Capitulation

It had all been going so well for Glenn Roeder’s Newcastle United. A battling draw at the Emirates Stadium in November had kick started a run of 15 games with only four defeats – and two of those were by a single goal to Chelsea. They were climbing the Premiership table and gaining in confidence. Not bad for a side ravaged by injuries to key players throughout the season.

Then Birmingham City came to St. James Park for the F.A. Cup replay – a key game in a competition which has always been close to Geordie hearts – and suddenly, inexplicably, it stopped going well. From the very start the signs were ominous. As early as the 5th minute, Gary McSheffrey lashed in Larsson’s cross to give the Championship side a shock lead. Within 20 minutes, they could have gone three up, as first Jerome and then Campbell missed chances, so it was no surprise when on the stroke of half time Birmingham went further ahead, as Campbell’s challenge forced Solano to turn Jerome’s cross past Shay Given.

Early in the second half a tremendous 30 yard drive from James Milner reduced the deficit and raised Geordie hopes, but it was a false dawn. Two minutes later, Steven Taylor was rightly red carded (for the third time in his Newcastle career) for a rash challenge on Campbell and Larsson’s clever free kick rebounded to N’Gotty, who calmly placed the ball into the far corner for Birmingham’s third. Ten minutes from the end of normal time Larsson got the fourth from Jerome’s pass and by the time Campbell completed the rout in the 88th minute, most of the home fans had gone.

Birmingham City should be congratulated for a performance which indicates that they may return to the Premiership quite soon, but apart from Kieron Dyer and the industrious Milner, Newcastle United were awful. Most disturbingly, it was a return to the bad old days of pantomime defending. Ramage was dire, Steven Taylor inept and Solano apparently incapable of providing cover when Birmingham attacked down their right flank. And further forward, Sibierski was ineffective, Martins lacked awareness and Pattison gave the impression that he had chosen entirely the wrong career.

Glenn Roeder is entitled to ask what had become of the style and the spirit that forged a tremendous win at White Hart Lane because on this occasion his players let him, the club, themselves and the loyal fans down and the result was utter humiliation and an ignominious exit from a competition which means a great deal on Tyneside