Birmingham’s win over Norwich not enough to avert relegation
Birmingham City’s chairman, Tom Wagner, insists relegation to League One will not derail his grand plans for the club but it is impossible not to acknowledge it is a significant backwards step. Birmingham’s American owners plan to build a 60,000-capacity arena on a 48-acre site in nearby Bordesley Green, a world-class facility if it materialises, but no amount of CGI images can sugarcoat a thoroughly deflating end to another depressing season.
As arch-rivals Aston Villa close in on qualifying for the Champions League, Birmingham drop into the third tier for the first time since 1994-95. Birmingham’s 13-season run in the Championship is over. “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, you’re going to Shrewsbury,” sang the visiting Norwich supporters.
Birmingham’s survival always hinged on getting favours elsewhere and, with results going against them, ultimately a narrow victory courtesy of Paik Seung-ho’s second-half header was insufficient. There was no pinwheeling Paul Caddis moment to get them out of jail this time. Perhaps the only consolation is whereas a decade ago there were fears of administration, if not liquidation, financially at least they appear in rude health. For Norwich, attention will turn to facing Leeds in the playoffs next weekend with a place in the Premier League up for grabs.
Birmingham had been circling the drain for a while – they had not finished above 17th since 2015-16, during Gary Rowett’s first spell in charge – and this time there was no salvation story. Rowett namechecked Caddis in the buildup to the game, referencing his heroic 93rd-minute equaliser at Bolton 10 years ago to stave off relegation on the final day and acknowledged the opportunity for another player to make themselves a hero. But Paik’s winner proved inadequate, given those above them, Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn, all ran out victorious. Birmingham had survived in the last knockings of two seasons since Caddis’s header for Lee Clark’s side and so few could argue this had not been coming.
The galling thing for Birmingham supporters is that it is impossible to ignore the sense the club brought much of this predicament on themselves. Birmingham’s board sacked John Eustace in October when the club were sixth in the table and wooed Wayne Rooney to replace him, heralding the appointment as a “defining moment” on their journey. It proved one for the wrong reasons, that hasty decision backfiring as Rooney lost nine of his 15 matches and lasted 83 days in the job before Tony Mowbray was tasked with securing their second-tier status. When Mowbray stepped back in February for medical reasons, Rowett returned to take over the baton until the end of the season.
Wagner, in a loud blue blazer, applauded the Birmingham players as they emerged for the warmup and long before the toe-tapping Mr Blue Sky echoed around St Andrew’s 10 minutes before kick-off, the home supporters were in the mood for another great escape. Kojo Miyoshi saw an early effort repelled by Angus Gunn in the Norwich goal but Paik squandered the first clear opening, fluffing his lines after meeting Jay Stansfield’s cutback close to the penalty spot. Krystian Bielik saw Miyoshi’s cross bounce off his midriff and wide via Gunn after Shane Duffy registered a swing and a miss when attempting to clear. Birmingham’s supporters in the Gil Merrick Stand endeavoured to rouse their players as they headed down the tunnel at the interval.
Birmingham got the goal they needed to give themselves a chance 10 minutes into the second half, Paik heading in on the edge of the six-yard box after Keshi Anderson’s shot pinballed into his path off the Norwich centre-back Ben Gibson. Supporters gnawed at their fingernails while simultaneously scouring the scores elsewhere. Norwich, meanwhile, seemed to be preparing a playoff date with former manager Daniel Farke, now in charge of Leeds. “We’ll fight to the end,” sang the home support. This time, however, blood and guts were not enough.