FA Premiership: In turns the afternoon depressed West Ham, raised their hopes, dashed them once again and, despite those sadistic twists, treated them justly. West Ham deserve to be relegated after 10 seasons in the Premiership.
The table states flatly that they finished two points short of Bolton Wanderers, but there are more subtle verdicts as well.
By performing excellently in the second half here, the visitors inadvertently trained a searchlight on their own failings.
When they showed such quality against Birmingham City, it became even harder to forgive a side who took a scant six points, all from draws, from 14 games in the middle of the season and did not win at home in the league until January 29.
There was, to the credit of their goalkeeper, a wincing candour from David James. "We have not been good enough," he said. Nonetheless, he also insisted that the side had shown their emotional commitment over the past 10 games or so.
Fans are vindictive at times but they applauded at full-time because West Ham had spared themselves nothing in the search for a victory that would have been deserved. It is those same supporters who will remain at Upton Park to suffer the First Division next season when the best of the players may have moved.
The parachute payment of £5.5million will not give West Ham a soft landing. The club were already £40million in debt and the loss of £20m in normal revenue makes transfers inevitable. Joe Cole, Jermaine Defoe and Frederic Kanoute were yesterday all in the form to make rival managers hector their chairmen for funds.
The indefatigable streak in Sam Allardyce's team proved too strong for West Ham, who have set a record total of 42 points for a club relegated from the 20-club Premiership. Glenn Roeder, now readying himself for brain surgery after a stroke, found himself with a squad who gave too little of themselves in the autumn. The contrasts will be made with Birmingham, who have finished 13th.
Although the first half was sluggish, West Ham could have been in front had Defoe not dallied too long over one opportunity and seen a free-kick headed off the line by Jeff Kenna. It was after the interval that the visitors truly impressed as they refused to buckle despite fearing that Bolton, 2-0 ahead against Middlesbrough, were on course for an easy success.
West Ham, motivated by the caretaker manager, Trevor Brooking, were full of inflamed attacking and Matthew Upson had to hook a Trevor Sinclair header off the line and to safety via the crossbar. In the 65th minute Cole delivered for Les Ferdinand, in probably his last outing with the club, to head home.
Before long Kanoute had lashed a superb volley off a post and, with Bolton's lead reduced, West Ham could envisage Allardyce's side slipping to a draw.
That image was a mirage. After a pass from the substitute Bryan Hughes, Geoff Horsfield forced in an attempt which broke off Rufus Brevett to loop over James. As if that were not enough, Robbie Savage, who had been feuding with him all day, then appeared to mock the West Ham left back.
Nine minutes later a calm counterattack ended with Savage drilling a fine low cross, which Stern John netted off the underside of the bar.
Di Canio, histrionic and engrossing to the final seconds of his time at West Ham, then converted a Defoe cross. There was no comfort in that. Birmingham, with Dugarry signing a two-year contract, remained jubilant
and West Ham's distress was total.
BIRMINGHAM: Bennett, Kenna (Devlin 73), Purse, Upson, Clapham, Damien Johnson, Savage, Clemence, Lazaridis (Hughes 73), Dugarry (John 63), Horsfield. Subs Not Used: Marriott, Michael Johnson. Booked: Clemence. Goals: Horsfield 80, John 88.
WEST HAM: James, Repka, Dailly, Brevett (Di Canio 82), Johnson, Sinclair, Lomas, Cole (Hutchison 87), Defoe, Les Ferdinand, Kanoute. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Cisse, Moncur. Booked: Brevett. Goals: Les Ferdinand 66, Di Canio 89.
Referee: G Poll
Guardian Service
