On a day when Sheffield Wednesday showed us what a fight looks like, Blues spurned yet another chance to escape the trapdoor to League One. Plymouth lost at Millwall and Blackburn failed to beat 10-man Coventry, but we showed less fight than was necessary to make up ground on our relegation rivals.

If last week’s inept showing at Rotherham hadn’t persuaded supporters this group of players has none of the attributes needed to make a fist of staying up, yesterday brought home how truly bereft of character we are as a team.

We may have some talented individuals. But the truth is the collective of these artisans does not include enough of the soldiers Tony Mowbray demanded. This Blues team is not a fighting unit.

When Coventry City strolled into town a fortnight ago, avoiding injury as they awaited an epic cup semi-final against Manchester United, we had the space to play our game. It flattered us, as the limp display at fighting Rotherham exposed just a week later. Again yesterday, against a limited Huddersfield  side which was poor but one that was prepared to fight for survival, we came up short.

In the Championship you need to fight for your right to party, as the song goes. Blues fans have been raised on a diet of attritional sides who would more often than not scrap their way to victory. Sides who earned the right to play their game and gave no quarter to reputations or odds. But not this lot.

How hollow now the battle cry of Garry Cook, as he ushered in “no fear football” while tossing away a perfectly good manager for the unformed and unwanted Wayne Rooney? What use is a vibrant social media footprint in the third tier? How attractive is a losing team to potential advertisers?

Most Blues fans would settle for no surrender football and accept the pretty stuff as and when it comes along. A football man would understand you have to earn the right to play. This is not a computer game, where algorithms dictate the outcome.

The slimmest of hopes remain that we can finally show some spirit, some gumption and frankly some balls against Norwich next week. Even then we need Hull, or Sunderland, or Ipswich to do us a favour. The one positive is that whatever happens now, most of these players will be gone next season. And the much needed rebuild can start whichever division we start in.

If Blues do descend back to the third tier then expect at least a couple of seasons before we are challenging for a return to the Championship. I look forward to seeing our young talent show the commitment and desire which should be a given when Blues players cross the white line.

I hope Tony Mowbray is the man leading that charge. I think we can all see he is a class act, who shares the values and work ethic of the fan base. I wish him well in his recovery, whatever he decides to do with his life.

We can all accept not being good enough. God knows we’ve been there over the years. But not having the fight to compete, not leaving everything out there in front of such wonderful support is completely unacceptable.

I will pick out four individuals who perhaps have come out of this season with credit. Stansfield, Sunjic and Bielik, along with the ever-reliable Jukey. I’d let the rest go and start again.

Whatever happens now against Norwich I won’t rejoice, even if by some miracle we survive. New stadiums and fan forums are all very well and good. But we go for the football. And this season it simply hasn’t been any where near good enough.

Jez Hemming