John Gregory said: 

"I wish we could talk about the match and not just (David) Ginola. I wouldn't have expected anyone to be doing cartwheels when they're about to be brought off.

"David's reaction showed he was unhappy but I was concerned he might get sent off after being booked. In a way he subbed himself. The way he was playing was affecting the whole team.

"I was also concerned that we might lose three or four goals but I take full responsibility for us being 2-0 down and I had started with a very adventurous line-up.

"Who knows what will happen next season. August is a long way away and he's under contract but it's up to David whether he wants to stay.

About his brush with the law: 

"It was shop-floor language that replaced thought. It was being picked up by the fans. I'm rather surprised, it's a bit pedantic."

If Newcastle's season closer failed to reach the heights of their final home game four years ago (A 5-0 win over Forest sealing second spot and a Champions League place as Boro and the mackems both went down) then this wasn't bad.

Three goals, David Ginola throwing his rattle out of the pram again, mackem Euro hopes in tatters and Dirty Don Hutchison's dismissal added something of a sheen to what has otherwise been a disappointing Premiership campaign.

Only the ridiculous double dismissal of Gary Speed and Ian Taylor and a late Matt Le Tissier goal put a slight dampener on something of a carnival atmosphere here - common sense rightly prevailing when the red cards were overturned and Speed had the prospect of a three game ban to contend with next season removed.

A late goal by that bloke from the Channel Islands was enough for Southampton to finish a point ahead of United and drop us a place to eleventh -something that seemed particularly irksome to Bobby. 

The £340k in extra prize money may be missed, but perhaps he wanted to reject recent criticism by claiming our first top half finish for four years. Appearing on the first page of Ceefax's Premiership table would have been slightly undeserved.

From the first whistle, United played with a spirit and purpose sadly lacking in recent weeks and roared into a two goal lead helped by a particularly inept Villa side. Nobby Solano enjoyed bags of room down our right and a far post cross found Stephen Glass who shot low and hard enough to beat David James. 

A fantastic flowing move then saw Carl Cort double the score after further fine work from Solano. Football then took a back seat though as an unseasonal pantomime unfolded, with David Ginola acting the dame.

The SJP old boy was having a frustrating time down the wing, scuffing a few balls and feeling some firm challenges from Warren Barton and Christian Bassedas. His Villa team-mates seemed on a different wavelength and frustration boiled over five minutes before the break as he was booked for dissent. 

Then, with a minute to go to half-time visiting manager John Gregory substituted the errant Frenchman.  That was meat and drink to the home support who had jeered him from the start. An indignant trudge off the turf was followed by a few expletives from Ginola before he stormed down the tunnel. 

His shirt was hurled pitchwards seconds later as many Villa fans left their seats in disgust. Those still in situ meanwhile howled, "You don't know what you're doing," at their Prince of Darkness, Gregory.

Delicious as the moment was, it has to be said that the public tiff was humiliating for both player and manager and as such was an extremely unprofessional exhibition all round. 

If Gregory wanted to make a point (presumably to his Chairman) then this was a poor way to do it. But having created the headlines, his reluctance to talk about it afterwards also did him little favours. It's safe to say that one or both of them won't be at Villa Park in August and it wouldn't be a shock to see Gregory depart. 

Villa reorganised during the break and United didn't quite find the same rhythm that had proved so fruitful earlier. Substitutions allowed Shola Ameobi to lope forward and provoke Delaney into beating his own keeper.

The sending-offs spoilt the ending (even with the benefit of TV replays, yellows should surely have been the correct punishment) but our first half performance and the crowd's second half ebullience made it a day to remember. 

Rousing choruses in support of our sexagenarian must have warmed the owld fella's heart and Kevin Gallacher's fantastic ovation choked the wee man.

The now-traditional lap of "honour" saw familiar applause from the stands directed at a trophy-less set of players, and while messrs Cordone, Serrant and Gallacher joined the rest of the players, we couldn't see Hamilton in among assorted injury victims (Shearer, Lee, Acuna, Griffin etc). 

Bringing up the rear with a broad grin on his face was Robson, but being eternal malcontents, Bobby's post-match comments still caused some consternation. 

If he really thinks that this XI plus Acuna, Lee, Dyer, Shearer and two others will see us challenge for honours then heads are being buried deep in the sand. 

There's been a steady decline from the sixth spot we occupied after victory at Leeds in January, a seven game winless run taking us well into April before belatedly confirming our top-flight place. That's not down to Shearer's ailments.

Only the failure of our derby rivals to sneak into Europe has quelled what could have been genuine unrest here and

Hopefully, Robson's press-conference facade is just that and deep down he knows our many shortcomings as much as we do. Coming out in support of his signings is all well and good but defending the indefensible does no-one any favours.

Here's to a summer of Keeganesque transfer dealings followed by a winter of much content. Some added effort in the cups also wouldn't go amiss.

Niall Mackenzie

There was a successful introduction to SJP for Jonathan Edes - accompanied by his dad. Take it from us Johnny, a lifetime of misery awaits...