Blues relegated despite 4-1 final-day win

Birmingham City have been relegated from the Premier League despite beating Blackburn Rovers 4-1 at St Andrew's on the final day of the season, 11 May.

Blues needed to win and hope that results elsewhere went their way, but Fulham's 1-0 victory at Portsmouth meant they stayed up and Birmingham went down, along with Reading and Derby County.

A cruel end

Birmingham did everything they could on the day, scoring four times against a Blackburn side with little to play for. Reading also won, beating Derby 4-0, but were relegated too, as Fulham survived on goal difference.

Blues finished 19th in the 20-team league, and will play in the Championship next season, just a year after winning promotion.

A turbulent season

The season has been one of upheaval at St Andrew's. Manager Steve Bruce left in November to join Wigan Athletic, amid uncertainty over a possible takeover of the club. Alex McLeish, who had been in charge of the Scotland national team, was appointed to replace him.

The Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung bought a 29.9 per cent stake in the club last summer, with a view to taking full control, but the takeover has not been completed.

A 5-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park in April was a particularly painful moment for supporters.

Up and down

Birmingham have moved between the top two divisions several times in recent years. They were promoted to the Premier League in 2002, relegated in 2006 and promoted again at the first attempt in 2007.

The club's owners, including David Gold and David Sullivan, took over in 1993 when the club was in administration, and have since rebuilt St Andrew's and taken the club into the top flight.

What next

McLeish is expected to stay on and lead the attempt to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt. Relegation will mean a large fall in television income, and some players may leave.

For supporters, the key question is whether the club can bounce back quickly, as it did two years ago, and whether the ownership situation will be resolved.

No derby next season

Relegation also means there will be no Second City derby in the Premier League next season, with Villa enjoying a strong season under Martin O'Neill.

St Andrew's, Birmingham City's home since 1906, will now host Championship football again. The club will be hoping that the supporters who have stood by them through several relegations and promotions will turn out in large numbers again next season, as they did during the last promotion campaign.

Fulham's survival, secured with a late run of results under Roy Hodgson, meant that Blues' strong finish came too late.