The Guardian du lieu suivant : London, Greater London, England • 28

Football The Guardian Monday May 13 2002 Birmingham cruelly shoot down Canaries I who had led for 12 tantalising minutes in extra-time only to be left broken men at the death. Their football was prettier than Birmingham's until Iwan Roberts emerged late in thesecond half, with the toothless striker adding belated bite. It was his booming-header from Alex Notman's cross 42 seconds into extra-time that conjured cruel hope, thebanksofyelloweruptingas if the stadium had been drowned in explosive Yet there was precious little time to enjoy the moment. With half-time in extra-time approaching and Norwich already panicked and playing for time, Jeff Kenna crossed for Stem John to head back across goal. With Green stranded and Malky Maclcay dawdling, Geoff Horsfield bundled the loose ballinatthefarpostforparity.

Thereafter both sides teetered on the verge of glory. Mulryne'sfree-kickwastipped behind by Vaesen at full stretch. Michael Johnson, who had earlier seen a header cleared from the line by Adam Drury, then crashed Martin Grainger's 118th-minute free-kick on to the base of a post. And so to penalties. It should not have come to this.

Both sides might have prevailed in normal time, with John the main culprit amid Birmingham's goalkeeper Nlco Vaesen saves In the shoot-out from Norwich's Phil Mulryne Photograph: Stephen Pond the whirlwind of chances generated. Just IS minutes in, Birmingham had broken downfjeld and Bryan Hughes had sent the Trinidad and Tobago international scurrying into the area. As Green advanced, John flicked his shot agonisingly wide. At least the chance sparked the contest. Paul McVeigh's pass provoked confusion between Michael Johnson and VaesenJ with David Nielsen spearing the hall wide.

John skied over from close range and Horsfield crumpled under what appeared to be an illegal challenge from Mackay. The awkward striker picked himself up and latched on to Tommy Mooneys header back across the box just before half-time, Horsfield made good enough connection on his point-blank volley but Green scrambled the attempt clear. Parity was no more than Norwich deserved, with Clint Eastern, McVeigh and Nielsen alt missing chances' and Gary Holt driving on from midfield. By the end the former army chef had run himself to exhaustion, though he must have feared the worst as the whistle rang shrill for penalties. Norwich had fluffed their last three spot-kicks and, though Roberts ended that mmmmmm Dominic Fifield at the Millennium Stadium Birmingham City 1 Horafield 103 Norwich City 1 Roberts91 Afterextra-time: score at 90niinutesD-o Birmingham won 4-2 on penalties Whisper it around Villa Park but, after 16 years of under-achievement and 120 minutes of nerve-racking tension here yesterday, Birmingham City are a top-flight club again.

In the end, -and as cruel as it was oh Norwich after goals had been traded in extra-time, the 20m jackpot of promotion had to be decided with a lottery and Brum's numbers came up. Nico Vaesen saved Phil Mulryne's attempt and watched Daryi Sutcli scuff wide, before Darren Carter stepped up to thump Birmingham's fourth penalty of the shoot-out hard and true beyond Robert Green. For Steve Bruce this was a tumultuous end to a season that promised much at two clubs. The former Norwich defender had steered Crystal Palace briefly to the top of the First Division back in October, butherewasatriumphtojus- tify his subsequent decision to leave south London. Palace fans will be cursing this morning disloyalty clearly pays.

Not that City will care. Back in the top flight for the first time since 1986, a busy summer of squad strengthening awaits once the celebratory hangovers have eased. Some 7Am has already been spent on seven recruits; more will be needed but, for the moment, that can wait it is party time in the west midlands. The denouement was insanely harsh on Norwich, Blues hail Even at the tender age of IB, Darren Carter had experienced his share of the hurt that has engulfed Birmingham City these past 16 years, sitting in the stands last season as his team lost on penalties to Liverpool in the Worthington Cup final, unites Roy Collins. So when Carter, Brummie horn and bred, got his chance to take the penalty to end Birmingham's 16-year wait for a place in the top flight, he reminded himself of the pain of last year in the Millennium Stadium.

His kick, aleft-footed curler tfiQWSRff Bruce's masterplan but young Carter is smarter sequence with their first, the misses from Mulryne and Sutcb. proved decisive. John, Paul Devlin ahdStan Lazaridis showed them how it should be done before Carter ensured Birmingham were upwardly mobile to the strains of "Bring on the His performance after coining on as a substitute was reward for the confidence shown in him by the manager Steve Bruce, who said: "What can you say ah out him? I threw him into the team andh'e was as cool as a cucumber out there. '1 have to soy to Norwich that it is a very cruel way to lose a football match but we have only lost one game in 17 and have proved to everyone that we arc worth a place in the Premiership." Michael Johnson, known as Magic to his team-mates but forced to go on a diet by always on, picking up trophies. So you can see what a pedigree he has.

"I was that tired, I wasn't sure if I could make my run-up, but it was fitting that aBrummie lad should score the goal that takes us up. The lad has got a big, big talent, so I was confident he would score." The Norwich manager Nigel Worthington said: "It's been a wonderful ride and I am proud of every one of my players. Our performance showed that we are on the right track but it wasn't our day." Bruce when he failed to pass the scales test introduced by the manager, said: "This is the highlight of my career. IVe waited eight' years for this and the last three or four years have been absolute murder. "I don't mind admitting that I have sat at home and cried at times after missing out in the three times and losing in a pe nalty shoot-out in the Worthington Cup.

This is all about a man called Steve Bruce, who has put the passion, determination and confidence back into this club. "He has told us all along to believe in ourselves. He kept saying, "where do you want to be next season, playing at Grimsby or Old Bruce was determined to take Birmingham into the Premiership, if only to justify his controversial move from Crystal Palace five months ago which at one time threatened to put his career into cold storage. Paul Devlin, who also scored a penalty, said: "The man's a winner. I was watching the history of the Premiership on TV the other night and he was into the right-hand corner, finally ended Us club's wilderness years just before ten past six, two hours and 40 minutes after the dramatic final game of the season had started.

Carter said: "Although I wasn't in the team last season, I shared the heartache of all the lads, so it was great to win this one. I was just determined to get it on target and it was an unbelievable feeling when it went in. I don't think I will get much sleep tonight in fact, 1 don't think I'll sleep for days.".