But it made a refreshing change for two largely unheralded clubs in Portsmouth and Cardiff City to take centre stage for the day at Wembley.
Much was made of the fact that none of the big four were there with many suggesting that it showed how devalued the greatest knockout competition in the world has become.
But to see two sets of fully committed fans cheering on their sides - in victory and defeat - was great.
As far as I was concerned it was a no lose final for the neutral observer.
I have always liked Harry Redknapp, whose interviews are never less than entertaining and who has managed to assemble teams out of the bits of teams other clubs don't seem to want.
Who else would have got quite as much out of David James, Kanu and Sol Campbell as Harry's Pompey?
It would have been just as good to have seen Cardiff City lift the trophy for the first time since 1927 and boss Dave Jones is a man who has fought adversity in the past, come through the other end and retained his dignity.
His post-match views were interesting and reflected both the pride he had in his Championship side and the disappointment he felt for the supporters who stayed to the bitter end to back them.
I can't help feeling that watching tomorrow's Champions League final will not be as pleasurable an experience.
For a start, I have no particular leaning towards one side of the other. I would not be unhappy if both lose.
If I was pushed I would say I preferred Manchester United - and that is largely because I dislike them less than I do Chelsea and everything their house of cards existence stands for.
I am not looking forward to the antics of the players who will undoubtedly throw themselves to the ground at every opportunity. Nor am I particularly keen to hear the post match views of the losing manager.
Unlike Jones at Wembley, I cannot see Ferguson or Grant doing anything but blaming the officials, the travelling or the number of games played for defeat. I would, however, be delighted to be proved wrong.

WHEN the play-off finals are on next weekend just take a while to ponder what might have been.
Each of the three games will feature a side that Halifax Town have played at first team level in league action over the past seven years.
Rochdale, where Steve Kerrigan scored an unforgettable goal in 2001, will be bidding for their first promotion since 1969 when they take on Stockport County on Bank Holiday Monday.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Doncaster - beaten by Town at the Shay in a Conference clash in 2002 - face Leeds for a place in the Championship.
And on Saturday afternoon it will be Hull City - who did the double over Halifax in the 2001-02 campaign - who go for promotion to the Premier League.
Town also played FA Cup finalists Cardiff City home and away in their penultimate Football League season.
It is hard to swallow when it seems that trips to Bamber Bridge and Clitheroe might be as good as anything Town's fans have to look forward to next season.