Jeez, what an emotional roller-coaster of a day. From the optimism of kick-off, to the drained depression of half-time, to the celebrations at full-time.
For me (and I suspect, most of the people in the stadium), it was a confusing picture. Barely hearing a crackly radio, data signals to smartphones not really working, and all manner of drama on the pitch made the day unforgettable.
So, how did it actually unfold?
After a minute played, the table looked like this (colums are points, GD, GS):
15 Blackburn 41 -14 43
16 Wolves 41 -19 44
17 Birmingham 40 -20 36
-----------------------------
18 Blackpool 40 -21 53
19 Wigan 40 -22 39
Twenty-two minutes in, Manchester United score against Blackpool.
15 Blackburn 41 -14 43
16 Wolves 41 -19 44
17 Birmingham 40 -20 36
-----------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Blackpool 39 -22 53
Two minutes later, Blackburn score at Molineux.
15 Blackburn 43 -13 44
16 Wolves 40 -20 44
17 Birmingham 40 -20 36
------------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Blackpool 39 -22 53
We're still OK. But not for long, as Blackburn score again on 39 minutes, and we drop beneath Birmingham on goal difference and become the most vulnerable team to others...
15 Blackburn 43 -12 45
16 Birmingham 40 -20 36
17 Wolves 40 -21 44
-----------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Blackpool 39 -22 53
...which is exactly what happens two minutes later. Blackpool equalise against Manchester United, and because of their better goals scored, they go above us. As of 41 minutes in, we're relegated.
15 Blackburn 43 -12 45
16 Birmingham 40 -20 36
17 Blackpool 40 -21 54
-----------------------------
18 Wolves 40 -21 44
19 Wigan 40 -22 39
Things get worse for us, as Blackburn score their third just before half time, and so we get the following table at the end of the first half. We're now above Wigan solely on goals scored. Knowing what we know now, it's interesting to see that Blackpool and Birmingham survive, whilst Wolves and Wigan are going down.
15 Blackburn 43 -11 46
16 Birmingham 40 -20 36
17 Blackpool 40 -21 54
-----------------------------
18 Wolves 40 -22 44
19 Wigan 40 -22 39
Half time comes, and I don't move from my seat. I'm just sat there, stunned at the awful performance and wondering just how on earth it's managed to go completely wrong for us. The second half starts, and ten minutes in, some good news. Spurs score against Birmingham to put themselves 1-0 up and we're back out of the bottom three, but only on goals scored.
15 Blackburn 43 -11 46
16 Blackpool 40 -21 54
17 Wolves 40 -22 44
-----------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Birmingham 39 -21 36
Seventeen minutes into the second half, Blackpool take the lead against Man U, and look to be safe. It doesn't affect our position, but means that we're extra vulnerable.
15 Blackburn 43 -11 46
16 Blackpool 42 -20 55
17 Wolves 40 -22 44
-----------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Birmingham 39 -21 36
Turns out that they've just annoyed Man U, who respond to make it 2-2 after 23 minutes of the second half. So, we're back to where we were given that Blackpool have a massive goals scored advantage anyway. We're still out of the bottom three, and have so far spent 14 minutes in the relegation zone.
15 Blackburn 43 -11 46
16 Blackpool 40 -21 55
17 Wolves 40 -22 44
----------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Birmingham 39 -21 36
33 minutes into the second half, Jamie O'Hara puts it away, sparking celebrations at Molineux, though it actually doesn't make much difference...
15 Blackburn 43 -12 46
16 Blackpool 40 -21 55
17 Wolves 40 -21 45
------------------------------
18 Wigan 40 -22 39
19 Birmingham 39 -21 36
...though Man Utd scoring and putting themselves 3-2 ahead against Blackpool within a minute of O'Hara's goal makes a difference. It puts Blackpool back in the relegation zone, from which they will never recover.
15 Blackburn 43 -12 46
16 Wolves 40 -21 45
17 Wigan 40 -22 39
----------------------------
18 Birmingham 39 -21 36
19 Blackpool 39 -22 55
The second half is now 38 minutes old, with 7 minutes to go in all the matches. Rather astonishingly, Wigan take the lead against Stoke, and we're back to being most vulnerable, but still out of the bottom three. It's also interesting to note that ourselves, Wigan and Birmingham all now have the same goal difference.
15 Blackburn 43 -12 46
16 Wigan 42 -21 40
17 Wolves 40 -21 45
-----------------------------
18 Birmingham 39 -21 36
19 Blackpool 39 -22 55
Disaster strikes. Pretty much at the same time as Wigan score, Birmingham equalise against Spurs. We're now back in the bottom three on goal difference, and Molineux goes silent before the crowd tell the team what's required. Just one goal will do it, by putting us on the same goal difference as Birmingham, and putting them down on goals scored.
15 Blackburn 43 -12 46
16 Wigan 42 -21 40
17 Birmingham 40 -20 37
-----------------------------
18 Wolves 40 -21 45
19 Blackpool 39 -22 55
Three minutes to go, and Man U score their fourth. Blackpool are now completely out of it, barring an utter miracle.
15 Blackburn 43 -12 46
16 Wigan 42 -21 40
17 Birmingham 40 -20 37
-----------------------------
18 Wolves 40 -21 45
19 Blackpool 39 -23 55
It's now 5.46. We're in the bottom three, with three minutes to go in our game. We have three minutes to save ourselves before Stephen Hunt curls it into the corner for the one goal we need to put ourselves level on goal difference with Birmingham, but above them on goals scored.
15 Blackburn 43 -13 46
16 Wigan 42 -21 40
17 Wolves 40 -20 46
-----------------------------
18 Birmingham 40 -20 37
19 Blackpool 39 -23 55
It's unbelievably close. If either Birmingham or Blackburn score, then we're back in the bottom three. Birmingham know that, and pile men forward, but get done on the counter and concede, putting Spurs 2-1 up in their game right on 90 minutes.
15 Blackburn 43 -13 46
16 Wigan 42 -21 40
17 Wolves 40 -20 46
-----------------------------
18 Birmingham 39 -21 37
19 Blackpool 39 -23 55
There's no way Birmingham will score twice in the last couple of minutes of injury time, and so Molineux erupts. Blackburn have the ball and just pass it across their own 18 yard line, whilst we stand 10 yards off them, not even thinking about challenging for the ball. We're in Austria v Germany mode, and the tension starts to drain away. It seems like we've spent most of the match in the bottom three, but we've actually been there for only 18 minutes of the entire game, though those few minutes at the end were the worst.
I'm utterly exhausted, my daughter next to me looks as if she's been up for days, and people all around me are taking their seats out as a souvenir of the North Bank. What a day.
Next year, Mick, please don't put us through this again!
