Where to start?

Newcastle's six match losing run was ended and Cardiff's return to the Championship confirmed, but they were side issues on one of the strangest days at SJP in memory.

What on the face of it looked like a resounding win that came close to sealing a top ten finish for the home side and triggering bonuses for staff and players was in reality somewhat different - and rather less comfortable.

The final home game of this campaign will be remembered though for off-field events, as the level of discontent with the current state and direction of the club felt by some fans was made evident beyond any question.  

That manifested itself in the noisiest backing for the team on home turf all season, but also sustained and vitriolic abuse of both owner and manager - and ultimately the  promised second half walk-out from some supporters.   

Such was the level of abuse directed at Alan Pardew that he left coaches John Carver and Steve Stone to patrol the technical area, after his early forays from the bench prompted loud booing from all sides of the ground - a far cry from conducting the SJP "choir" in seasons past.

The fractured nature of our support was then underlined when greater numbers than had walked out remained in their places to applaud the squad on a lap of honour - although the vast majority of the crowd had exited in the moments before and after the full time whistle.

Interlude - a short history lesson: 

"I can't stop the reaction of the crowd. They are what they are. We thanked the ones who stayed behind...the expectation here is so high."

Alan Pardew's comment? nope, the words of Sir Bobby Robson after the final home game of the season in May 2004, when a spontaneous vote of no confidence in him and his team resulted in a collective walkout at full time before the planned lap of honour. We finished fifth in the league that season and exited from the UEFA Cup at the semi-final stage.

Right, back to 2014:


United opened brightly; Loic Remy hesitating when well placed after just 40 seconds and failing to shoot, before Mathieu Debuchy saw his header touched on to the Gallowgate crossbar by 'keeper David Marshall. 

Shola Ameobi then opened the scoring after 18 minutes, supplying a close range headed finish to a peach of a cross delivered from the right flank by Moussa Sissoko. Almost inevitably though, after deflected Sissoko efforts  twice struck the woodwork, United failed to kick on and were grateful to Tim Krul for preserving their half time lead, his outstretched foot denying Wilfried Zaha. 

With ex-Magpie Craig Bellamy taking to the field for the second period, the visitors continued to press forward, United clearly looking to stonewall Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side and showing precious little attacking invention.

The visitors made and missed two gilt-edged chances, ex-mackem Kenwyne Jones almost announcing his arrival from the bench with a side-footed effort saved by Krul before only Fabricio Coloccini's miraculous goal line clearance prevented Aron Gunnarsson from a certain equaliser.

That incident came after the promised walkouts: some choosing the 60th minute to leave, others departing nine minutes later and a steady stream thereafter seeing the crowd shrink considerably by the time Remy made it 2-0.

Given that the published 50,000 crowd reflected tickets sold rather than numbers actually present, estimating the exact size of the protest is tricky, but between 2,000 and 4,000 fans look to have heeded the called-for exit strategy.

The majority of those leaving came from the Strawberry Corner and Gallowgate End - where various banners and bedsheets had been displayed and resulted in flare-ups that involved fans, police and club stewards. 

However, departures from all four sides were noted at this point - including one or two from within the Directors Box. While some of the departed doubtless headed for the pub, others saw out the remainder of the game gathered in the vicinity of SJP, many around the Jackie Milburn statue.  

Into the closing stages, the game was reminiscent of our final day misery at Villa in May 2009 - Cardiff slipping out of the league after conceding once and being unable to rouse themselves into scoring against a six-man home defence, who were inviting them to make a game of it.

Added time then added a veneer of credibility to the full time score, Cardiff's desperation to push on for a goal finally creating defensive gaps that even our soft shoe shufflers couldn't fail to exploit. 

First, Cheick Tiote set up Remy to finally make the game safe before a double rarity - a goal stemming from our corner (sort of) and a delighted Steven Taylor getting on the scoresheet, substitute Dan Gosling setting up Remy to head goalwards and Taylor gobbling up the scraps. 

Sissoko also ran the length of the field before blazing over when a simple sideways pass would have surely brought another goal before the final whistle sounded, Pardew shaking hands with City staff before disappearing down the tunnel after a brief clap towards the Milburn Stand.

The manager then failed to emerge for what began as a drift towards the centre circle, but became a lap of the pitch led by messrs Carver and Stone and witnessed by an estimated 8,000 fans who had remained behind.

Among that support were dissenting voices and banners, and some who remain unhappy with their lot but still opted to stay and acknowledge the likes of Shola and Steven Taylor. 

That pair may well have appeared here for the last time today after over 20 years, 600 games and 90 goals combined. And while their current presence in the team underlines our drift, they were at least worth applauding for efforts in happier times like Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen and strikes against that lot from down the road.  

Many of the players were accompanied by their bairns - including Ryan Taylor (strongly applauded) and Hatem Ben Arfa - who had watched the game from the players section in the North West Corner, where he acknowledged various songs name-checking him.

(Far away in another galaxy, almost in that part of the ground, Mirandinha's appearance mid-match in a season closer against Millwall provoked similar scenes. He never played for us again either...)

Following the final whistle, Debuchy approached the Gallowgate End before throwing his shirt into the crowd and applauding all four sides of the ground - gestures which strongly suggest this may well have been a personal farewell to SJP.

Which of his playing colleagues will be here when hostilities recommence is anyone's guess (although Cheick Tiote reportedly pledged his allegiance) and the same can be said for those in the stands. 

Unless there's a shift in ambition and investment - or a managerial/ownership change - then protest in some form will presumably continue at games next season, when the current points cushion we enjoy will vanish and the threat of relegation becomes real.   

Similar unrest played a part in our last demotion and today's scenes had unpleasant echoes of the Hull City home game in the 2008/09 season - not least seeing supporters of the same club clashing with each other. Others of course have already opted to stage their own walkout by canceling season tickets and direct debits - a silent protest that may prove to be rather more effective in prompting a rethink. 

When the emotions subside, it's balance sheets not bed sheets that tend to count. As long as he's got your money, he doesn't give a ****.  For many present here today the over-riding reaction may have been one of anger, but sadness summed up our post-match feelings. To be walking out of this ground in such a joyless fashion after a 3-0 home win is nothing short of tragic. 

Surely someone can see that getting the crowd back onside means that great things are possible, or the alternative is continue like this into oblivion. 

Biffa