2002 Football League First Division play-off Final

Steve Bruce (pictured in 2004) had played for both Norwich and Birmingham City.

This was the first time either Norwich or Birmingham City had qualified for the second-tier play-off final.[7] Birmingham had secured a berth in the play-offs for the previous three consecutive seasons, but in each case had lost in the semi-finals.[7][8] In the 1999 Football League play-offs, Birmingham were knocked out 7–6 in a penalty shootout by Watford after the aggregate score finished 1–1.[9] The following season's play-offs saw them defeated 5–2 across two legs against Barnsley,[10] while in the 2001 Football League play-offs, they lost again on penalties, this time to Preston North End.[11] Birmingham had played in the second tier of English football since they were promoted in their 1994–95 season.[12] Norwich had played in the Football League First Division since their 1995–96 season after being relegated from the 1994–95 Premiership.[13] During the regular season, the highest scorers for Norwich were Roberts with thirteen goals, followed by McVeigh and David Nielsen, both of whom had eight.[14] Tommy Mooney was Birmingham's top marksman with fifteen with Marcelo on twelve.[15] Birmingham City had won both encounters between the clubs during the season, winning 4–0 at St Andrew's in December, and 1–0 at Carrow Road the following March.[16]

Delia Smith, a director at Norwich City, suggested that the club was attempting to model itself on Charlton Athletic who had retained top-tier status following promotion. She noted: "We'd like to become a modern football club like Charlton. We've long had Charlton as our ideal."[17] The Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce had been appointed five months earlier, replacing Mick Mills and Jim Barron.[18] Birmingham secured their place in the semi-finals with a win on the final day of the regular season.[19] He captained Norwich City as a player in the 1980s,[8] making 180 appearances and scoring 20 goals. Speaking of his former club, Bruce noted: "Norwich put me on the map and I will always feel I owe them something".[19] He also played for Birmingham City between 1996 and 1998, with 3 goals from 84 appearances.[19]

According to bookmakers and the media, Birmingham went into the match as favourites to win.[8][20] The referee for the match was Graham Barber from Tring.[8] It was reported that winning the match was worth £20–30 million.[21][22][23] A significant police operation was mounted with concerns over potential clashes of Cardiff City fans with those of Birmingham City and Stoke City who were playing in the Second Division play-off final.[6] Birmingham were aiming to overcome the "dressing room curse" which had seen none of the eleven clubs using the south changing room win since matches were moved from Wembley Stadium to the Millennium Stadium.[24] Birmingham were the first club to lose having used those facilities in the 2001 Football League Cup Final.[24] In anticipation of good weather it was announced that the roof of the stadium would be closed "in the interests of play-off spectator comfort".[25] It was the first time such a course of action had been taken other than for inclement weather.[25] Prior to kick off, girl group Atomic Kitten played a set.[26]

The match kicked off at 3:30 p.m. in front of a Millennium Stadium crowd of 71,597.[27] Birmingham dominated the opening exchanges, with a Martin Grainger free kick going over the Norwich crossbar from 20 yards (18 m) and Hughes' shot going wide. Norwich's first attack in the 13th minute saw Rivers' cross defended for a corner. A minute later, John's shot following his run went wide with only the Norwich goalkeeper Robert Green to beat. Nielsen then toe-poked his shot wide of Birmingham's goal before a volley from Norwich's Clint Easton passed outside the post.[28] John's strike then cleared the Norwich bar.[22] Just before the half-time whistle was blown, Green saved a close-range Geoff Horsfield half-volley from a Mooney header to ensure the first half ended 0–0.[28]

Green made a save from Tebily early in the second half before Birmingham's goalkeeper Nico Vaesen tipped a shot from McVeigh over the bar. Nielsen then headed wide of the goal from 10 yards (9.1 m). John's shot was then blocked by Adam Drury before Paul Devlin's direct free kick was inches high. Birmingham ended the half the stronger team with Tebily striking over the bar, before Jeff Kenna made a interception to deny Roberts a shot. Regular time came to end with match still goalless and extra time was played.[28]

Norwich scored within the first minute of extra time when Roberts headed in from an Alex Notman cross. The lead lasted twelve minutes before Birmingham equalised. Kenna crossed for John who headed the ball back across goal. Green was stranded allowing Horsfield to pass the ball in at the far post.[22] A free kick from Mulryne was tipped behind by Vaesen before Michael Johnson's header was cleared off Norwich's goalline by Drury. With two minutes of extra time remaining, Johnson then struck Grainger's pass from a free kick against the bottom of Norwich's goalpost. There were no more goals and the game finished at 1–1 requiring a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner.[22]

Roberts took the first penalty for Norwich, and scored. John then levelled the score at 1–1 before Vaesen saved Mulryne's attempt. Devlin's penalty made it 2–1 to Birmingham. Daryl Sutch missed his penalty then Stan Lazaridis scored. Easton converted his spot-kick but Darren Carter stepped up to curl a left-footed shot into the right-hand corner of the net to secure the victory for Birmingham City, 4–2 on penalties after 1–1 in extra time.[28][29]

12 May 2002

15:30 BST

Norwich City	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Birmingham City
Roberts  91'	[27]	Horsfield  102'
Penalties
Iwan Roberts Mulryne Sutch Easton	2–4	John Devlin Lazaridis Carter

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance: 71,597

Referee: Graham Barber (Tring)

Norwich City

Birmingham City

GK 1 Robert Green RB 15 Darren Kenton CB 4 Malky Mackay CB 5 Craig Fleming LB 3 Adam Drury RM 27 Mark Rivers  90' CM 7 Philip Mulryne CM 8 Gary Holt LM 24 Clint Easton CF 18 Paul McVeigh  102' CF 6 David Nielsen  83' Substitutes: GK 28 Paul Crichton DF 17 Daryl Sutch  102' FW 14 Alex Notman  90' FW 9 Iwan Roberts  83' FW 19 Marc Libbra Manager: Nigel Worthington

GK 18 Nico Vaesen RB 36 Jeff Kenna CB 17 Michael Johnson CB 35 Steve Vickers  71' LB 3 Martin Grainger CM 37 Paul Devlin CM 10 Bryan Hughes CM 26 Olivier Tébily CF 16 Tommy Mooney  69' CF 9 Geoff Horsfield  113' CF 8 Stern John Substitutes: GK 1 Ian Bennett MF 33 Darren Carter  71' MF 22 Damien Johnson MF 11 Stan Lazaridis  69' FW 19 Andrew Johnson  113' Manager: Steve Bruce

Match rules:

• 90 minutes.
• 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
• Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
• Five named substitutes.
• Maximum of three substitutions.