Canary Fact File

When Norwich City suffered their first top flight relegation in 1973-74, it was the season in which three up three down was introduced by the Football League. It didn't decide our fate - we finished bottom of the table

In 1996 Peter Grant, the former Norwich City player and manager, was granted a testimonial by Celtic against German giants Bayern Munich, having been with the club since 1982

Before the 1999-2000 season Norwich manager Bruce Rioch gave trials to no less than seventeen out of contract players in an attempt to pick up a bargain. None were ever employed by the club

Former Norwich City player and Director Alf Kirchen played three times for England on an end of season tour of Scandinavia in 1937 - scoring in his first and last games against Norway and Finland respectively

Goalkeeper Jim Smith, who played 32 games as a Canary in 1930-31, started his days with East Fife and played thirty times for Spurs between 1925 and 1928

The attendance for City's first ever top flight game against Everton in 1972 was 25,851 - nothing like the biggest crowd ever seen for a game at Carrow Road

Norwich City Career Appearances

Here are the club career appearances for each Norwich City player in the 2012-13 squad.



.   Wes Hoolahan    194 appearances
.   Grant Holt    168 appearances
.   Russell Martin    147 appearances
.   Simon Lappin    126 appearances
.   Chris Martin    117 appearances
.   John Ruddy    98 appearances
.   Simeon Jackson    86 appearances
.   David Fox    74 appearances
.   Korey Smith    73 appearances
.   Bradley Johnson    68 appearances
.   Anthony Pilkington    65 appearances
.   Elliott Bennett    63 appearances
.   Steve Morison    59 appearances
.   Andrew Surman    56 appearances
.   Leon Barnett    55 appearances
.   Elliott Ward    55 appearances
.   Jonny Howson    44 appearances
.   Robert Snodgrass    40 appearances
.   Marc Tierney    39 appearances
.   Sebastien Bassong    35 appearances
.   Javier Garrido    35 appearances
.   Alexander Tettey    29 appearances
.   Michael Turner    28 appearances
.   Ryan Bennett    28 appearances
.   Mark Bunn    26 appearances
.   Declan Rudd    18 appearances 

.   Tom Adeyemi    17 appearances
.   Steven Whittaker    14 appearances
.   Kei Kamara    11 appearances
.   Daniel Ayala    10 appearances
.   Luciano Becchio    8 appearances
.   Lee Camp    6 appearances
.   James Vaughan    6 appearances
.   George Francomb    5 appearances
.   Harry Kane    5 appearances
.   Jacob Butterfield    3 appearances
.   Jed Steer    2 appearances 

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Norwich City Career Goals

Here are the club career goals for each Norwich City player in the 2012-13 squad.



.   Grant Holt    78 goals
.   Wes Hoolahan    35 goals
.   Chris Martin    34 goals
.   Simeon Jackson    21 goals 
.   Anthony Pilkington    13 goals
.   Steve Morison    12 goals
.   Russell Martin    10 goals
.   Andrew Surman    8 goals
.   Robert Snodgrass    7 goals
.   Simon Lappin    4  goals
.   Korey Smith    4  goals
.   Bradley Johnson    3 goals
.   Elliott Bennett    3 goals
.   Jonny Howson    3 goals 
.   Sebastien Bassong    3  goals
.   Michael Turner    3 goals  
.   Leon Barnett    2 goals
.   David Fox    1 goal
.   Elliott Ward    1 goal
.   Alexander Tettey    1 goal
.   Ryan Bennett    1 goal
.   Steven Whittaker    1 goal
.   Kei Kamara    1 goal

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Tour Of China & Hong Kong 1980

This is a splendid video that was brought to my attention by @twitchut on Twitter. It contains some very rare footage from a match played by the Canaries during their end of season tour of China and Hong Kong after the 1979-80 season. The game was against Bulova in Hong Kong on the 25th of May 1980 (thirty three years ago today) and although under five minutes in length, there is some terrific goalmouth action which includes a stunning equaliser for the home team and a string of on the ground saves by Roger Hansbury. If you listen carefully you will be able to identify a few Norwich City players names amongst the Chinese commentary. At one point the camera switches to the Norwich bench and shows John Bond and Ken Brown, and Keith Robson, Steve Goble and Greg Downs can all be seen. The match finished in a 2-1 win for Norwich.

It was the last match of the tour. Earlier City had played a Chinese National XI in Peking on the 15th of May winning 2-0, followed by a trip up to Hebei on the 18th where the provincial team were beaten by the same score. Then it was back to Peking for a goalless draw with an August 1st Army XI three days later. Bulova were a First division side and reached the final of the cup in 1979-80. They took their name from their sponsors, the watch and clock manufacturers. A few years later former Canaries Jimmy Bone and Phil Boyer played for them in short spells.

Norwich were only the second English professional club to tour China. West Bromwich Albion were the first, a year earlier.





My thanks to You Tube and the contributor who posted the clip


[This item has been updated and re-published, having first appeared on Sing Up The River End! on the 25th of May 2011]
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Norwich City Internationals

The following players have all worn the shirt of Norwich City and played international football. Their caps were won before, during or after their time at the club and only the highest level at which they played is shown. Those marked with an asterisk are still playing and could rise to a higher level or add appearances.

K

Kei Kamara -  Sierra Leone (15 caps 2 goals  2008 onwards) *

Harry Kane -  England U19 (14 caps 6 goals  2011-12) *

Phil Kelly -  Republic of Ireland (5 caps 0 goals  1960-61)

John Kennedy -  Scotland (1 cap 0 goals  2004)

Chris Killen -  New Zealand (47 caps 15 goals  2001 onwards) *

Noel Kinsey -  Wales (7 caps 0 goals  1951-55)

Alf Kirchen -  England (3 caps 2 goals  1935-37)

Omar Koroma -  Gambia (2 caps 0 goals  2008 onwards) *

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Good Day, Bad Day

24th of May

1997 - having come through the Norwich City youth ranks, young goalkeeper Robert Green signs professional forms at Carrow Road - the start of a Canary career that will see him make 241 first team appearances

Canary Lists - Homegrown Norwich City Players Of The Nineties

a list for everything NCFC...........



Here is a list of players who played for Norwich City for the first time in the nineties, and came up through the youth ranks :


Ade Akinbiyi 
Craig Bellamy
Drewe Broughton
Shaun Carey
Adrian Coote 
Jamie Cureton
Darren Eadie
Adrian Forbes 
Robert Green
Andy Johnson
Darren Kenton
Chris Llewellyn
Andy Marshall
Danny Mills
Jason Minett
Keith O'Neill
Adrian Pennock
Lee Power
Darel Russell
Karl Simpson
David Smith
Daryl Sutch
Chris Sutton
Robert Ullathorne
Che Wilson
Johnny Wright
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Life After City

...........keeping a beady eye on ex Canaries

Here is a round-up of the whereabouts of former Norwich City players and loanees who are still involved in professional/semi professional football. Only those who made at least one senior competitive appearance for the Canaries are included.

Changes will inevitably occur in the coming months and I will update this list as news becomes available. The most recent update was made on 24th May 2013.

Zema Abbey    Arlesey Town (player/manager)
Tom Adeyemi    unattached

Ben Alnwick    Barnsley

Jamie Ashdown    Leeds United 

Jens Berthel Askou    VB Kolding (Denmark) 

Matthew Bates    unattached 

David Bell    Coventry City 

Craig Bellamy    Cardiff City
Trevor Benjamin    unattached

David Bentley    Tottenham Hotspur

Ryan Bertrand    Chelsea 

Patrick Boyle    Dunfermline Athletic 

Garry Brady    Brechin City 

Julien Brellier    AC Seyssinet (France) 

Keith Briggs    Kidderminster Harriers 

Leigh Bromby    Leeds United 

Drewe Broughton    Darlington 

Chris Brown    Doncaster Rovers
Lee Camp   unattached 

David Carney    unattached 

Andrew Cave-Brown    Beccles 

Luke Chadwick    Milton Keynes Dons 

Sammy Clingan    Kilmarnock

Jurgen Colin    Anorthosis Famagusta (Cyprus) 

Carl Cort    Tampa Bay Rowdies (USA)

Lee Croft    unattached
Andrew Crofts    Brighton

Peter Crouch    Stoke City 

Danny Crow    Newport County 

Jamie Cureton    Exeter City 

Luke Daley    Braintree Town 

Calum Davenport    Wootton Blue Cross (player/coach) 

Josh Dawkin    Lowestoft Town 

Ritchie De Laet    Leicester City 

Gary Doherty    Wycombe Wanderers
Adam Drury    Leeds United 

Dario Dumic    Brondby IF (Denmark) 

Robert Eagle    Lowestoft Town 

Robert Earnshaw    Toronto 

Rob Edwards    unattached 

Stephen Elliott    unattached 

Dickson Etuhu    Blackburn Rovers 

Ched Evans    in jail  

Fraser Forster    Celtic

Mark Fotheringham    Ross County
George Francomb   unattached 

Paul Gallacher    Ross County 

Kieran Gibbs    Arsenal 

Matthew Gill    Bristol Rovers 

Alan Gow    Exeter City 

Robert Green    QPR 

Jonathan Grounds    Oldham Athletic 

Matthew Halliday    Wroxham 

Elvis Hammond    Farnborough Town

David Healy    Bury 

Paul Heckingbottom    Harrogate Town 

Ian Henderson    Rochdale 

James Henry    Millwall 

Andy Hughes    Charlton Athletic 

Stephen Hughes    unattached
Simeon Jackson   unattached
Jason Jarrett    Chester 

Rossi Jarvis    unattached

Ryan Jarvis    York City 

Oli Johnson    unattached
Harry Kane    Tottenham Hotspur
Kei Kamara    Sporting Kansas City  

Chris Killen    Chongqing FC (China) 

Omar Koroma    Forest Green Rovers 

Henri Lansbury    Nottingham Forest
Simon Lappin    Cardiff City 

Alan Lee    unattached 

Adrian Leijer    Melbourne Victory (Australia) 

Kevin Lisbie    Leyton Orient 

Leroy Lita    Swansea City

Arturo Lupoli    US Grosseto (Italy) 

Goran Maric    Lombard-Papa TFC (Hungary) 

Dean Marney    Burnley 

David Marshall    Cardiff City
Chris Martin    Derby County 

Cody McDonald    Coventry City

Anthony McNamee    unattached 

David Mooney    Leyton Orient
Steve Morison    Leeds United

Ian Murray    Dumbarton (player manager)

Kyle Naughton    Tottenham Hotspur 

Michael Nelson    Bradford City 

Elliott Omozusi    Leyton Orient 

Jon Otsemobor    Milton Keynes Dons  

Dani Pacheco    Liverpool, currently on loan to SD Huesca (Spain) 

Scott Parker    Tottenham Hotspur 

Matt Pattison    Bidvest Wits (South Africa) 

Alex Pearce    Reading 

Zesh Rehman    Kitchee SC (Hong Kong) 

Kris Renton    Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 

Maceo Rigters    unattached

Michael Rose    Rochdale 

Darel Russell    Toronto  

Youssef Safri    Qatar SC 

Jason Shackell    Burnley 

Dean Sinclair    Sutton United 

Bally Smart    unattached 

Jimmy Smith    unattached
Korey Smith   unattached 

Steven Smith    unattached  

Nicky Southall    Whitstable Town (player manager) 

Michael Spillane    unattached 

David Stephens    Barnet 

David Strihavka    unattached

Martin Taylor    Sheffield Wednesday 

Michael Theoklitos    Brisbane Roar (Australia)
Marc Tierney   unattached 

Owain Tudur Jones    Inverness Caledonian Thistle 

Sam Vokes    Burnley
Elliott Ward   unattached
Tony Warner    Floriana (Malta) 

Zak Whitbread    Leicester City 

Rhoys Wiggins    Charlton Athletic 

Aaron Wilbraham    Crystal Palace 

David Wright    Colchester United

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Good Day, Bad Day

23rd of May

1963 - teenager Dave Stringer, who has already been playing for the Norwich City B team, signs up as professional at Carrow Road. He later managed the club between 1987 and 1992, and was still involved behind the scenes when he retired from the game in 2001

Debutants 1978

Here is a list of all players who made their first team débuts for Norwich City Football Club in 1978 :

Phil Lythgoe    21 January 1978 v Manchester City  (Division 1)  (h) lost 3-1 
Keith Robson    25 February 1978 v Nottingham Forest  (Division 1)  (h) drew 3-3
Clive Baker    26 April 1978 v Newcastle United  (Division 1)  (a) drew 2-2
Mark Halsey    26 April 1978
Martin Chivers    19 August 1978 v Southampton  (Division 1)  (h) won 3-1
Phil Hoadley    19 August 1978
Peter Mendham    30 September 1978 v Derby County  (Division 1)  (h) won 3-0
Davie Robb    30 September 1978
Richard Symonds    28 October 1978 v Chelsea  (Division 1)  (a) drew 3-3
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Simeon Jackson - A Special Place In History

It has just been announced that Simeon Jackson is leaving Norwich City. Here is an item I wrote after the 2010-11 season, and hopefully it is worthy of a second read........

I have said this before on Sing Up The River End! It takes time for modern events to find their true place in the history of Norwich City Football Club. Many years, sometimes. But just the other day, I was reflecting on 2010-11 once more, looking for those moments of magic, and turning points when things could have gone horribly wrong. And my mind strayed to Craig Mackail-Smith, that last transfer window, and what might have happened had we signed the lad.

My own feelings on the issue bounced around all over the place at the time. Like many fans, I had an awful feeling about Grant Holt getting injured, and such was our reliance on him to score goals regularly, I really thought this would be our undoing. I closed my eyes and saw him limping off in the direction of the dressing room in a key game. More to the point, I saw my dreams limping off and over the horizon. So I wanted a signing like Craig Mackail-Smith. He was a risk worth taking, though in all honesty, I was judging him by his own record rather than having seen him play football.

But then I changed my mind. Partly because it was apparent that Peterborough United felt justified in taking the Canaries for every available penny they had to their name. And partly because I felt others in the squad deserved the chance to finish the job. Suddenly, I most definitely did not want CMS anywhere near a yellow shirt. I was prepared to cross my fingers on Holt, and pray that the likes of Jackson, Johnson and Martin would do enough for us.

I guess that in the end I didn't get my way entirely. Norwich walked steadfastly away from the double dealings of the Peterborough boardroom, but brought in Dani Pacheco and Sam Vokes on loan instead. Another swing in the emotions of yours truly, because I thought that was a master stroke.

But I do wonder now, a few months later, whether those frantic transfer window negotiations were the very thing that rocketed us to the Premier League. Because one man involved in the situation reacted in stunning fashion, and transformed himself from a bit part player to main strike weapon. I talk of course of Simeon Jackson.

History will record his nine goals in the final eight games of the campaign, including two hat-tricks. But I think Jackson deserves his own special page in the history of the club. For much of the season he looked weighed down by expectation. He tried hard, but seemed to lack that final component that takes a striker from decent to very good. We will never know of course whether the potential arrival of Craig Mackail-Smith provided the spur he needed. We could try asking Simeon himself, but I doubt whether he even knows himself. One thing that is for sure, his personal commitment did not waiver one bit as fans started writing off his own suitability. He just got his head down and worked even harder. He kept both Pacheco and Vokes out of the starting line up. And he ran and ran for Norwich City. Yes, he scored nine times in that final run in, but he was unlucky not to find the back of the net on many other occasions.

Only time will tell as to how history will define his contribution to the club. But for me personally, it should be significant. And I say that with no thought to what he may or may not go on to achieve for Norwich City in the future. Because that is irrelevant. It might lead to some saying he was merely a player in the right place at the right time during that promotion chase. But they would be wrong. I will always remember how Simeon Jackson went from one end of the scale to the other - a player that had you wondering where his next goal would come from, to a striker that made goalscoring look so very very easy and natural. He turned to gold - and was the biggest single reason for champagne corks popping at Fratton Park. I will also remember his performance against Bristol City, during his barren run, when he worked so hard for the cause but had to watch whilst others nabbed the headlines. The goals were what made the news. But Jackson's commitment to the cause typified just what was happening in and around Carrow Road at the time.

Whilst this may seem a strange time to write this article, I wanted to do it before the new season kicked off. Because then, history moves on at a great pace. People get submerged in the present. They quickly forget what has gone before. In my book (and on my blog) Simeon Jackson will always have a huge place in the history of the club. I hope others will, in thirty years time, still see it that way. I hope they also remember it come October, December and February.

It is strange how things work out. I was convinced that despite the posturing, Norwich had done the deal with Peterborough and that Craig Mackail-Smith would arrive at Carrow Road in the summer. For that reason I followed him closely during the final weeks of the season and in particular the play-offs. And I liked what I saw. Very much in fact. Another hard working player, with speed and an eye for goal who I think would have graced the yellow shirt. I have no doubt he wanted to come to Norwich. But those around him dictated otherwise.

Would he have emulated Jacko in those final matches ?  Nobody will ever know.

But I doubt it personally. Simeon Jackson was the man holding the shirt. He didn't let it go, thankfully.


[This item has been re-published, having first appeared on Sing Up The River End! on the 3rd of August 2011]
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Time To Say Goodbye

The following players have left Norwich City FC :




Tom Adeyemi
2008-2013   17 appearances 0 goals

Lee Camp (second spell)
2013   3 appearances 0 goals

George Francomb
2009-2013   5 appearances 0 goals

Simeon Jackson
2010-2013   86 appearances 21 goals

Korey Smith
2008-2013   73 appearances 4 goals

Marc Tierney
2011-2013   39 appearances 0 goals

Elliott Ward
2010-2013   55 appearances 1 goal


They depart with our best wishes, and thanks for their service to the club
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Final League Placings 1973-1974

Football League 1973-1974
Division One







Leeds United  62
Liverpool  57
Derby County  48
Ipswich Town  47
Stoke City  46
Burnley  46
Everton  44
QPR  43
Leicester City  42
Arsenal  42
Tottenham Hotspur  42
Wolves  41
Sheffield United  40
Manchester City  40
Newcastle United  38
Coventry City  38
Chelsea  37
West Ham  37
Birmingham City  37
Southampton  36
Manchester United  32
Norwich City  29



Full City Record :  P42  W7  D15  L20  F37  A62  PTS 29   Managers :  Ron Saunders/John Bond



Leeds United were English champions
Liverpool won the FA Cup



In This Year :  Industrial action in the UK sees the introduction of the three day week

ABBA win the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo

Harold Wilson returns to 10 Downing Street for a second term of office



Final league placings will be posted on a regular basis until every table is listed - click on the label below for years posted so far.
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Norwich City Review Of The Season

Norwich City 2012-2013

League Playing Record : 

Full    P38  W10  D14  L14  F41  A58  PTS 44

Home    P19  W8  D7  L4  F25  A20  PTS 31

Away    P19  W2  D7  L10  F16  A38  PTS 13

Premier League Final Position :  11th
FA Cup :  4th Round
League Cup :  5th Round


Most Appearances (all comps) :  Robert Snodgrass 40, Bradley Johnson 39, Grant Holt 38, Wes Hoolahan 36    

Most Goals (all comps) :  Grant Holt 8, Robert Snodgrass 7, Anthony Pilkington 5

Career Appearances :  Wes Hoolahan 194, Grant Holt 168, Russell Martin 147  

Career Goals :  Grant Holt 78, Wes Hoolahan 35, Chris Martin 34,

Player Of The Season :  Sebastien Bassong

Highest Attendance : 26,842 v Aston Villa  4th May 2013

Biggest Win : 4-0 v West Bromwich Albion  12th May 2013

Biggest Defeat :  5-0 v Fulham 18th August 2012 & 5-0 v Liverpool 19th January 2013 both Premier League

Five Days That Shaped The Season

Saturday 20th October 2012 -  Norwich City 1 Arsenal 0

This was Norwich City's eighth Premier League match of the campaign. The performances that came before it ranged from disappointing (QPR and West Ham draws at home) to horrific (fourteen goals conceded against Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea). The only bright spot had been an admirable point garnered at White Hart Lane. So putting aside the not unusual pre match prediction of 'having a feeling we might get something against Arsenal' nobody really held out much hope that this would be a season changing day for the Canaries. As it happened, it was. The boys found passion and pride to gain a fully deserved win over the Gunners. They were organised, willing, and significantly kept a clean sheet. Fittingly it was Grant Holt (our hero so often in recent years) who hit the only goal of the game after twenty minutes and perhaps the most important part of the evening was our ability to protect that hard won lead. Chris Hughton's team had arrived in the Premier League and whilst a repeat scoreline against Manchester United a month later might find a longer lasting place in our history, this was the game that got our season going.

Tuesday 11th December 2012 -  Norwich City 1 Aston Villa 4

The bubble didn't quite burst with this League Cup 5th Round defeat because a few days later City beat Wigan in a vital home game in the Premier League. But it was a punch to the midriff that left us winded, and not least because we all wanted to see Paul Lambert's first return to Carrow Road end in disappointment for him. As it was, the Scot had the last laugh, his team coming from a goal behind and turning the screw late on to give a final score that was not entirely fair to the Canaries. The season never quite felt the same thereafter. The Wigan win saw the curtain close on a wonderful ten match winning run - the real reason we would ultimately go on to save our divisional status. But Villa in the cup signalled the true intent of the campaign. It was only ever about the league, and cup runs were just too dangerous for our small squad to be part of. The tragedy for Canary fans was the fact that we were within sight of Wembley had we seen off Villa. And even more unfortunately, the rather half hearted approach to this game was about to develop into a more general lack of confidence and adventure going into the hard winter months.  

Saturday 12th January 2013 -  Norwich City 0 Newcastle United 0

When the Premier League fixture list came out in the summer, a quick glance immediately showed us that Norwich City would have a mare of a time over the Christmas period. And so it proved. Though far from disgraced in losing to West Brom (who were enjoying a fine season), Chelsea, and Manchester City, the points had temporarily dried up. An awful trip to Upton Park on New Year's Day, when the referee ensured we would have our backs to the wall all game, brought home just how hard this league is. The light at the end of the tunnel was the visit of Newcastle United to Carrow Road. A day, surely, to get back to winning ways, against a team themselves in a poor run of form. Instead, it was a day when we saw a new Norwich City. An approach built on caution rather than creativity. We went into the afternoon just 14 points short of the magical forty, and with seventeen matches left to play. Suddenly not losing seemed more important than winning. This match was not only scoreless, it was largely dire, with little entertainment factor. And sadly a sign of what was to follow.

Saturday 23rd February 2013 -  Norwich City 2 Everton 1

This game was a beacon in the dark. Not because Norwich played particularly well, as for much of the time they didn't. But because it was our first Premier League victory since that Wigan match way back in December. And it was achieved in the most explosive and spectacular circumstances possible. Our club history contains a few days when an individual performance is so good it gets talked about forever. The 23rd of February 2013 will always be Kei Kamara Day. City were heading for another defeat, falling behind in the 39th minute and not really looking likely to get back into the game. When Kamara came onto the field just before the hour mark, nobody would have dared dream the impact he would make. He left it late - there were just six minutes remaining when he rose, salmon like, above the Everton defenders to head home a stunning equaliser. That was not the end of it though. Like men possessed, the lads went for a win. In time added on, Kamara made a nuisance of himself in the box from another centre, and Grant Holt did the rest. It was a sensational finish to the game - reminiscent of the Lambert era of course, when such events were more prevalent. We even had the after match fun of a ridiculous David Moyes rant - he was incensed that the referee had played ten seconds more than the allotted minimum time added on ! But perhaps the most telling words of the afternoon came from Chris Hughton. He said that when Kamara hit the net, he would have been happy with a point, but the players had different ideas. Thank goodness they did. 

Sunday 12th May 2013 -  Norwich City 4 West Bromwich Albion 0

By the time the Baggies came calling in the penultimate fixture of the season, Norwich City had somehow contrived to become one of the teams in grave danger of relegation. Instead of acting as a catalyst for easy survival, the Everton victory made no difference to our approach. A point a game was still always going to be enough. But then lady luck put her wicked hand on our shoulder at Sunderland and Arsenal. And two performances, at Wigan and then Stoke, when we did not show up at all, left everyone at the club and all those supporting it in absolutely no doubt that we were in serious trouble. A win would do against West Brom, by whatever means. And on the day, those means were exquisite, plenty of positive intention, capped by a late, sweet, Jonny Howson curler to round things off. The Canaries had flown over the line at last - soaring rather than fluttering with a broken wing as many had fully expected. The game shaped the season alright. And in time, it could be one that shapes the very future of our club.

and finally..............

It was difficult to choose my five matches this year - there were others that would have been equally perfect to sum up the last nine months. We started badly, had a terrific autumn, lost our way, then just got home. 2012-13 was always about just one thing, Premier League survival. For many, the likelihood of that happening fell the day Paul Lambert walked. His replacement Chris Hughton had one remit - to keep us in the Premier League. And that he did. As seasons go, it was not vintage for the fans, who did not enjoy the methods employed to secure that survival. Who can blame them. Football is now a business, but without entertainment, there is little to look forward to. The caution of Norwich City was fine to a point, but there does come a time when you have to go for something a bit more rewarding. The announcement of the Van Wolfswinkel signing was a distraction for supporters, a nightmare when it suddenly dawned on everyone that it probably wouldn't happen if we started next season back in the Championship. For a while it was easy to see our fine achievements of the past few years crashing down around us. Thankfully, it all turned out well in the end. No two seasons are ever the same, so hopefully this one can be recorded as a period when we did all that was asked of us. Nothing more, nothing less. Chris Hughton is a good guy, a nice guy. Those still calling for his head should be careful what they wish for. But the summer, with the huge financial gains it will bring, will need to show positive change. We need to come out of it with a squad that goes deeper, with more Premier League quality performers. And we need to find the Norwich City of old, the one known for attractive football. The satisfying win at Manchester City on the final day proved that we have the ability to hurt sides, even away from home. That these weapons were not employed more often can be forgiven on the basis that safety was absolutely vital with the financial rewards on offer. Hopefully the manager will know what he needs to move things on and allow us to play a more entertaining style. He can recruit players he wants rather than having to work with players he largely inherited. We go into the summer with remarkable optimism for what lies ahead - with positive thoughts that were impossible after the defeat to Aston Villa. But from a fans perspective, survival on its own, is not enough going forward. They will be looking for something a bit more enjoyable to go with it.


.  For reviews of other seasons, click on the label below
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