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Newcastle United	1 - 0	Birmingham City
Half time:	1 - 0
Score Sheet:
(42) Viana
	Teams
Given Hughes Woodgate S.Caldwell Bernard Solano Dyer Jenas Ameobi Bellamy Viana		Bennett Kenna Purse Upson Clapham Damien Johnson Savage Clemence Hughes Horsfield Dugarry
Substitutes:
(81) Kerr for Solano (86) Robert for Viana		Michael Johnson for Kenna (45) Lazaridis for Savage (72) John for Dugarry (81)
Subs not used:
Harper Bramble LuaLua		Marriott Devlin
Bookings:
None		Hughes Dugarry
Sendings off:
None		Upson (pushed over Bellamy 41)
Referee: David Elleray (Harrow on the Hill) His final match before retiring.
Attendance: 52,146. One more than the Spurs game, one less than the Liverpool one. Largest home crowd was 52,181 for the mackems and our home Premiership average was 986,479 divided by 19 = 51,920. Atmosphere wasn't brilliant to be honest, with the away fans regularly audible in the hush, even if the text of some of their ditties were a little unclear. No mistaking "sh*t on the Villa" though. United hero was Mick Quinn, apparently dressed in the same suit he wore when he signed for us - must have had the trousers let out a bit since.... Spotted in the South West corner of the ground was a certain Neil Ruddock, complete with a freshly-bought Toon scarf. Why though was he occupying a spot in this part of the ground when his very close friend a Mr A.Shearer was sitting in the Milburn Stand? The self-styled Razor seemed to enjoy himself though, and was cheering on the lads for the 45 minutes he was in that end. His seats remained empty after the break though - perhaps because they were giving away unsold pies round by the bins....

42 mins Nolberto Solano sent a long forward pass to the galloping Craig Bellamy, only for the retreating Upson to help him on his way with a shove in the back. A red card was produced and Hugo Viana deputised admirably for Laurent Robert by curling a left footed free kick to Ian Bennett's right in the Leazes goal.

The City keeper didn't manage to throw himself at the ball, partly due to the presence of an unidentified defender on that post, who inexplicably stood with one arm aloft instead of trying to get in the way of the goalbound effort. 1-0

Half time: Newcastle 1 Birmingham City 0

Full time: Newcastle 1 Birmingham City 0
 

Sir Bobby said:

"I wouldn't say we're relieved because we always felt we could do it. It was always in our hands and we felt we had the ability and the resolve to do it, to finish third.

"We've made an improvement, and I think from fourth to third at the top of the Premiership is a massive step. It's not so massive when you're 20th and you finish 19th or if you're 19th and you finish 18th or even if you finish 18th and then finish 17th.

"But I think when you move up a place at the top, it's quite massive, so we've had an improvement.

"Our home form here has been startling really. We've lost two at home - Leeds early on when we played well and lost, and Man United when we played pretty miserably and got bashed.

"But we've recovered. We had a little blip, There was a lot of anxiety about the place - not within the players, but around as always happens - but we've stood firm in the last two games.

"It's not easy and here we are, with one game to go, we can't be beaten. I just think it's marvellous. I think it's been a good season for us.

"When you think we've played 14 extra games this season in the Champions League, we've done well. Some players here have run miles, miles, hundreds of miles.

"I honestly believe, had we beaten Man United here three Saturdays ago, we always felt within the dressing room that we might even nick it.

"We weren't going to talk about it, but we lost and on that day went our chances. But we've recovered and we've revived ourselves and finished third."

Chairman Freddy Shepherd said:

"We're third this season. Just remember who was third 12 months ago - Manchester United. We've taken their place, if you like. Well, we're aiming to take their place again next season.

"When people ask me why I think we can win the title, I reply: 'Why not?' It's not why anymore, but why not? I'll certainly be putting a bet on it.

"But it's not all about looking ahead. Let's just savour what we've done this year. We've finished third ahead of fine teams like Chelsea and Liverpool. We've put them in their place and are now widely recognised as the third biggest club in the Premiership.

"That's not just in this country and in Europe, but worldwide. Sometimes I think we Geordies don't realise how big Newcastle United is. We're making rapid strides in the Far East, while on the Continent everyone now knows what Newcastle are about.'

"No-one can deny it's been a great season for us. I firmly believe that without our blip, we'd have gone very close to winning the title. I'm not saying we'd have won it, but there would have been three teams taking it to the wire. Unfortunately, the blip came in a six-pointer against Manchester United.

"But we cannot complain, and to be honest we'd all have settled for third place, which is an achievement in itself. Bearing in mind the start we had and our involvement in the Champions League, no praise is too high for Bobby and the players.

"The future is so bright. We have a young team which is gaining experience at the highest level - and they're fast learners.

"There's probably not a more excited chairman in football right now. Mind you, I'm almost the most relieved chairman because Champions League football next season was essential.

"To qualify once is fine, but to be seen as a truly big club, you need to do it year in, year out. I still pinch myself when recalling where we were three or four years ago. Now we're finally back to near where we want to be.

"Everything is in place this time - the stadium, the training facilities and, of course, the players. There's been huge investment in this squad, a lot of money has been spent to give the manager what he wants.'

"I won't mention figures, but we are probably one of only a handful of clubs with the resources to go out and strengthen our squad. We will spend if it is needed - that's always been the policy of this board.

"No manager has ever left this club complaining that the board had deprived him of funds. We've always come up with the funds when they're required.'

"The whole structure at this club is to bring in quality young players. I heard Bobby talking about recruiting older ones for the short-term and, while we'd never close that avenue, we're building for the long-term. Why bring in short-termers? To save a season maybe, but not to win anything. Ideally, we want quality youngsters, who are ready now but who are also going to get even better.

"The pattern won't change. We've been linked with Christophe Dugarry at Birmingham and Southgate, but that's nonsense. It's just agents' talk. Neither will be joining Newcastle.

"We've signed Hugo Viana, Jonathan Woodgate and Laurent Robert in the last two years, and there will be more top-class players coming here. Any player worth his salt would want to join Newcastle - and I'm not just talking about players here, but across Europe.

"Ever since Bobby came, this club has improved year-on-year and I believe it will carry on improving. Yes, we all want to win the title next year, but I'd settle for second place and first the year after that.

"Bobby will be here until that happens. It would be a foolish man who'd bet against it.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm the luckiest man in football. It's an honour and a privilege to be chairman of such a wonderful, vibrant club.

"The most satisfying thing is that for years everyone has said that if Newcastle were as good as their supporters, they'd be a hell of a team. Well I think that we're there now. We have quality on the pitch, off the pitch and in the stands.''
 

Steve Bruce said:

So in the end we claimed the points necessary to secure that Champs League place, with a little help from our new chums Anelka and Di Canio, the latter who surely cried tears of joy only when informed post-match that Newcastle were back in Europe.....  

And appropriately enough the passport to foreign fields was secured on our own soil, where we've reigned supreme (almost) this season. 

To the names of Liverpool, Bolton and Juventus, Birmingham can now be added. And of that quartet of sides beaten on Tyneside by the only goal of the game, Bruce's boys were by far the easiest to topple.

This being Newcastle though, we of course made something approaching heavy weather of the task, and a crowd more agitated than triumphant endured the final seconds of the game still unsure whether we'd hold on or banjax it all up. 

One up at the break and with the ten-man opposition looking slightly less than bothered (Dugarry aside), this really ought to have been a lot easier than it was, but a combination of the woodwork, cock-eyed finishing and old boy Bennett prolonged the agony right until the final whistle.

Pre-game reports of the lads from St.Andrews having had a succession of big nights out since securing their Premiership status were taken with a pinch of salt....as were presumably the tequilas Horsfield and Co. had been downing.

A team managed by loveable geordie Steve Bruce were never going to lie down totally for this United but came reasonably close, with Savage in particular not his usual combative self and rather circumspect contributions from a number of other visiting players.

More goals should have preceded and followed Viana's lovely piece of work, but Bellamy and co. again weren't quite up to the task. Thankfully it didn't matter as we frustrated and annoyed the chief threat Dugarry and the rest looked unwilling to mix it to the same degree.

The final whistle came amid a slight uncertainty as to whether we had in fact claimed that coveted place - something not helped by the PA man reading out the results of the Chelsea and Liverpool games while they were still going on. 

As it turned out, the results stayed the same and we had more reason to applaud the players and staff as they took to the field than we perhaps could have hoped at 3pm.
The usual response to the usual walk-round then, Sir Bobby leading the troops and Shearer appearing in the centre circle with a cast on his foot. 

Rich applause from the fans without it being manic though - after all we were marking the end of the 34th unsuccessful attempt to capture "proper" silverware. Wonderful and essential though Champs League qualification is, you can't really pour champagne over a champions league place, bedeck it in ribbons or put the lid on your head - even though one could buy a lakeful of bubbly with the cash reward.

It's not all about money though is it? is it?

West Brom away now becomes a complete non-event for the visitors and the away side, with nothing at stake for us - even extra prize money now that third spot is secured and their goose long ago cooked. A chance then for an unfamiliar face or two to get a run, now that the job is done and for the fans to have the sing-song that is too often missing from home games. 

The hard work that has secured this qualification came right from the off, with big results like that unlikely early season point from Anfield and of course the admirable run of successes that followed our midweek Champions League exertions.

But in times to come, just like the 95-96 season, the final sequence of Newcastle fixtures will inevitably lead one to muse on the missed opportunity. We never had the league lead (sizeable or not) at any stage after the opening game this time out, but there was still a nagging feeling round these parts that we were coming up strongly on the rails with six games left. 

In retrospect Everton now was our Blackburn then, and Robert's Goodison rocket gave us false hopes in the same way Batty's blast had. Walking away from both grounds the scowls on glum faces were evident, in stark contrast to the pre-match hopes and dreams. 

In 1996 though the real killer was Manchester United at home, when most right-minded people accepted we'd probably seen the champions elect leave with three points after our best was found not to be good enough.

Fast forward on seven years and once again it was the clash of the two Uniteds that ultimately proved to be the difference - and even more emphatically this time round, not just in the scoreline but also the manner of the conquest, as the Reds moved to a level we didn't know existed.

Time for celebration and looking forward then, and of taking stock and glorifying in what we've got. No more than that though, keeping the twin evils of satisfaction and complacency at bay and resolving to come back, harder, faster, meaner next time. 

Much has been achieved, but we're still presenting meaningless trinkets to each other, like the award the Chairman picked up today for us being in the match of the decade - a defeat at Liverpool. 

Until we pick up something worthwhile though, that'll be in the trophy cabinet and we'll be politely clapping the lads for another good season, but not a great one.

It may seem a tad ungracious to be turning one's nose up at third spot, but there would be a stewards enquiry at Old Trafford or Highbury if they were in that spot, not a feeling of a job well done. We've got to strive for more, not settle for less. 

Who knows how long Sir Bobby will remain at the helm for, but it looks like only one more season to put a proper medal round Shearer's neck - we can't have him telling his grand bairns about the glories of Blackburn Rovers; our day has to come. 

The club have already used the phrase "Fortress St.James'" on a book, which would have been a fitting end of season video title given our home form. 

"Still ain't got no silverware" is a little brutal, so how about "It's Wor Cup" for this time next year?

Biffa

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