Joe Royle admitted his side's persistent failure to hold onto Premiership leads had cost Manchester City their top flight future following last night's defeat to high-flying Ipswich.
City threw away an advantage for the ninth time this season to lose at Portman Road as George Burley's Ipswich maintained their push for a Champions League place.
Substitute Shaun Goater had provided the thousands of travelling fans with the hope of a stay of execution, for a fortnight at least, but Republic of Ireland international and Manchester United fan Matt Holland and Dutchman Martijn Reuser sealed a late turnaround.
While Royle's men make an immediate return to the Nationwide League, Ipswich still have an outside chance of overtaking Liverpool for the much coveted third place.
"Everyone is very low," said Royle. That's nine times this season we have taken the lead and not gone on to win the game. To say Ipswich are going for the Champions League and we are going down, there wasn't much in it. But it's no coincidence that the three teams that have been relegated are the ones that have conceded the most goals."
Things had looked brighter for the visitors when Goater poked home in the 76th minute, but Royle was left fuming at two defensive lapses in concentration.
"We switched off twice and they scored two goals," he added. "But that game in isolation is not the reason we have gone down - 60 goals conceded tells its own story. Some of the lads had been with us since our second division days, came through with us, and maybe they have been caught out a little bit.
"It's been hard for us at times. I thought we could realistically aim to be at the top of the bottom half of this division and I said last year that I thought Ipswich were the best side in our division."
Royle added that Town's surge towards the summit of the Premiership had taken him by surprise, but opposing manager Burley was glowing at his side's never-say-die attitude.
Town have made a habit of leaving it late this season and will now hope that Chelsea can tonight deny Liverpool the win that would guarantee the Reds third place, and entry to the European Cup.
"We are full of belief, hunger and good habits," said Burley. "That's why we score late goals. It's that never-say-die spirit. We have players with loads of energy and total commitment whether we are winning, losing or drawing. We only know how to play one way and we attack teams. That's our style."
Burley admitted having sympathy for Royle and Co, but spelt out the harsh reality of life in the Premiership.
"It's never pleasant to be relegated but it's such a competitive league and very tough. If you don't accumulate enough points you will go down and at the end of the day you need to collect those points to earn your place in the Premiership.
"For us, we know if Liverpool win tomorrow they are third - but if they don't it will go to the very last game. Whatever happens, we have won 20 games in our first season back in the Premiership and that is a tremendous achievement."
IPSWICH: Richard Wright, Bramble, McGreal, Makin, Hreidarsson (Clapham 63), Reuser, Magilton, Holland, Scowcroft, Armstrong, Jermaine Wright (Naylor 71). Subs Not Used: Branagan, Wilnis, Burchill. Goals: Holland 78, Reuser 85.
MAN CITY: Nash, Dunne, Howey, Granville, Charvet, Grant (Goater 45), Wiekens, Whitley, Tiatto, Wanchope, Dickov (Kennedy 56), Goater (Prior 77). Subs Not Used: Huckerby, Weaver. Goals: Goater 74.
Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).
