Birmingham down, Blackburn stay up

Birmingham walked the plank into the Championship last month after two seasons in the top flight.

The Brummies had enjoyed five other seasons in the Premier League − four of which were consecutive from 2002-03 to 2005-06.

Their away record was pathetic last season with only two wins as their forward line lacked flair and bite... their leading scorer was defender Craig Gardner with eight goals.

Nicola Zigic, who joined from Valencia, failed to shine and may return to his former club.

The Midlanders won the League Cup last season but almost all their players remarked that they would have swapped the silverware for Premier League survival.

In 1985, Norwich had also won the League Cup but were relegated at the end of term.

Blackburn Rovers saved their status in their very last match with victory at Wolves (3-2).

Steve Kean stayed at the helm of the Rovers after replacing Sam Allardyce in December when new Pakistani owners took over the club.

The former English champions thus extended their stay to 10 successive seasons in the Premier League and 17 in all.

A poor record of 12 away defeats was the main reason why Black-burn struggled so badly.

In the cups, Birmingham went all the way in the League Cup to win a major trophy for the first time since 1963. They eliminated the likes of West Ham and Aston Villa before beating Arsenal 2-1 in the final at Wembley.

In the FA Cup, the Blues went down at Bolton 2-3 in the quarter-finals.

Blackburn fell at the second hurdle in the League Cup, losing 3-2 at Aston Villa. The latter also defeated Blackburn in the fourth round of the FA Cup last season.

Premier League results

Birmingham City

August − Away vs Sunderland 2-2 (Dann, Ridgewell).
Home vs Blackburn 2-1 (Gardner 2).
Away vs Bolton Wanderers 2-2 (Johnson, Gardner).
September − Home vs Liverpool 0-0.
Away vs West Brom 1-3 (Jerome).
Home vs Wigan 0-0.
October − Home vs Eveton 0-2.
Away vs Arsenal 1-2 (Zigic).
Home vs Blackpool 2-0 (Ridgewell, Zigic).
Away vs Aston Villa 0-0.
November − Home vs West Ham 2-2 (Jerome, Ridgewell).
Away vs Stoke 2-3 (Fahey, Jerome).
Away vs Manchester City 0-0.
Home vs Chelsea 1-0 (Bowyer).
Away vs Fulham 1-1 (Larsson).
December −Home vs Tottenham 1-1 (Gardner).
Away vs Wolves 0-1.
Home vs Manchester United 1-1 (Bowyer).
January − Home vs Arsenal 0-3.
Away vs Blackpool 2-1 (Hleb, Dann).
Home vs Aston Villa 1-1 (Johnson).
Away vs Manchester United 0-5.
February − Home vs Manchester City 2-2 (Zigic, Gardner pen).
Away vs West Ham 1-0 (Zigic).
Home vs Stoke 1-0 (Zigic).
Home vs Newcastle 0-2.
March − Home vs West Brom 1-3 (Beausejour).
Away vs Everton 1-1 (Beausejour).
Away vs Wigan 1-2 (Ridgewell).
April − Home vs Bolton 2-1 (Phillips, Gardner).
Away vs Blackburn 1-1 (Bowyer).
Home vs Sunderland 2-0 (Larsson, Gardner).
Away vs Chelsea 1-3 (Larsson pen).
Away vs Liverpool 0-5.
May − Home vs Wolves 1-1 (Larsson).
Away vs Newcastle 1-2 (Bowyer).
Home vs Fulham 0-2.
Away vs Tottenham 1-2 (Gardner).

Blackburn Rovers

August − Home vs Everton 1-0 (Kalinic).
Away vs Birmingham 1-2 (Nzonzi).
Home vs Arsenal 1-2 (Diouf).
September − Away vs Man. City 1-1 (Kalinic).
Home vs Fulham 1-1 (Samba).
Away vs Blackpool 2-1 (Adam og, Emerton).
October − Away vs Stoke 0-1.
Home vs Sunderland 0-0.
Away vs Liverpool 1-1 (Carragher og).
Home vs Chelsea 1-1 (Mwaruwari).
November − Home vs Wigan 2-1 (Pedersen, Roberts).
Away vs Newcastle 2-1 (Pedersen, Roberts).
Away vs Tottenham 2-4 (Nelsen, Givet).
Home vs Aston Villa 2-0 (Pedersen 2).
Away vs Man. United 1-7 (Samba).
December − Home vs Wolves 3-0 (Dunn, Emerton, Nelsen).
Away vs Bolton 1-2 (Diouf).
Home vs West Ham 1-1 (Nelsen).
Home vs Stoke 0-2.
Away vs WBA 3-1 (Kalinic 2, Diouf).
January − Away vs Sunderland 0-3.
Home vs Liverpool 3-1 (Olsson, Mwaruwari 2).
Away vs Chelsea 0-2.
Home vs WBA 2-0 (Tamas og, Hoilett).
February − Home vs Tottenham 0-1.
Away vs Wigan 3-2 (Roberts, Samba, Dunn pen).
Home vs Newcastle 0-0.
Away vs Aston Villa 1-4 (Kalinic).
March − Away vs Fulham 2-3 (Hanley, Hoilett).
Home vs Blackpool 2-2 (Samba, Hoilett).
April − Away vs Arsenal 0-0.
Home vs Birmingham 1-1 (Hoilett).
Away vs Everton 0-2.
Home vs Manchester City 0-1.
May − Home vs Bolton 1-0 (Olsson).
Away vs West Ham 1-1 (Roberts).
Home vs Man. United 1-1 (Emerton).
Away vs Wolves 3-2 (Roberts, Emerton, Hoilett).