Ferguson was treated to a wild match at The Hawthorns in his 1,500th and last game at United, with his team surrendering a 5-2 lead in the final 10 minutes to draw. While United midfielder Paul Scholes, Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher and Stoke striker Michael Owen all played their final games before retiring.
"I have been here a long time and it has to come to an end sometime," said Carragher, who ended his 717-game career with a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over last-place Queens Park Rangers.
There were 36 goals on the final day of the season. None better than Bale's latest match-winner from 35 yards for Tottenham that guaranteed an extremely tense final few minutes in the race for fourth between two fierce north London rivals.
It meant Arsenal needed to hold onto its lead at St. James Park, and when winger Theo Walcott slid a shot against the post in injury time there was still a chance for Newcastle to muster an equalizer. It wasn't to be for Spurs, though, who missed out on the Champions League on the final day for a second season running.
"It was the most nervous I have ever been," Walcott said. "We had to dig deep. No one (outside Arsenal) believed we could do this."
Tottenham was in third place and seven points clear of Arsenal after winning the north London derby in March. But not even Bale's stream of match-winning goals in recent weeks could hold off Arsenal's end-of-season resurgence, just like last season.
"It is difficult to take. In the end we did what we had to, but Arsenal did their job well and go through," Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas said. "It is difficult at this moment."
To make matters worse for Spurs, failing to reach the Champions League will undoubtedly increase the speculation surrounding the future of Bale, who has been linked with many of the world's top teams after a brilliant season in which he won English football's Player of the Year award.
After the last game of his trophy-filled reign of almost 27 years, Ferguson went over to bow to the United fans who had backed him as he waited until 1990 to win the first of 38 trophies for the club. The Scot brought Scholes on as a 69th-minute substitute for his 718th match, but a second-half hat trick from Romelu Lukaku denied a farewell victory for Ferguson.
"We're a little bit frustrated because we wanted to win it for (Ferguson) and Scholesy," said Javier Hernandez, one of five different scorers for United. "The gaffer is certainly going to remember his last match in charge."
Second-place Manchester City lost 3-2 at home to Norwich, while Philippe Coutinho's superb first-half strike earned Liverpool victory at Anfield. Carragher hit the post with a 40-yard shot after the break.
Kevin Nolan scored a hat trick in West Ham's 4-2 win over Reading, and Owen rounded off his illustrious career by playing the final 16 minutes for Stoke in a 1-1 draw at Southampton.
"I had one chance and a couple of touches. I was pleased to get out there and say my farewell in one piece," said Owen, whose career is better known for spells with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Man United. "It has been a pleasure to play this game."
Also, Fulham won 3-0 at Swansea and relegated Wigan drew 2-2 at home to Aston Villa.
- AP
