Match ends, Ipswich Town 1, Birmingham City 1.
IpswichIpswich Town1BirminghamBirmingham City1
Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert said the club's relegation is "gut-wrenching for everybody" after their drop to League One was confirmed.
The Tractor Boys became the first team to be relegated in the English Football League this season following a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City.
Lambert thanked the Ipswich fans for their support after the club's fate was sealed with four matches still to play.
"You saw the reception at the end of the game, that was incredible. I've been involved in some unbelievable moments in my career, that's as good as it gets for me, that's how emotional it was," said Lambert.
"The support is unbelievable, I'm gutted for them, I'm gutted for the players and I'm gutted for all the staff here at Portman Road.
"I've always believed [we could stay up], everyone who knows me knows I'm a realist but I'd always believed we could do well. You've got to analyse the disappointment and then try to plan what will happen next year.
"It's gut-wrenching, it's horrible. But we have great things to look forward to."
It has been a dire campaign for the Suffolk side, who sacked boss Paul Hurst after just one league win from his 14 games in charge.
Replacement Lambert proved unable to turn the club's fortunes around and admitted before Saturday's game that relegation to the third tier, for the first time since 1957, had been hanging over the club's head "for months".
The hosts went into the game knowing that anything less than a win would see their 17-year stay in the second tier come to an end, but they fell behind after just seven minutes when Lukas Jutkiewicz hammered home from close range.
Gwion Edwards levelled for Ipswich straight after the break before Alan Judge hit the post for the home side, with the draw keeping Birmingham six points above the bottom three.
Relegation means Ipswich will face Lincoln City in a league game for the first time since 1961 next season after the Imps secured promotion from League Two on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Cheltenham Town.
Birmingham City manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio WM 95.6:
"Commiserations to Ipswich as a football club. It's a tough day for them. They came out fighting and gave everything.
"We had the chances to win the game. Even in the second half we had three really good chances and we didn't take them.
"You can't afford to do that if you want to take the three points. We weren't clinical enough today."
Line-ups
Ipswich
Formation 4-3-3
- 33Bialkowski
- 27Emmanuel
- 4ChambersBooked at 45mins
- 39CollinsBooked at 42minsSubstituted forNsialaat 60'minutesBooked at 81mins
- 30Kenlock
- 23DozzellSubstituted forJacksonat 45'minutes
- 8SkuseBooked at 44mins
- 15Bishop
- 7EdwardsBooked at 31mins
- 45Quaner
- 31Judge
Substitutes
- 1Gerken
- 6Chalobah
- 9Jackson
- 21Downes
- 22Nsiala
- 41Bree
- 42El Mizouni
Birmingham
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Camp
- 5Colin
- 12Dean
- 28Morrison
- 3Pedersen
- 23JotaSubstituted forMahoneyat 70'minutes
- 20Gardner
- 26DavisBooked at 80mins
- 18MrabtiSubstituted forMaghomaat 90+1'minutes
- 9Adams
- 10Jutkiewicz
Substitutes
- 4Roberts
- 7Mahoney
- 8Gardner
- 11Vassell
- 19Maghoma
- 27Trueman
- 45Harding
- Referee:
- Jeremy Simpson
- Attendance:
- 17,248
Match Stats
Home TeamIpswichAway TeamBirmingham
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away5
- Corners
- Home7
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home18
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 1, Birmingham City 1.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Jacques Maghoma replaces Kerim Mrabti.
Post update
Offside, Ipswich Town. Kayden Jackson tries a through ball, but Collin Quaner is caught offside.
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Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Connor Mahoney.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Myles Kenlock (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Alan Judge (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Kayden Jackson.
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Attempt blocked. Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Cole Skuse.
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Foul by Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town).
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Che Adams (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town).
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Connor Mahoney (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
David Davis (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by David Davis (Birmingham City).
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Foul by Myles Kenlock (Ipswich Town).
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Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Connor Mahoney with a cross following a corner.
Comments
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PS @ 9 Prenton Park
You should really get a life, check your facts, 36134 at Sunderland today, 41418 at Villa 26703 at Sheff Utd 27786 at Forest. Could go on but running out of characters. Silly boy.
PL = dishonest, vulgar league
Championship = proper football
From a fan of a club that has recently spent 5 seasons in the PL
Hopefully will be back straight away and get back where they belong!!
All the best!!!
Good luck for next season.
Hopefully we can build again with youth and with a fresh attacking style football. If so the relegation may do us good in the long run. One step back two steps forward.