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Blackpool and Birmingham in final day heartache
There was always going to be two unfortunate clubs on ‘Survival Sunday’, and those two teams ended up being Blackpool and Birmingham City. The Tangerines and the Blues were relegated from the Premier League on the final day of the season, in which there were plenty of twists and turns. That meant that Blackburn Rovers, Wigan and Wolves managed to avoid the dreaded drop and stay in the top flight for next season.
Blackpool faced the unenviable task of needing a result at Old Trafford and despite leading 2-1 at one point, they eventually fell to a 4-2 defeat to Manchester United. Blackpool have been a credit to themselves and their style of play and manager Ian Holloway will be greatly missed next season. Carling Cup winners Birmingham were also relegated by just one point as they lost 2-1 to Tottenham. There is consolation of some sorts for both clubs as they will both feature in Europe next season, with Blackpool taking the extra spot awarded to England through the Fair Play League.
While those two teams were devastated, there was jubilation for Blackburn, Wigan and Wolves. Blackburn beat Wolves 3-2 at Molineux, but results elsewhere meant that Mick McCarthy’s men still managed to stay up. Wigan won 1-0 at Stoke, giving the Latics a 16th-place finish in the Premier League and ensuring another season of top-flight football at the DW Stadium.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Manchester City secured third spot with a 2-0 win away to Bolton, Aston Villa ended on a high with a 1-0 home win against Liverpool and Everton secured the same score line against Chelsea. Sunderland won convincingly away at already relegated West Ham, Fulham and Arsenal played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage, and in the battle of the promoted sides West Brom came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Newcastle.
There are still a handful of matches for football fans to enjoy this season, with the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United, and the Championship Playoff Final between Swansea and Reading at Wembley. At the Millennium Stadium, Huddersfield and Peterborough faceoff in the League One Playoff Final, and Stevenage and Torquay square up in the League Two Playoff Final. One playoff final already to be played is the Blue Square Premier one, with AFC Wimbledon winning promotion to the Football League by beating Luton on penalties.
There was always going to be two unfortunate clubs on ‘Survival Sunday’, and those two teams ended up being Blackpool and Birmingham City. The Tangerines and the Blues were relegated from the Premier League on the final day of the season, in which there were plenty of twists and turns. That meant that Blackburn Rovers, Wigan and Wolves managed to avoid the dreaded drop and stay in the top flight for next season.
Blackpool faced the unenviable task of needing a result at Old Trafford and despite leading 2-1 at one point, they eventually fell to a 4-2 defeat to Manchester United. Blackpool have been a credit to themselves and their style of play and manager Ian Holloway will be greatly missed next season. Carling Cup winners Birmingham were also relegated by just one point as they lost 2-1 to Tottenham. There is consolation of some sorts for both clubs as they will both feature in Europe next season, with Blackpool taking the extra spot awarded to England through the Fair Play League.
While those two teams were devastated, there was jubilation for Blackburn, Wigan and Wolves. Blackburn beat Wolves 3-2 at Molineux, but results elsewhere meant that Mick McCarthy’s men still managed to stay up. Wigan won 1-0 at Stoke, giving the Latics a 16th-place finish in the Premier League and ensuring another season of top-flight football at the DW Stadium.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Manchester City secured third spot with a 2-0 win away to Bolton, Aston Villa ended on a high with a 1-0 home win against Liverpool and Everton secured the same score line against Chelsea. Sunderland won convincingly away at already relegated West Ham, Fulham and Arsenal played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage, and in the battle of the promoted sides West Brom came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Newcastle.
There are still a handful of matches for football fans to enjoy this season, with the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United, and the Championship Playoff Final between Swansea and Reading at Wembley. At the Millennium Stadium, Huddersfield and Peterborough faceoff in the League One Playoff Final, and Stevenage and Torquay square up in the League Two Playoff Final. One playoff final already to be played is the Blue Square Premier one, with AFC Wimbledon winning promotion to the Football League by beating Luton on penalties.
