Well. We're safe. Phew. Seriously.

But we stay up by the narrowest of margins, and in the final analsysis entirely due to Stoke City holding Leicester.

Our own performance today was a reminder of how very disappointing we've been for much of this season, and while there will be celebrations, some serious reflection might be more appropriate.

RELEGATION WATCH - THE FINAL AFTERNOON

With us conceding twice early on at The Valley, our fate looked like it would probably be out of our hands, and so the real story was how things panned out elsewhere.

Early on, former Sky Blue Darren Huckerby gave Norwich the lead at Sheffield Wednesday in his final game for the club. Then came the news that Southampton were losing at home to Sheffield United, who still had a chance of making the play-offs.

Blackpool, who started the day above us on goal-difference took the lead against stuttering Watford, and looked to be safe.

When Mifsud broke his long goal drought, it looked like we would probably be safe too, one way or another. But then things began to change for the worst.

Wednesday and Southampton both equalised in their respective games, and at half time things looked tense.

Leicester were drawing 0-0 at Stoke, but were ahead of Southampton, while the half-time table showed that only Wednesday had overtaken us.

In the second half we lost the plot at the Valley and went on to concede twice more. But news from elsewhere was pretty much all bad.

Wednesday romped home against Norwich, and having come from behind they ensured safety and ended up winning 4-1.

Southampton moved out of the bottom three, with Stern John's goal to put them ahead, then dropped back into it as Sheffield United - with ambitions of their own - refused to lie down.

Leicester were still 0-0 at Stoke and unsure of their fate, while we were guaranteed to lose, and were looking over our shoulders seriously.

Blackpool conceded an equaliser to Watford, and their game finished 1-1, with the Seasiders safe and the Hornets doing just enough to hold on to their play-off place.

Southampton got themselves ahead of us with a Stern John winner, and although our former striker was sent off, they held on to win 3-2.

Which meant that the final minutes of the season were all down to Leicester at Stoke, and with Ipswich beating third-placed Hull, things looked bleak as The Potters didn't need a result to guarantee promotion to the Premiership.

Leicester hit the woodwork, and Carlo Nash made good saves for Stoke - a premature pitch invasion delayed the final whistle for several minutes.

But, eventually, it went, and the 0-0 scoreline at the Brittannia means that it's Leicester who are relegated with 52 points, and who will play in the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN

We played poorly today, and surrendered our fate to the hands of other clubs. With results going against us, we went from being rank outsiders for relegation to a near coin-flip, and just one goal could have sent us down.

If we had gone down, we would have gone down with 53 points - more than any team in history. As it is, Leicester went down with the best record of any relegated team ever - a better goal-difference than the only previous team to go down with 52 points. While it might be quite amusing to see them go, of all the teams that could have gone, it is harsh on The Foxes and their supporters.

We didn't deserve to go down. But then nor did Leicester. And nor did Sheffield Wednesday, or Southampton really. Nor indeed Blackpool or Barnsley or anyone else in the bottom half.

Don't give me the 'fair reflection of the whole season' bullshit - the truth is that this season has been anomalously competitive and close. Nobody really deserved not to stay up, apart from Scunthorpe and Colchester.

So... we're safe, and now we can rebuild for next season.

Given that we ended the season even closer to the bottom three than when he took over, Chris Coleman will have to prove himself early next season, and some encouraging Summer signings would be a fine start.

Yes, we avoided Administration this season - but narrowly. Yes, we stayed up - but narrowly.

The story of the season can be summarised as follows:

• In the first half of the season our defence was poor
• In the second half of the season our attack was poor
• Some of our best performances came in Cup games

The first point has been addressed to some extent with the excellent signings of Scott Dann and Dan Fox - the last good thing that Iain Dowie did for us. David McNamee was injured for most of the season, and Arjan De Zeeuw wasn't the signing we hoped for, and looked past it, but with the January signings, we actually began to keep a few clean sheets, although lots of them were 0-0s.

Which brings us on to point two: Mifsud was scoring goals for fun in the first half of the season, then went over 20 games without finding the back of the net. That was very costly. Moving him to the wing didn't help, and the sale of Dele Adebola to Bristol City without replacing him was a big, big mistake. We know that some big-name planned signings fell through, but really these should have been in the bag before we let Dele go.

The Cup victories - Old Trafford and Ewood Park especially - were fantastic. But... imagine that we'd gone out early of both Cup competitions, and instead been able to use our five Cup victories in the league? We would be play-off contenders. It's not that straightforward of course, but illustrates that we have been winning games this season - perhaps as many games in total as teams far higher up the league than us.

Coleman has already listed a number of out-of-contract players for Summer release, and will make a decision later on sicknote McNamee.

It would be wise to try and offload some of our less effective players who are still under contract too - the likes of Borrowdale and Kyle and perhaps Julian Gray, in order to accomodate lots of new signings.

The Summer starts here - with a huge sigh of relief - but Coleman has a lot of work to do.

Play Up Sky Blues! (Oh, yeah, and Stoke!)

DOWN TO THE WIRE

Our battle against relegation will go to the final Sunday showdown, after Southampton drew 1-1 at West Brom tonight - a result that keeps Saints in the bottom three on goal-difference, and all but mathematically ensures automatic promotion for the Baggies.

A home win would have allowed us to breathe more easily, and tonight pretty much everyone in the country was rooting for West Brom - except Southampton, Hull and possibly Wolves fans.

So, here's the deal:

On Sunday, if we win at Charlton then we are safe, whatever happens.

If we draw at Charlton then we are safe unless Southampton beat Sheffield United, Leicester win at Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday beat Norwich AND Blackpool avoid defeat against Watford.

But, if we lose at Charlton then we will go down if Southampton beat Sheffield United, Leicester win at Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday avoid defeat against Norwich AND Blackpool avoid defeat by a margin four goals greater than our own defeat.

We're big, big favourites to stay up, and if we go down we'll be the unluckiest side to ever be relegated, with the most points of any relegated side ever.

But let's not count our chickens. It could happen. The chance of us going down is probably only about the same as the chance of Elliott Ward scoring the opening goal against Wolves. And he did.

Almost safe - but not quite.

For the first time since 1997, we will go into the final day of the season with a chance of being relegated - and if, against long odds, we are, then we will go down with 53 points - more points than any relegated club in history!

Today's point against play-off chasing Wolves was hard-fought, and the mood at our final home game of the season was generally confident and optimistic but there is still a slim chance we might go down, and nothing will be decided until the final whistle when we play Charlton at The Valley next Sunday.

RELEGATION WATCH

Colchester are definitely going to finish bottom, and Scunthorpe will be 23rd, so their game against one another next week could be one of the least meaningful fixtures ever.

The team to watch at the moment is Southampton who currently occupy the third-bottom place, with 50 points. All eyes will be on their televised Monday Night trip to West Brom, who can clinch promotion back to the Premiership with a win.

If the Saints lose at The Hawthorns, then we will all but safe - it would take a big mathematical swing in our game at Charlton and their home tie against a Sheffield United side (who can still make the play-offs) for them to finish ahead of us.

The big result today was Leicester 1-3 Sheffield Wednesday, which leaves Leicester looking over their shoulders with 51 points, and Wednesday breathing slightly easier with 52.

On the final day, Leicester have to travel to Stoke, who are not yet guaranteed automatic promotion, and Wednesday face Norwich, who are now safe. If we can merely match either Wednesday's or Leicester's results, we will be safe.

Mathematically, Blackpool could still technically go down too, and the Seasiders have 53 points as we do, with a better goal-difference despite losing 3-0 at Plymouth. But unless Southampton get a result on Monday, it will take an even freakier set of scores on the final day to relegate them.

Barnsley, like Norwich, won 3-0 at home today (against our final opponents, Charlton) and guaranteed Championship football next season.

So, along with the Leicester, Wednesday and Blackpool fans, it looks like we will be cheering on West Brom on Monday night.

But given that us and Leicester have both won at The Hawthorns this season, it would be typical of this division for the Saints to get a result there too, and make the final few days of the season very nervous for all concerned.

TABB VOTED FANS' PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Jay Tabb, unsurprisingly, been voted the official Fans' Players of the Season.

Midfielder Tabb has made more appearances than any other player this season, has always turned in wholehearted performances for the club, and has scored six goals too.

Leon Best won the Young Player award, and don't forget that at the close of the season, we will be voting on our own Player of the Season as part of the Annual Oggy Awards.

Wow, who saw this coming at half-time?

At the interval today we were looking at a place in the bottom three, and league one football next season, but the most impressive second-half showing for a long, long time means that we pick up three priceless points, that could almost be four points, given the improvement to our goal difference.

Now in the relative security of 17th place, we are just two points from certain mathematical safety, and in practice we might have done enough already, given the run-ins of the other sides down there.

It's our biggest away win since the 6-1 thrashing of Walsall four seasons ago, and almost certainly the first time in the history of club that we have scored three goals from defenders in a single game.

What a monumental day for the Sky Blues!

RELEGATION WATCH

We were the big movers today, overtaking four clubs, and moving up to 52 points with a much-improved goal-difference of -9. With two games to go, the mathematical possibility of relegation still extends to several sides, though realistically it's now looking more ominous for the current incumbant of the bottom three.

And that is now Sheffield Wednesday who ended a run of seven successive draws (including two against us) with a 2-1 defeat at Blackpool. While the result puts the Seasiders in a position of almost guaranteed safety on 53 points, Wednesday still have 49, and are in the bottom three by a point.

The team fourth from bottom are Southampton who really needed a result at home to Burnley today, but the 1-0 defeat leaves them in trouble, and their goal-difference is very poor. To make things even worse for the Saints, they face leaders West Brom away in their next match.

Leicester are a point ahead of Southampton, having won 1-0 today at Barnsley, and the result means that the Tykes stay on 52 points, below us on goal-difference now.

And in between them and us, on 52 are Norwich who lost 2-1 at home to West Brom, and who now have a worse goal-difference than ourselves.

Next weekend's game between Wednesday and Leicester now looks to be massive, and if Leicester were to win, then we would need only a point from our final two games to ensure safety.

RESULTS ROUND-UP

Results on Monday and Tuesday night saw us drop to 4th from bottom, but things could have been a lot worse.

Sheffield Wednesday drew yet again, coming from a goal down to make it 1-1 against Plymouth, but it's a game they could easily have won. Even so, the point lifts them above Leicester and ahead of us on goal-difference.

Barnsley shocked everyone with away wins at Watford and Preston to move up onto 52 points, but they couldn't make their remaining game in hand count, losing 1-3 at home to promotion-chasing Hull.

So, how does it look going into the weekend's fixtures?

Another bad day, and the relegation battle reaches a critical stage.

We have avoided dropping into the bottom three all season, but it might happen just at the worst possible time, as we throw away a lead to lose at home for the first time under Chris Coleman, and leave ourselves perilously close to the drop zone.

Back in 2005, under Micky Adams, we were two points clear of relegation with two games to play, and were assured safety only by beating Derby 6-2 in the last ever game at Highfield Road, with other results also going our way.

And in 2003, with Gary McAllister at the helm, we suffered a long run of many months without a win, and only stayed up with two games to go because of other results - also losing to Stoke at home then.

We only managed 50 points that season, and we have 49 now, with three games left, but it probably won't be enough this time.

Next weekend's fixture at relegated Colchester might be our best hope of staying up, but it's time to start being worried. Very, very worried.

RELEGATION WATCH

A mixed batch of results elsewhere see us drop to 20th place, now just one point clear of relegation.

Both Colchester and Scunthorpe are now mathematically down, despite recent revivals, and Colchester came within minutes of beating Leicester today, but in the event the 1-1 draw at the Walkers means that Leicester are one point behind us, with a superior goal-difference.

Sheffield Wednesday drop into the bottom three on goal-difference, and entertain Plymouth on Monday, but if they win or even draw this game, they'll overtake us.

One point ahead of us now - but with a worse goal-difference - are Southampton, who earned a 1-1 draw at Charlton today.

And also on 50 points are Blackpool - in freefall, and having been beaten 3-1 at Cardiff today.

Barnsley managed their second away win in three days, beating Preston 2-1, and seem to be safe on 52 points, with a game in hand, while Norwich also have 52, and an East Anglian derby to play against Ipswich tomorrow.

HORNET HYPOCRISY

It's been a week of mixed fortunes for us, with some of the games in hand being played, and on Wednesday night Barnsley leaped out of the relegation zone with an unexpected 3-0 win at Watford.

The result is particularly sickening because we played well enough to get a result at Watford last weekend, but were denied anything, and the behaviour is conspiratorially typical - teams who beat us won't even do us the common courtesy of beating our relegation rivals.

It's a worrying sign, and not unlike the final days of our last Premiership campaign.

Earlier in the week there was better news, however, with Sheffield Wednesday squandering a two-goal lead at local rivals United to draw 2-2, and Blackpool - just a point ahead of us - losing 3-1 at home to West Brom, having taken an early lead.

The results mean that it is Leicester who now occupy the third-bottom spot in the table.

FURTHER CHANGES AFOOT

Our status in the Championship next season might not yet be confirmed, but Chris Coleman and Ray Ranson have been planning for next season, with the announcement of several Summer appointments.

Joining the club will be three new faces:

John Murtogh comes in as Performance Director, a high-level position that he previously held at Fulham while Coleman was manager there.

Fitness Coach John Harbin is to leave the club at the end of the season, and will be replaced by Mark Howard, who worked with Sam Allardyce at Bolton.

And the trio is completed by new Scout Andy Thorn - a former teammate of Chairman Ray Ranson.

Steve Ogrizovic will move from Reserve Team manager to Goalkeeping Coach next season, following the decision to leave the Pontins League.

The moves follow on from the recent departure of Finance Director Mal Brannigan, and there will undoubtedly be further changes in the Summer.

A battling performance at Watford isn't matched by the result, and another opportunity to pull clear of trouble goes begging.

We deserved at least a draw, maybe even a win today, but will go into our final four games looking nervously over our shoulders, having failed to make our pressure count.

The equaliser conceded late on in midweek is looking even more costly now.

RELEGATION WATCH

We stay in 18th place, but things behind us became more congested today, and any one of several clubs could still go down.

Colchester delayed mathematical relegation for another week with a 2-0 victory over local rivals Ipswich, but still need to win their last four games to have any chance of survival.

The big game of the day was Scunthorpe vs Sheffield Wednesday and the 1-1 draw leaves Scunthorpe on 39 points, eight from safety, and the worst goal-difference in the division, but Wednesday stay fourth from bottom, with 47 points and a game in hand on most other sides down there.

There's a new face in the bottom three, as Barnsley's FA Cup semi-final means no league action for them, and while they have six games left, two more than most of us, the distraction of the cup surely leaves them in danger, especially if there is a replay and/or a Final apperance to contend with. The Tykes have 46 points - three less than us.

Leicester are now in 20th place, following a 3-0 drubbing at Sheffield Utd. Their next games are against Colchester, Barnsley and Wednesday!

The day's big gainers are Southampton who leap out of the bottom three to sit behind us on goal-difference, after a 2-0 win over league leaders Bristol City.

Above us, in 17th place, are Blackpool whose game against promotion-chasing FA Cup semi-finalists West Brom has been postponed until Tuesday. Psychologically, the fact that they have 50 points might be huge, but mathetmatically, they still need more to be safe.

And even on 52 points, Norwich are not yet safe, despite having beaten Burnley 2-0 today.

While most bookies will no longer take bets on Scunny and Colchester, the odds on other sides being relegated make for interesting reading.

We can be found at 7/1 to go down, which is not a bad price, especially given that Blackpool are the same odds, depsite having more points and more games remaining.

The favourites to fill the third relegation place are the current imcumbants Barnsley at around 9/4, closely followed by Wednesday at 11/4, Leicester at 3/1 and Saints 7/2.

It's hard to take when you concede a last minute equaliser, and yet, at the same time, most fans would have gladly taken a point before the game.

With seconds remaining, it looked like we were moving six points clear of the bottom three, and ahead of a further two sides. A late headed goal from a defender, of the sort we quite often concede at bad times, means that we'll face a rather more nervous run-in.

There's five games left, several teams beneath us, and others have harder remaining fixtures than we do. Maybe one more win will make us safe? Maybe it will only take one more point, we just don't know?

On the plus side we scored an away goal from open play for the first time in three months, and loanee Zavon Hines showed that he knows where the back of the net is.

But we could have slept a hell of a lot easier tonight if we'd only just held on to win. On Saturday we travel to promotion-chasing Watford, and go through the wringer once again.

NELLIST REPLACES BRANNIGAN ON BOARD

The club have confirmed that outgoing Finance Director Mal Brannigan is to be replaced by Socialist councillor and former Coventry South East MP Dave Nellist.

Nellist takes his seat on the board with the remit of restructuring the clubs finances on a Collectivist basis, pledging that 'the era of Capitalism is over'.

Unlike the former Director of Finance, Nellist will only claim for himself a 'workers wage' of £180 a week, with the remainder of the clubs income to be divided among various Militant projects.