As the curtains sweep aside the dust of yet another eventful English Premier League season, along with it go the familiar faces of the now relegated.

Blackpool

Some things are just not meant to be. The Tangerines have undoubtedly been one of the most entertaining sides of the 2010-2011 season, scoring 55 goals, equal to 5th placed Tottenham. Unfortunately a strong attack needs a stronger defence, which Ian Holloway, much like Arsene Wenger, has been forced to accept with much regret.

Blackpool weren’t given the most comfortable of hands having to face the league title winners Manchester United for their last attempt at top-flight survival. Blackpool expectantly came out of the gates steaming with two great chances to rescue their Premier League campaign and it’s no surprise that both were delivered by Charlie Adam. Keith Southern fired wide within the first 30 seconds and only minutes later saw Gary Taylor-Fletcher miss a toenail touch which surely would have gained them a great start.

Ji-Sung-Park gave the home side a lift 21 minutes in with an agile run onto what looked to be a lost Dimitar Berbatov pass. In the spirit shown by the Tangerines so often this season, they equalized in the 40th minute through a blinding Charlie Adam Free Kick. Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s cheeky finish gave the visitors a 2-1 lead, only to have their stride shaken again five minutes later by a very confident and recently on form Anderson, who’s left foot floater from Park’s cross seemed to be the beginning of the end for Holloway’s men.

An Ian Evatt own goal in the 74th and a reminiscent Michael Owen run in the 81st seemed to summarized the misfortunes of a team who’s spirit deserved to see a better finish at seasons close. To add insult to injury, the Blackpool fans will have to see their side being dismantled of much talent and potential during the transfer chop shop.

Birmingham

Proof that good enough ingredients don’t guarantee a good enough cake. Birmingham is now only the second team in Premier League history to win a major cup competition and be shown the relegation backdoor in the same season. The other being Norwich City who walked the same line in 1985 and coincidentally, are now the team to replace the Blues next season after their runners up Championship finish.

The Blues were handed an uphill battle when Roman Pavlychenko netted a nonchalant finish just after halftime. Craig Gardner scored his 10th goal of the season and handed the Birmingham fans a glimmer of hope with an equalizer in the 79th minute, but it was short lived after the Russian netted his second in the 90th minute through a gap in a lagging Blues defence.

Alex McLeish will remain as Birmingham manager, giving him the opportunity to redeem himself in the Championship next season after what he describes as being the lowest point in his career.

West Ham

Oh Hammers . . . not again!?

Upton Park was a sombre setting for the final game in an already doomed Hammers campaign.

Despite the gloom of their position, the Hammers made attempts to avoid wasting the home fans afternoon. Thomas Hitzlsperger got in an early blocked shot and Frederic Piquionne delivered an air shot while Zavon Hines and Freddie Sears both being denied any crowd-pleasing by Simon Mignolet. Hitzlsperger’s free kick was dropped by Mignolet, but cleared by Onuoha who also blocked James Tomkins’ shot from the subsequent corner.

In the 17th minute, hopes of a departing smile crumbled for West Ham as Boudewijn Zenden headed home a Ahmed Elmohamady cross. The graveyard atmosphere was briefly livened by the home crowd while Scott Parker began warming up. Stephane Sessegnon’s daisy cutter in the 51st minute put Sunderland up 2-0 and although Scott Parker’s introduction in the 61st minute raised a united appreciation from the home crowd, not much was done by the Hammers to salvage any positive result. All was written in stone by the 90th minute as 67th minute sub Cristian Riveros comfortably slotted home a third off a Jordan Henderson delivery that with a bit of help from a West Brom equalizer at St. James Park gave Sunderland a top 10 finish.

Looking at the West Ham team sheet as well as the fact that they’re comfortably in the top 10 Premier League salary spenders, it’s no wonder co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, as well as vice-chairman Karren Brady have placed the blame hat on Avram Grant.

“Avram was given the best possible conditions to do the job,” Brady said in The Sun. “There were no silly targets set, no talk of Europe. We just said: ‘Keep us up’.” Credit to the powers that be for sticking with Grant and giving him a full season’s chance, especially in a league where dismissal for average performance has become the norm.

We say a quiet and sorrowful goodbye to these departing clubs, but the silence will soon be abruptly broken by the fall of the gavel as money and rumors are sure to be thrown around like birdseed in a city park.

Nic Hoekstra

Pic: theepochtimes.com

Source: soccernet.com