Viana and Magpies in the vanguard

Newcastle United 1 Birmingham City

You needed sunglasses at St James' Park yesterday, such was the glare from the dazzling array of trophies presented before kick-off. There was the Premiership player of the decade award for Alan Shearer, the Premiership appearance record award for Gary Speed and the Premiership match of the decade award for the Newcastle chairman, Freddy Shepherd, on behalf of the Keegan cavaliers, beaten 4-3 at Anfield seven years ago.

Once again, there will be no first-class prizes on display on Tyneside this summer, but Champions' League football will be be back on the bill next season. The victory, secured by Hugo Viana's 41st- minute free-kick, coupled with defeats for Chelsea and Liverpool, ensured third place in the Premiership for Newcastle.

Not that every Geordie in the ground was happy. Steve Bruce, a ball boy for Newcastle at the 1976 League Cup final, was not amused that David Elleray hung up his whistle on a note of controversy. Viana's free-kick came in the immediate wake of Matthew Upson's dismissal, for pushing Craig Bellamy – a decision which left the Birmingham manager fuming long after the final whistle.

"I've seen the replay and it was not a sending-off," Bruce maintained. "It was more clumsy than anything. Bellamy was going away from the goal. The frustrating thing is that the linesman, who's 10 yards away, didn't do a thing, and Mr Elleray, who's 50 yards away, gives it. It was Mr Elleray's last game. Say no more."

If the implication was that the Harrow schoolmaster had been contentiously pedantic to the last it was some way wide of the mark. Mr Elleray was more than generous with his decision to spare Christophe Dugarry a second yellow card for a crude hack on Kieron Dyer and he turned a blind eye to what looked like a clear penalty for Newcastle early in the second half. Not that Bobby Robson could have cared.

"I think it's marvellous," he said, having joined his players on a lap of honour in celebration of their qualified success (a place in the qualifying round of the Champions' League). "We've made a vast improvement. We've gone from fourth to third this season and that's a massive step."

Newcastle were without Shearer or Speed yesterday– Shearer's finishing touch was particularly missed. Newcastle created a stream of chances, most of them squandered by Bellamy. The Welsh flyer pulled his first effort across the face of goal and was then caught dithering by Ian Bennett when Shola Ameobi put him clear of the Birmingham defence.

Birmingham took time to show their own attacking teeth. Dugarry did send one looping header well wide of the target, but there was nothing to trouble Shay Given in the home goal until the 32nd minute. It was Dugarry who set up the chance, clipping a neat cross to Damien Johnson, whose downward header forced a fine diving save from Given.

It was Newcastle, though, who finished the opening half on top. They spurned two more excellent chances, Solano blasting a volley wide and Bellamy again shooting across the face of goal. But then, four minutes before the interval, Bellamy chased a ball from Solano and crashed to the ground under pressure from Upson. There was certainly a nudge from the former Gunner but whether Bellamy was heading directly for goal was highly debatable. Mr Elleray duly consulted his lineman, then flourished his red card.

Viana stepped up to curl a left-footed free-kick inside the near post from just outside the right edge of the Birmingham penalty area. "One-nil to the referee," the Birmingham fans chorused, but they had reason to be grateful to Mr Elleray four minutes into the second-half. Michael Johnson, a half-time replacement for Jeff Kenna as the visitors switched to a three-man defence, appeared to scythe down Ameobi in the penalty but no punishment was administered.

It was a let-off for Bruce's 10-man team and their goal led a charmed life throughout the second-half. Dyer and Ameobi both hit the framework of Bennett's goal, Bellamy missed another sitter and Bennett denied Viana with a brilliant diving save.

It might have been different had Dugarry managed to compose himself when he stole unmarked behind the home guard with 14 minutes remaining. But the Frenchman merely flicked a tame shot into Given's arms.

The Newcastle players had Champions' League qualification to celebrate after the final whistle. For Shearer, his right foot encased in plaster, it was not so much a lap of honour as a limp of honour.

Newcastle United 1 Birmingham City 0
Viana 42

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 52,146