FANS' CHIEF: LEAGUE TOO PREDICTABLE

Keegan - made claims on Monday.

Kevin Keegan was right to say the Premier League is in danger of becoming "one of the most boring" competitions in the world, according to a fans' spokesman.

Newcastle manager Keegan reacted to Monday's 2-0 home defeat to title-chasing Chelsea by insisting his club had "no chance" of breaking the dominance of the so-called 'big four'.

This will be the fourth season in five years that Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have finished in the top-four positions in the table and Keegan does not envisage that changing.

His complaint has been echoed by Football Supporters' Federation chairman Malcolm Clarke, who said: "We completely agree with Kevin Keegan."

The Premier League title race is one of the closest ever, with United and Chelsea level on points going into Sunday's final games of the season.

But Clarke said: "There's been a bit of talk in the media about how great it is because it goes to the last day of the season.

"The fact is, everybody knew from day one who would be the top four teams.

"The only question was in which order they came.

"That just showed it is a very predictable league.

"Most of the teams in it have no chance whatsoever of winning it or even getting into the top four."

As well as bemoaning the predictability of the league, Clarke is unimpressed with the standard of football in many games.

"Quite a lot of Premier League games are rather boring, aren't they?" he said.

"No disrespect to those particular teams, but I don't think Blackburn v Middlesbrough or some of the other mid-table games are of particularly outstanding quality.

"I know we've got two English teams in the Champions League final but since the Premier League was formed, we haven't done significantly better in Europe than before.

"We'll have to wait and see whether it continues."

He added: "I think the Premier League believes its own hype half the time.

"It's described as the best league in the world but I don't think that reflects the reality."

Keegan believes the spending power of the top four will ensure they continue to dominate for years to come.

Clarke agrees, saying: "There's a huge gap in the Premier League itself between those at the top and the rest.

"Then there's another huge gap between the Premier League and the Football League.

"The old competitive pyramid is in danger of breaking down."

Despite his misgivings, Stoke supporter Clarke had no qualms about his own club gaining promotion to the Premier League this season.

There are fears the Potters, outside the top flight for 23 years, could go the way of Derby and struggle to compete with the elite.

But Clarke insists clubs must embrace promotion when it happens, saying: "You obviously have to want your team to win and go up because, otherwise, what's the point?"

He added: "We're not going to be as easy a pushovers as some pundits are already predicting."

The Premier League declined to respond to Keegan's comments.