Dawson: I couldn’t stand another dose of last-day misery

DOWN IN THE MOUTH ... Michael Dawson has suffered Euro agony before

MICHAEL DAWSON cannot face any more Champions League heartbreak on the final day of the season.

Tottenham must beat Sunderland at White Hart Lane today and hope Arsenal drop points at Newcastle if they are to finish above their arch-rivals in fourth and clinch Champions League football next season.

The last time Spurs ended a campaign above the Gunners was under Gerry Francis back in 1995 when Arsene Wenger had not even arrived on these shores.

To make matters worse, Spurs lost out on fourth to Arsenal on the final day in 2006 when 10 players, including Dawson, were struck down with food poisoning after some dodgy lasagne — resulting in a shock 2-1 loss at West Ham.

Then, 12 months ago, Arsenal again pipped their bitter rivals to third place by winning at West Brom on the final day.

Spurs finished fourth — only for Chelsea to win the Champions League and qualify at their expense.

Dawson is Spurs’ longest-serving player having joined from Nottingham Forest in 2005.

The defender said: “I remember in 2006 we went from being in prime position to waking up and feeling the way we did.

“We couldn’t believe it, knowing what was riding on it. It was an absolute disaster.

“I was one of those struck down but I played. Well, I was out on the pitch. It’s hard to describe what it was like when you’ve worked 10 months of the season and it comes down to the final day.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if we lost fair and square but honestly there were five, six, seven of us struggling.

“Michael Carrick had to come off. You imagine running around like that. It took it out of you.

“Then there was the injustice last year.

“You can’t believe it. We finished fourth and deserved to be in it. To miss out the way we did was amazing.

“We weren’t even on the pitch to do anything about it. I watched the Champions League final on TV and when it went to penalties I thought is this really happening? It was a strange evening. We knew if Chelsea won we wouldn’t be in the Champions League.

“Usually you want the English teams to do well but we were all cheering Bayern. It obviously wasn’t meant to be. Maybe this year something bizarre will happen at Newcastle. We’re due one!

“Those experiences are not good experiences but they help you. Football can be cruel but look at the way we have come back this year and fought again. It’s gone down to the last day again but hopefully this time the luck will be with us.”

Dawson, 29, did get a taste of Champions League football when the club qualified for the competition in 2010 for the first time in their history, beating Manchester City 1-0 in the penultimate game.

He said: “It’s where all the players want to be. Simple as that. For players, to play against the best in the world, for the club, the supporters, it’s important.

“Financially, there’s no hiding from it, it’s a massive thing. It makes everyone hungry when you have had a taste of it.

“I missed an awful lot through the group stages but to come out into the knockout stages, to beat AC Milan, to go to the Bernabeu, as hard as it was, those kind of nights are the experiences and moments that you enjoy and want to do on a regular and yearly basis.

“At the start of the season that was our aim — to be in the top four and back playing in the Champions League.”

Spurs went seven points clear of Arsenal when they beat them 2-1 at the Lane in March.

But, since then, the Gunners have gone on an unbeaten run of 10 games in all competitions and now lie one point ahead.

Dawson insisted: “We said then it wasn’t done and dusted. It was a massive result, great beating our rivals.

“But there were an awful lot of games still to be played. They’ve had a brilliant run since and you have to give them credit. Newcastle are safe but it’s the same as Sunderland — it’s down to pride.

“With the results Newcastle have had at St James’, they will want to put on a show for the fans in the last game of the season. No team wants to end on a hiding.

“We’re hoping they can do us a favour but we’ve got to do our job. All we can do is concentrate on what we do and, hopefully, it will be good enough.”

Dawson also hopes Spurs can emulate his own turnaround this season — after he rejected a move to now relegated QPR at the start of the campaign.

The club sanctioned a £9million switch but now boss Andre Villas-Boas admits trying to sell Dawson was a mistake.

Dawson said: “I never gave leaving a thought. And, from November, I’ve never looked back. I’ve got two years left on my contract and I’d love to extend that.”