The Hereford Times

Fans turn as City relegated

1:25am Monday 12th May 2008

Birmingham fans turned on chairman David Gold and co-owner David Sullivan after their side's relegation from the Barclays Premier League was confirmed - despite Cameron Jerome's late double securing a 4-1 win against Blackburn.

Chants of the 'the board must go' were aimed towards the directors' box once it became clear there was going to be no last-day escape act for Alex McLeish's side.

David Murphy's first-half goal was cancelled out by Rovers midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen before substitute Jerome struck twice. Fabrice Muamba added a fourth in injury time.

Murphy gave Birmingham hope with his first goal since his £1.5 million move from Hibernian in January.

Murphy's low shot looked to be covered by Brad Friedel but he inexplicably allowed the ball to go underneath his body and into the corner of the net.

But after 49 minutes Pedersen brought Rovers back on level terms. Damien Johnson was dispossessed by Johann Vogel and released Jason Roberts who had two fierce drives blocked by Maik Taylor but the ball broke across the face of goal to Pedersen who made no mistake.

Birmingham needed a positive response and Olivier Kapo showed good skill to create a yard of space for himself and flashed a fierce drive across the face of goal.

Jerome was guilty of a glaring miss from close range when he shot over with the goal at his mercy from a Murphy cross.

But the England Under-21 international made amends in the 73rd minute when he converted a centre from Sebastian Larsson and then coolly slotted the ball past Friedel for his second.

Muamba headed in an injury-time cross from Medhi Nafti for the fourth but the it matter little as results elsewhere saw the Blues drop into the Coca-Cola Championship.