defeat, where will his career go from here?

* PS. Here's another illustration of why football really is 'a funny old game'.

Alan Shearer, the Premiership's record all-time goalscorer will be going to bed tonight wondering just how another former Villa 'star', Milan Baros, can now have an FA Cup medal in his pocket when he hasn't. And Pompey's David Nugent for that matter, who's hardly had a kick all season. Sometimes there's no justice in life.