A final day win over Norwich City wasn’t enough to keep Birmingham City in the Championship. Blues were relegated to League One after all of the teams above them recorded victories on the final day.
Paik Seung-ho’s first goal for Blues was enough to give Blues a 1-0 win over Norwich. But wins for Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers means Blues will play League One football for the first time in 29 years.
Lee Buchanan set the tone with a Kieftenbeld-esque cruncher inside the first two minutes. Ethan Laird followed suit and the crowd responded. The tempo and urgency that was missing at Rotherham and Huddersfield was present.
Koji Miyoshi worked Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn twice inside the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately for Blues, both shots were straight down Gunn’s throat and comfortably dealt with.
READ: Seven decisions have relegated Birmingham City - Knighthead must learn lesson
AS IT HAPPENED: Birmingham City 1-0 Norwich City
There was a break-in-play midway through the first half after a supporter in the corner of the Kop was taken ill. Play was able to resume once the fan had been treated by medics.
The stoppage didn’t affect Blues’ intensity and the best chance of the half soon arrived for Paik. Jay Stansfield squared the ball for Paik from the right but the midfielder fluffed his shot from 16 yards.
News of goals from elsewhere filtered into St Andrew’s towards the end of the half. Sheffield Wednesday were 2-0 up at Sunderland and Plymouth had taken the lead against Hull. It was still all square between Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers. None of it would matter if Blues failed to beat Norwich.
Blues found their goal 10 minutes into the second half. Keshi Anderson’s shot ricocheted across the six-yard line and Paik expertly guided the ball into the corner with his head.
Minutes later, the Championship’s top scorer Sammie Szmodics gave Blackburn the lead at Leicester. The life was sucked out of St Andrew’s.
All eyes were on Home Park in the hope of a Hull goal that would have kept Blues in the Championship. It didn’t arrive.
When the clock ticked towards full-time, chants of ‘Que Sera Sera, we’re going to Shrewsbury’ preceded a rousing rendition of Keep Right On. Blues fans will hope their stay in League One doesn’t exceed 12 months.
John Ruddy 7
Ruddy made one good stop from Nunez in the first half during a 90-minute outing where he wasn’t overly troubled. The goalkeeper ended the campaign with double figures for clean sheets.
Ethan Laird 8
The right-back played well. He marauded down the right and delivered some inviting crosses, one which Jutkiewicz glanced wide in the second half.
Krystian Bielik 8*
Bielik has proved himself competent in two positions this season when used correctly. He has been one of Blues’ best players under Rowett and he didn’t put a foot wrong in the season finale.
Dion Sanderson 7
Sanderson had a few hairy moments and played Blues into trouble at the start of the second half with an awful pass into midfield, but he generally defended well on the day and cleared his lines when required.
Lee Buchanan 8
Buchanan is one of the few who can hold his head high this season. The left-back has been impressive in most of the games under Rowett and locked down his side against Norwich.
Ivan Sunjic 7
Sunjic deserves credit for the way he battled over the past few weeks under Rowett, despite knowing his future lies elsewhere. The Croatian gave his all for the Blues cause.
Jordan James 7
James added some quality to Blues' midfield and produced one of his better performances in recent months. That will almost certainly be his final game for his boyhood club.
Koji Miyoshi 8
One sprint back to stop Stacey and win a free-kick at the beginning of the second half epitomised Miyoshi. His work ethic is exceptional and his performances have largely been up to Championship standard this season.
Paik Seung-ho 7
Paik missed a big chance in the first half but he made up for it with a decisive goal after the break. Blues will struggle to keep Paik in League One.
Keshi Anderson 7
Anderson created the goal with a driving run inside and a shot that deflected into Paik’s path. The 29-year-old has done OK since Rowett came in and restored him to the starting XI.
Jay Stansfield 8
Stansfield ended his loan spell in the right way. He will probably clean up Blues’ end-of-season awards after an excellent individual campaign and received a huge round of applause when he was substituted late on.
SUBS
Lukas Jutkiewicz (for Paik, 67) 6
He almost converted a header a few minutes after coming on in an otherwise quiet display. If this is his final game, it shouldn't have ended like this.
Juninho Bacuna (for Anderson, 67) 6
Bacuna has enjoyed a strange season. On an individual level it has been impressive but the fact he hasn't been trusted to start key matches is telling. He didn't have time to put his stamp on this one.
George Hall (for Miyoshi, 84) N/A
Alex Pritchard (for Stansfield, 85) N/A
Not used: Etheridge, Drameh, M Roberts, Dembele, T Roberts
Attendance: 27,680
