Walsall 1 Huddersfield Town 3
Walsall were relegated to the Coca Cola League Two with yet another error-riddled dis-play.
And while 200 fans demonstrated their dissatisfaction outside the main entrance, chairman Jeff Bonser, back from sunny Cyprus, was left to hold the inquest and plan his next move.
From the promised land of the Championship to the Football League basement in two years is failure by any standards, and now the aim must be to rebuild before the Saddlers face a battle to avoid sliding into the Conference. It's that serious.
Kevan Broadhurst, who took over from the sacked Paul Merson in February, had been informed the manager's job next season was his if he kept the team up, but a shocking run of just two goals and one point from the last six games may have ruined his chances.
He said: "Whatever happens to me and the players happens, but this football club deserves better, and it was not to be.
"Somebody will now have a wonderful opportunity because it is a watershed in the history of the club, and I do believe that from this we can build and go forward.
"Whoever is in charge - and I haven't been told it's not me - has a strong possibility of taking it forward, and doing it pretty quickly."
There have been some dire performances, individually and collectively, in the horror slide which will mean matches against the likes of Accrington Stanley next August.
But does Broadhurst feel the players recruited by his predecessor have given their best for him during his 11 matches in charge?
His answer may have given a clue to his innermost thoughts when he replied: "I have asked the players to look at themselves. If they can look in the mirror and say they gave me everything, that's great. But if they can't, you have to look at what they do as players.
"But I have given it everything and left no stone unturned in what I have tried to do. Eleven games in, I know more about them than I did after three."
His first three matches in charge saw impressive away draws against promotion-chasing teams Southend United and Swansea City, then an away win at Tran-mere. At that point he revealed he had told the players he couldn't understand why they were struggling near the foot of the table.
Now he knows, but he said: "I still think I can organise this football club, but there are another 100 people out there who think they can do an equally good job, if not better. But I am happy, I can look in the mirror.
"If I get the job, the squad will be drastically changed but this is my worst day in football. I have had promotions and relegations, as a player and manager, but today was the worst because I think this is a terrific club and I felt I could do a job for them."
After the game about 200 Walsall fans gathered outside the main entrance to the stadium chanting "Bonser out" and "Where's the money gone?"
Some felt part of the £350,000 received so far from Leicester City for striker Matty Fryatt, the £100,000 from Nottingham Forest for defender Julian Bennett, and the reported £60,000 compensation from the Republic of Ireland when they took defender Steve Staunton as their manager should have been spent on decent replacements.
It's easy to understand their frustration after Walsall's inability to win a home game this year, their failure to score in four of the last six matches, and a dreadful record of one win in the last 18 games.
Poor defending allowed David Graham the luxury of a free shot at goal to give Huddersfield a 25th minute lead, and a shocking lack of discipline by experienced defender Chris Westwood saw him aim a retaliatory kick at Andy Booth and collect a red card in the 71st minute.
Broadhurst later bemoaned Walsall's tendency to hit the self-destruct button, and that was another prime example. That type of thing could well have cost him any chance of keeping the manager's job.
Pawel Abbott increased the Terriers' lead with seven minutes left, Michael Leary pulled one back for the Saddlers with a deflected shot on 90 minutes, but Booth headed a third for the visitors deep in stoppage time.
With relegation confirmed, Walsall can at least start work now on planning for next season which could either herald the start of a revival or plunge the club into an even deeper crisis.
Even if he fails to land the job, Broadhurst has definitely done his level best. But some of the players have let him and the club down badly. Merson's mercenaries, maybe.
