BOWYER: I’LL FIGHT TO THE END AT BLUES

IF LEE BOWYER takes charge of Birmingham for the final time this week, then he will go out as he often did as a player – fighting.

The Blues boss (above), who famously scrapped with his own team-mate when at Newcastle, is downbeat over his chances of staying in charge next season.

Birmingham’s trigger happy – but mostly anonymous – Chinese owners expect better than narrowly avoiding relegation even though circumstances could best be described as “trying”.

With no serious money for new players, low contract offers to current ones, and two stands at decrepit St Andrew’s uninhabitable on match days, it would have to be the Chinese Year of the Lucky

Dog for Blues to carry much bite.

Birmingham’s cheerfully noisy fans – who sold out their allocation – sung their backing for Bowyer, but the owners may be whistling a different tune.

“I’ve never doubted that I’ve got the fans’ support,” said Bowyer after watching his team surrender a lead from Jeremie Bela’s goal, by conceding a late penalty to Cardiff’s Will Vaulks.

“Before, during and after the game and last week was the same. They know me, the commitment I show. I’m a winner and a fighter.

“That will never change, they know that. That’s what they want. Some people may not be happy – you can’t please everybody – but there’s a large portion who understand the situation, what

I’ve had to deal with.”

Cardiff are also a club in a state of flux, but at least they have given their manager, Steve Morison, a new one-year deal and instructions to rip things up and start again this summer, albeit on the cheap.

That will include more chances for rookies like former Manchester United youth defender Oli Denham, who reckons Morison’s bluntness is an asset.

“I like a manager who’s like that,” said Denham. “You know what you need to do, week-in, week-out, to stay here.”