Mike Walker - A Manager Who Was Always Number One

Even those fans with a minimal amount of knowledge on Norwich City history will have heard of Mike Walker. He was a fine Canary manager during perhaps the best era the club has known. Some of us of course remember that period as we were going to Carrow Road then. And some go back as far as Walker's playing days. Because before becoming a football manager, he was a highly accomplished goalkeeper.

I recently purchased an old programme - from our visit to Watford back in 1969. It cost me a £1 from a second hand book shop. It wasn't until I got home and read it more closely that I spotted Walker's name on the teamsheet. It brought to mind the fact that when he was promoted to the role of manager at Carrow Road, nobody really knew too much about him. References to his past were concerned more with his limited experience in such a position - a brief (though successful) spell at Colchester United, and a few years in charge of the youth team at Norwich.

But he had been, as a player, a stalwart goalkeeper, most notably with Colchester, where he was a regular for ten years. A couple more thoughts occurred to me. How it is impossible to research to any decent depth the careers of older players using the internet. I would love to know how often he played against Norwich. I could do that with his modern day equivalents, such is the enormity of information available,  but not Mike Walker.

I was also thinking how you never know who will go on to play a significant part in the history of the club. You could watch an opposition player score a hat-trick against us in the coming weeks - totally unaware that in a few seasons time he could be playing in a yellow shirt. Or in a two decades time he could be our manager !

1969-70 was an interesting year for the players and fans of Watford FC, for they reached the semi final of the FA Cup, before succumbing bravely to Chelsea. For the record, the game that this programme came from ended in a 1-1 draw. But it was not played on the 29th of November 1969 but the 7th of April 1970. The original game was postponed !!

( An article on Mike Walker can be found at http://canaryseventyninety.blogspot.com/2010/04/mike-walker.html )
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City Links - Stephen Fry And His Lifetime Of NCFC Love

There is a lot of fine Norwich City Football Club material on the internet and all free to be viewed. The problem is finding it in the first place. Sing Up The River End! will link you up with the best photographs and video clips on the world wide web ...............

A follower on Twitter recently alerted me to a very splendid blog article posted by Stephen Fry. Many of you will have read it already no doubt, but for those that haven't, here is the link :  http://www.stephenfry.com/2011/08/13/open-letter-to-all-who-despise-sport/single-page/

All fans have their own story to tell when it comes to first falling in love with Norwich City FC. And what part the Canaries have played in their lives thereafter. I made my own attempt in a very early post on Sing Up The River End! http://canaryseventyninety.blogspot.com/2010/03/norwich-fine-city.html though I have to admit I could (and indeed probably will) write another dozen or so articles on the subject before I am done. Stephen Fry's thoughts actually fired up a few more childhood memories for me.

I too was a scavenger when it came to finding things to read about Norwich. In the late sixties that mainly meant Eastern Counties Newspapers, for as I have explained many times before, our football club were largely neglected by the national media. There were two things I recall being confused about, when aged eight, or thereabouts. How come we had a good, recognised football team, yet in cricket, we had to make do with playing the likes of Northumberland or Bedfordshire? I used to track the scores from Lakenham with the teatime arrival of the Eastern Evening News. Sadly, the scores only covered up to around two o'clock - though sometimes there would be a hot stop press entry in the side column. But why were we not playing Yorkshire ? Or Surrey ? Couldn't John Edrich, that great man of both Norfolk and cricket, arrange something ?

The other sporting arena that I felt robbed of was speedway. Why was the paper full of King's Lynn Stars reports and not Norwich ? Wasn't Norwich the more senior place? I was hardly helped by a brother and father who told me Norwich once had a fine speedway team, much missed, and how the Firs Stadium was packed every Saturday night, once upon a time.

With growing up, all questions were answered, though in probability it has taken until the internet age for everything to be understood.

Read Stephen Fry's article. His fervour for Norwich, the football team, and the area in general, is clear and has never diminished despite travelling to most corners of the globe. Where that initial love came from is, I suspect, remarkably similar to many other supporters with associations to the Fine City. Whilst individual lives have paths of their own, eventually all lead back to the same place. In our case, Carrow Road.
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Where Is Lady Luck When You Need Her Most ?

..............history isn't just about yesteryear, it's also happening right now, and is brought to you on a regular basis in The Canary Chronicles


Three games gone in this Premier League season already, and a return of just two points out of a possible nine confirms it is going to be a long hard campaign. But taking a step back from the statistics for a moment reveals plenty of hope for Norwich City fans. Because with just a little more good fortune, the Canaries could easily have been on double or even treble that number of points by now.

The Premier League is an uncompromising place, and Norwich have already paid dearly for just a few moments of panic, lack of composure, and aberration. Either side of those isolated incidents they have played calm football, neat and tidy with more than a hint that they will be fine in this division once they find their feet. The performance at Chelsea was exceptional at times, making their rich rivals look distinctly average for parts of the game. It was a day for pride and plaudits, but not in the end, the thing that matters most - points.

It is a difficult one for me to get my head around. The great feature of the Paul Lambert era has been the obvious fact that we have won many games. Including some in which we have not necessarily played well. So suddenly the boot is on the other foot, and we find ourselves the victims of late goals, player dismissals, and dubious penalties. In all three games so far, there has been a constant feeling that if something could go horribly wrong, then it most definitely will.

Unfortunately, in real life, there is no mechanism that can quickly turn things our way. No button we can press. Or programme we can install. Sometimes in football you have to simply keep going, until things change for the better. It would be nice to think that City have used up their quota of seasonal bad luck already, but somehow I doubt they have. Games in this league are won and lost on very slim margins and it is already obvious that to survive, you have to squeeze the most you can out of every situation. And we will have to adopt some of the sly attitudes that seem to flourish in the Premier League, as distasteful as that might be.

The only thing we must not change is the wonderful self belief that Lambert has brought to his team. It seems almost impossible that just two years ago we were struggling to see off sides like Brentford and Hartlepool yet in the last six days we have looked very comfortable against Stoke City and Chelsea.

The question now of course is can we build on these early performances ? Can we learn from those few mistakes? Can we grow quickly enough in this new environment ?

The positives of the situation are that we have played well - in fact, very well, at times. I still think the Norwich City of 2011-12 will finish exactly where they deserve to, in that final table. I say that because I believe Paul Lambert produces honest performances from an honest squad of players. Ironically, we probably won't play as well every week as we have done in August ! But we may well pick up more points. Daft, isn't it ?

The one thing I am not going to do is get paranoid over refereeing decisions. We have not had the rub of the green so far. As fans we are justified in feeling robbed. Angry. Aggrieved. But a quick look at the other matches played on Saturday show that the division is littered with dubious officiating. And that referees often bottle decisions against the bigger clubs. It is a fact that the leading players and managers know just how to pressurise them. The three promoted clubs all need to tune into this new world, and quickly.

I am strangely satisfied by what I have seen so far from the Canaries despite the meagre points return. For the time being, performance levels are more important than scraping a lucky win and bagging a fortuitous three points. If the players continue to put in shifts like they have done so far, we will be fine.

And especially so if lady luck does the decent thing and remembers to pay us a few visits along the way

How splendid it was for Grant Holt to get his first Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. It was his 54th in all competitions in Norwich City colours and means that he has now scored in all four tiers of English football. In fact, his last League Two goal (for Shrewsbury v Dagenham & Redbridge) was as recent as the 2nd of May 2009. Wes Hoolahan became the first Canary in history to score a Norwich City goal in each of the top three tiers, courtesy of his equalising strike at Wigan on the opening day of the season.

The opening three games of our last Premier League adventure in 2004-05 also produced two points via draws at home to Crystal Palace and away to Newcastle. In between we lost at Manchester United. Our failure this season to win at either Wigan or Chelsea means we have not been victorious in a Premier League away match since the 17th of December 1994 when an Ashley Ward goal gave us a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.
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The Nearly Canaries - Ted Bates

a record of men who trialled for Norwich City, were on the books but didn't play in the first team, or so nearly signed to become a Canary


Back in 1936, Norwich City were not a bad football club to be associated with. They were enjoying their first ever spell of Second Division football, and had recently moved into a new home at Carrow Road. On their books was a young teenage forward from Thetford by the name of Ted Bates. He was not yet ready for first team action and in any case had his path blocked by the vastly experienced Frank Manders and Jack Vinall. In February 1937, Tom Parker, the Norwich manager who had masterminded City's new and improved status, left the club, returning to Southampton (a club he had played over 250 games for) as boss.  With him he took Ted Bates who signed for the Saints on his nineteenth birthday. He would remain there in one capacity or another for 66 years. He played over 200 games for Southampton and scored 63 league goals, as well as appearing for the club in unofficial matches during World War Two. Bates retired in 1953 with the Saints heading for the third tier of English football and took up a position on the coaching staff. In 1955 he was appointed manager, and in 1959 led Southampton back to Division Two and then in 1966 to the top level for the first time in history. He was in charge for 850 games before stepping down to become assistant to Lawrie McMenemy in 1973. Bates then became a director of the club and in 1998 received an MBE for services to football. He was, simply, Mr Southampton. Yet he never played a single game for his first club, Norwich City.
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Lost Grounds : The Baseball Ground, Derby

grounds where Norwich City have played, that no longer exist.......

The Baseball Ground, or the BBG as local fans called it, was the home of Derby County Football Club between 1895-1997. Set in the heartlands of the industrial North Midlands, it is fondly remembered by supporters of the Rams, and especially those that lived during the early 1970's - the era of Brian Clough, Peter Taylor and Dave Mackay, and two English championship titles. Though never a pretty ground, it's history was long and the memories it produced will never die in the minds of football lovers far and wide. Notorious for having a heavy and often muddy pitch, caused by poor drainage, the BBG became a killing field that the more fashionable and glamorous clubs did not enjoy visiting. But ultimately it suffered a slow and painful death of it's own - the victim of age, wear and tear.

Norwich City's historical involvement with the Baseball Ground took in various seasons between 1960 and 1996. For many years, the Canaries were way behind Derby County in the football pecking order, with the Rams, who were original members of the Football League, firmly established in the top or second flight of English soccer. In the mid fifties they slumped to Division Three North for a couple of seasons, but returned for a long spell in Division Two. It was here that they shared divisional status with Norwich for the first time, in 1960-61. But twelve days before the first contest was due to take place, the clubs were ironically drawn together in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup. On the 14th of November 1960, Norwich made their first ever visit to the BBG, and came away with a handsome 4-1 victory.

The league match was much tighter, ending in a goalless draw. But Norwich did not have to wait too many years before their first league win there, a single goal victory in 1964. Derby County's rise to the very top of the game, in 1971-72 and then again in 1974-75, did not involve visits from City - in each of those seasons we were in Division Two. But Canary fans that were around then will remember the burgeoning reputation of Derby County whilst under the guidance of the super self confident Clough. The way he and Taylor put together a ruthlessly efficient team and put bigger sides to the sword with little care for their histories or reputation. In an era of increasing football coverage on TV, the Baseball Ground, which always seemed to look bigger than it actually was on the small screen, became a very well known ground to even the more part time followers of the game.

Overall, Norwich had a tidy record playing there. They were never on the end of a hiding and had good success in the years following the heyday of Derby County. Wins were secured in 1982 (2-0 in Division Two), 1987 (2-1 in Division One), 1988 (1-0 in Division One) and 1990 (2-0 in Division One). Our last ever appearance at the Baseball Ground took place on New Years Day 1996 - we lost 2-1 in a season that Derby finished second to gain promotion to the Premier League.

County's original home when they were formed in 1884 was the Racecourse Ground which they shared with the cricket club and the horse racing fraternity. This arrangement became difficult and as the people of Derby started taking to football in larger numbers, the club re-located to Ley's Baseball Ground. Local foundry owner Sir Francis Ley had introduced baseball to the town after a visit to America, and the ground was made available for the use of his workers. Derby County FC moved in during 1895, having previously used the facility when the Racecourse was not available to them. Baseball ceased there in 1898.

In 1911 an England international was played at the Baseball Ground, against Ireland, and in 1924 County were able to purchase the ground, for the princely sum of £10,000. At it's peak, the BBG had a capacity of around 42,000. The Main Stand was situated on the Shaftesbury Crescent side of the ground, and other stands were the Osmaston End (or the 'Ossie End'), the Ley Stand (later the Co-op Stand and Toyota Stand) and the Popular side. Floodlights were added in 1953 and in 1973 the pitch, which had by then acquired notoriety, was re-laid. But time eventually caught up with the Baseball Ground. Despite some revival in fortunes on the pitch after the financial investments of Robert Maxwell in the 80's, the ground itself got older and less desirable. The Taylor Report meant capacity was reduced and cut to just 18,500 in the nineties - never enough for one of the better supported clubs in the country.

In 1997 Derby County played at the BBG for the last time - moving to their present home of Pride Park. The old site was used for reserve games for a while before being vacated and falling into disrepair. It was demolished in 2003 to make way for a housing development. A commemorative statue was erected to serve as a reminder of the great moments that took place there - not that anyone who ever attended matches at the Baseball Ground, Derby, would ever need reminding.
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Canary Fact File

A white football was first used for official league games in 1951

When former Canary Jack Taylor was ousted from the position of Leeds United manager in March 1961, one target as a replacement was the then current City boss Archie Macaulay. But in the end they promoted Don Revie to player manager

Norwich City goalkeeper Robert Green was the 1140th player to appear for England

Such was the impact of Andy Townsend at Carrow Road, he was shortlisted for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1988-89

For the 2010-11 season, Norwich City had more season ticket holders than any other club in the Football League

Adrian Forbes has the middle name of Emmanuel

Life After City

...........keeping a beady eye on ex Canaries and those out on loan

Having reported in the last Life After City feature that Leon McKenzie had failed to get a contract at Luton after a trial there, we are pleased to see that things worked out in the end, just a little way further north at Conference club Kettering Town. And on Saturday he scored his first goal for them, an equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Gateshead. Jamie Cureton has made four appearances so far for his new club, Leyton Orient, but has yet to find the net and finds himself at the foot of League One. Rob Earnshaw though has struck twice already in his four matches for Cardiff City. Owain Tudur Jones has picked up a cartilage injury after just three matches for his new club Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and faces eight weeks out.

Former loanee Alan Gow has signed for Kingfisher East Bengal FC in the Indian National Football League after his summer release from Notts County. The striker played thirteen league games as a Canary in 2009. 

Local lad Bally Smart, who was educated at the Thorpe St Andrew High School and played in one game for Norwich City in 2007, now plies his trade in Latvia for Skonto Riga. They are the best club in Latvia, often producing the bulk of the national squad, and having won the Virsliga last time out have been involved in the Champions League qualifiers.

Former City full back Dennis van Wijk, who played in the 1985 League Cup winning side, has held many coaching positions across Europe. In January 2011 the 48 year old joined Belgian Second Division club RAEC Mons, and as manager led them to the top flight via the play-offs.

And finally........... winger Simon Whaley, who left Norwich in May 2010, has signed for Evo-Stik Northern Premier side Chorley. He had made unsuccessful attempts to resurrect his Football League career at Chesterfield, Doncaster Rovers and most recently, Burton Albion.

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Norwich City History Against......Milton Keynes Dons

All Competitions

Norwich City 1 win   Milton Keynes Dons 3 wins  1 draw

Norwich goals 3   Milton Keynes Dons goals 8

Football League

Norwich City 0 wins   Milton Keynes Dons 1 win   1 draw

Norwich goals 2   Milton Keynes Dons goals 3

All league games at Norwich

Norwich City 0 wins   Milton Keynes Dons 0 wins  1 draw

Norwich goals 1   Milton Keynes Dons goals 1

All league games at Milton Keynes Dons

Norwich City 0 wins   Milton Keynes Dons 1 win   0 draws

Norwich goals 1   Milton Keynes Dons goals 2

Cup Football

Norwich City 1 win   Milton Keynes Dons 2 wins   0 draws

Norwich goals 1   Milton Keynes Dons goals 5

Milton Keynes Dons were founded in 2004 when Wimbledon FC re-located from south west London to north Buckinghamshire. Initially the new club inherited the history of Wimbledon, but in 2007 this was disowned as controversy still surrounded the circumstances of the whole affair. Since then, the Football League have introduced much tighter rules regarding clubs moving operations from one part of the country to another.

The history between Norwich City and Milton Keynes Dons is therefore short. The first match took place on the 23rd of August 2005 when the clubs were paired together in the 1st Round of the League Cup. Norwich won 1-0 in the game played at the National Hockey Stadium, Leon McKenzie nicking a 120th minute winner. The fixture was repeated in 2008, though this time at the Dons' new home at Stadium : mk. The home team ran out winners by a single goal.

Norwich's drop to the third level of English football in the 2009-10 season brought the clubs together in the Football League for the first time. On the 14th of September 2009, in front of Sky TV cameras, Chris Martin scored for the Canaries after just 17 seconds. MKD recovered however to win 2-1. In the following April, with City closing in on promotion, an ugly contest at Carrow Road ended in a 1-1 draw with Martin scoring again, this time in the 90th minute. The Dons had nine men booked with Aaron Wilbraham, later to become a Canary himself of course, getting a red card.

The clubs were once again drawn together in the 2011-12 League Cup, with the Dons securing a stunning 4-0 win at Carrow Road despite a two division gap between themselves and City. Former Canary Luke Chadwick netted twice.

Milton Keynes Dons took over Wimbledon's place in League One for the 2004-05 season. They only narrowly avoided relegation and the following year they failed to survive and dropped to the fourth level. Consolidation was quick and they reached the play-offs in 2006-07, losing to Shrewsbury Town 2-1 in the semi finals. Next year they were League Two champions and also beat Grimsby Town 2-0 in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final. In 2008-09 and 2010-11 they won through to the League One play-offs but missed out on a Championship place on both occasions.

Men with connections with both clubs include Aaron Wilbraham, Luke Chadwick, and Stephen Hughes



To see what part Milton Keynes Dons have played in the history of Norwich City Football Club, just pop their name into the search facility in the sidebar. 

Most recent games
23 Aug 2011   (League Cup)  Norwich City 0 Milton Keynes Dons 4
10 Apr 2010   (League One)  Norwich City 1 Milton Keynes Dons 1
14 Sep 2009   (League One)  Milton Keynes Dons 2 Norwich City 1
12 Aug 2008   (League Cup)  Milton Keynes Dons 1 Norwich City 0
23 Aug 2005   (League Cup)  Milton Keynes Dons 0 Norwich City 1

pictured:  Luke Chadwick, a Norwich City player between 2006-2009 and now a Milton Keynes Dons regular

Strain The Brain No7

Just a traditional quiz this time around, but difficult questions that may need you to burn more midnight oil to get to the answers, though all have appeared on Sing Up The River End! some time in the past. Use the blog search facility if you get really stuck, or the Strain The Brain answer section in the sidebar if you give up altogether.




1) Dean Ashton scored only one Norwich City hat-trick. Who was it against ?

2) Which player holds the record for the most appearances for Norwich City in all competitions ?

3) Who left the Canaries back room staff last season to manage a Scottish Premier League team ?

4) Which club have Norwich City played against more often than any other, in competitive league and cup football ?

5) Who joined Southampton on a Bosman free transfer from Norwich City in 2003, after his contract at Carrow Road expired ?
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Debutants 1908

Here is a list of all players who made their first team débuts for Norwich City Football Club in 1908 :

Walter Rayner    4 January 1908 v Brighton  (Southern League)  (a) lost 1-0
John Flanagan    22 February 1908 v Reading  (Southern League)  (h) drew 0-0
Jim Bellamy    14 March 1908 v Northampton  (Southern League)  (h) won 2-1
Theo Randall    21 March 1908  v Southampton  (Southern League)  (a) won 3-0
William Silor    2 September 1908 v Luton  (Southern League)  (a) lost 4-0
John Smith    2 September 1908
James Tomlinson    2 September 1908
Eddie Wagstaffe    2 September 1908
Fred Milnes    9 September 1908 v Lincoln City  (United League)  (a) won 1-0
George Porter    19 September 1908 v Exeter City  (Southern League)  (a) lost 3-2
Tommy Long    24 September 1908 v Coventry City  (United League)  (a) won 5-2
Charles Swann    3 October 1908 v New Brompton  (Southern League)  (a) lost 2-0
Walter Druce    10 October 1908 v Millwall Athletic  (Southern League)  (h) drew 2-2
Walter Church    31 October 1908 v Bristol Rovers  (Southern League)  (a) lost 2-0
Sam Gunton    9 November 1908 v Walsall  (Southern League)  (a) lost 2-1
Robert Beale    14 November 1908 v Plymouth Argyle  (Southern League)  (h) drew 0-0
Charles Craig    28 November 1908 v Southampton  (Southern League)  (h) drew 2-2
Charlie French    10 December 1908 v Rotherham Town  (Southern League)  (h) won 4-0
Walter Reynolds    10 December 1908
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Quote Unquote

'' Gutted - I thought we were after someone with the necessary experience and he clearly doesn't have it. It's even worse when you look at the decent managers out of work we haven't gone for '' 

'' Yep, not enthusiastic about this one. Would have preferred Strachan ''


'' I feel for you Norwich fans, it just sounds like your chairman is panicking and signed up the first guy who looks promising this season. I would have recommended Colin Calderwood. His League One record is second to none and would have most certainly helped you escape the clutches of this league ''


Three reactions from fans to the appointment of Paul Lambert as manager of Norwich City two years ago today, posted on the now defunct BBC forum 606
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Roger Brown

Former Norwich City centre half Roger Brown passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 58 after a long illness. Better known from his playing days at Bournemouth and Fulham, he was at Carrow Road for just under seven months during 1979 and 1980 and made 21 appearances. He was a hard tackling defender who got his chance with City at the expense of Phil Hoadley. However, with David Jones and Tony Powell also around at the time, Norwich accepted an offer of £100,000 from Fulham, a profit of £15,000 on the amount paid to Bournemouth.

The move to London was superb for Roger. He became a real favourite at Craven Cottage and became captain of the team. His most notable season was 1981-82 when he scored twelve goals from defence - including the one that gave Fulham promotion out of Division Three. His leadership during that campaign guarantees him a place in history at the Cottage - he played over 150 games for Fulham, many in partnership with Tony Gale. In 1983 he returned to Bournemouth, the club that gave him his first chance in professional football after signing him from non league Paget Rangers, and after retirement he had a short spell as manager of Colchester United.

His time with Norwich was not long, but it gave him a stepping stone to a very worthy career in English football. Within those twenty one games were matches against the likes of Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Leeds and Arsenal. The experience no doubt helped him hone the lion hearted qualities that later served him so well.

Our condolences go to his family and friends at this very sad time.
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New Arrival

It's time to welcome our newest arrival - not just to Norwich City but also to Sing Up The River End! Hopefully he will play a fruitful part in our history. Here is his career record so far : 

Daniel Ayala



age :  20
position :  central defender
signed from :  Liverpool

playing record
Liverpool 2009-11   5 appearances 0 goals
Hull (loan) 2010   12 appearances 1 goal
Derby (loan) 2011   17 appearances 0 goals

international honours
Spain U21    1 cap 0 goals
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Stars Of The Past - Bernard McLaverty

Bernard McLaverty was born in Chester Moor, a small village just south of Chester-le-Street, Co Durham on the 15th of March 1898. He played for Norwich City at the end of the twenties, and though a centre half by trade, he made a spectacular exit from his professional career by scoring a hat-trick in his very last game.

Having first played for local junior sides, young Bernard was on the books of Durham City just after World War One, a club that would go on shortly afterwards to spend seven seasons in Division Three North of the Football League. But by then he had moved south to Derby County, a vastly superior club. He was there between 1920 and 1928, playing over one hundred games for the Rams who were in both the top and second tiers of English football during this time.

He arrived at the Nest in January 1928 and went straight into the central defence for the home match against Newport County on the 14th of January, a Division Three South fixture that ended in a 2-2 draw. He was an ever present in the team for the rest of the season, playing in 21 matches and displacing Arthur Pembleton from the side. He remained first choice in 1928-29, taking his career tally to 56 matches. In both of the seasons he was involved, Norwich, under the captaincy of Joe Hannah, finished in 17th position in the competition.

The fascinating aspect to Bernard McLaverty's Canary life was the fact that for his final five appearances in City colours, he converted to inside right, a position that a few players had failed to secure that season. The tactical move by new Norwich manager Jimmy Kerr worked a treat as McLaverty hit the net four times. The first was in a 3-1 home win against QPR in April 1929 and two weeks later, on the 2nd of May 1929 and in his last recorded professional match, he smashed a hat-trick against Watford in a 5-2 win at the Nest.

Whether any temptation existed to leave him playing up front is not known, for he did not play for Norwich again. He retired back to Derbyshire where he became a landlord of various public houses. He died in Duffield in 1952. His face remains in the pictorial history of football for he was featured in the 1922 Pinnace Real Photo cigarette card series, card number 745.
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Norwich Off Radar For The Gruesome Twosome

I remember a moment back in the early seventies, when we had a mention on BBC TV's Saturday lunchtime Football Preview. Sam Leitch presented the show each week within the Grandstand programme and it concentrated on that afternoon's fixture list. Eleven Division One matches. All with a three o'clock kick off. Lower leagues rarely got a mention, often just a quick glance through the tables at the close of the production. In 1971-72, Norwich City were doing rather well, and big Sam said something along the lines of 'Ron Saunders' men continue to show they are a fine team at the top of Division Two'. It was a mere crumb of acknowledgement in a TV media world that really only ever wanted to talk about Brian Clough, Don Revie, Liverpool and Arsenal but at the same time, one heck of a major breakthrough. I went to Carrow Road that afternoon a happy teenager. And people around me on the terraces were talking about the fact we had been mentioned on the telly ! By the end of that campaign, with promotion imminent, we had a three minute piece all of our own. Lovely old Sam Leitch.

The world has moved on, and coverage and information on football at all levels is now widely available daily. But still fans, just like me back in '72, are desperate to hear something nice said about their club. A word of praise - said as if it was meant. A little encouragement. Signs of hope whilst climbing the mountain of a long, hard season. And especially so for City fans right now. Back in the Premier League. Back in the gaze of the British football following populace, courtesy of regular coverage on the Beeb's Match of the Day.

Highlights of Saturday's Wigan v Norwich clash consisted of around eight very short clips. The Wigan goal. The Norwich goal. Plus another half a dozen or so attempts by the home side. Ok, so it is difficult to encapsulate a ninety minute match in two an a half minutes, and neutrals are not wanting to see Norwich players passing the ball to one another, or closing down the opposition in midfield. But a little more effort could have been made by the analysts afterwards to ensure viewers knew that in the end, the Canaries were well worth a point. Instead, Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer, who clearly had only watched those two and a half minutes of the game and nothing else, painted a woefully dark picture for Norwich fans. We were lucky. Wigan should have had another penalty - a stonewall penalty no less. And we were hanging on for dear life at the end.

So, nothing much has changed at the BBC in forty years. They do of course nowadays cover the Football League immediately after their showpiece Match of the Day - with their cast of b-list presenters and at a time of the week when only the keenest of soccer enthusiasts are still awake. But you get the impression it is all just lip service. Despite the efforts of that nice Mr Lineker, football on the BBC is all about Hansen and Shearer. Fine ex players, but now very rich men who have little in common with the everyday football supporter. Norwich, and another thirty or so proud old clubs are really only there to make up the numbers. The big guns need someone to play to keep the money rolling in.

Which, in defence of the gruesome twosome, is an undeniable truth. If Norwich supporters really think their team will be a major attraction on the nation's leading football show in the next nine months they are in for a shock. MOTD is the shop window of the big clubs and the wealthiest players. The BBC do not have enough time to go any deeper. We will be peripheral. Maybe the odd main match billing. You know, in the circumstances QPR found themselves in at the weekend. But generally we will just be there simply because every Premier League match needs to be shown. Clichés, will abound, as they did on Saturday night. We will be afforded respect when earned. But we will never be wanted. We have little to offer in the world of BBC punditry.

And really, we should not care less. We do. Just as supporters of West Bromwich Albion, Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers care about the analysis of their teams. But you know, football media is a depressingly meaningless arena these days. Expert opinions are no different from those of the common fan. They self satisfy the speaker, but in the end count for absolutely nothing. Hansen and Shearer will sniff their way through the 2011-12 season as they do every year. Same old format. Same old favourites. It really won't matter.

Norwich City fans need to enjoy this season. Don't let the national media coverage spoil it for you. Stick to your own - the local journalists and other Canary fans. Yes, those opinions will be more than a little biased but at least they come from people that actually went to the game and are tuned into the ethos of Norwich City Football Club.

And listen to what genuine supporters of other clubs have to say. They know, you know !

I will watch Match of the Day each week. See the goals. Listen to what the managers are saying. But as for Hansen and Shearer (and Lawrenson, the joys of whom we have yet to encounter) - I will let them live in their own world. They won't bother me come eleven o'clock on a Saturday night.

And I sure won't be holding my breath for any genuine praise of Norwich City to come my way.
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Time To Say Goodbye

The following player has left Norwich City FC :




Steven Smith
2010-2011    7 appearances 0 goals

He departs with our best wishes, and thanks for his service to the club
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Top Of The Premier League 1992

Carrying on from the last video vault entry on the 6th of July 2011, we stay with that first ever Premier League season, moving though to the 9th of November 1992 and a Monday night Sky match at Boundary Park, Oldham. After that stunning opening day victory over Arsenal at Highbury, the Canaries built on their great start, losing only once in their first ten games. The wheel well and truly fell off in early October with a 7-1 thrashing at Blackburn Rovers, and that was followed by a 4-1 defeat at Liverpool in the next away match.

Many felt that would be it for Mike Walker's side, but this game gave Norwich the opportunity to return to the top spot in the land. The video shows City at their best during that era, and most especially Mark Robins, who remains one of the sharpest strikers to ever wear the yellow shirt. He was in a barren spell before this game - he had not hit the net in seven games since a brace on the 12th of September 1992 had seen Norwich win 3-2 at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. His hat-trick here was real quality and showed his perfect talents in and around the box.

Note also the splendid, precision pass from Ruel Fox for the second City goal which left the Oldham keeper marooned. Many other wingers would have pinned their ears back and run with the ball.

The footage of Canary fans flying to the north west of England via Monarch Airways is also interesting. And to think, many of those supporters will be in their late thirties/early forties now !

Let's dream that in a few weeks time, a few of them may once again be singing 'We are top of the league, I say, we are top of the league ...........'




My thanks to You Tube and the contributor who posted the clip
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New Season, New Intentions

Every now and then I like to add a piece to Sing Up The River End! regarding the development of the site. I do it in the belief that in years to come they will be interesting to look back on. I had the idea that I had not long since done this but on checking I found it was on the 26th of May 2011. With summer beckoning, I set out my stall for the close season. It is always a little worrying that with little or nothing going on at Carrow Road I will struggle to find the motivation to post every day.

I can happily report that June and July have passed and I kept up my promise of a daily delivery. August gets easier. Football is back. And with it, we all jump onto the emotional roller coaster ride that lasts until next springtime.

For SUTRE! that means the return of the head to head feature before each game. And more ammunition for the Canary Chronicles series.

And talking of series, there are now 36 different ones on this blog. Because of this I have decided it is time to plan my posting a little more carefully. I want to ensure that every section gets added to regularly. Some series will need many hundreds of articles before they are anywhere near complete. At two posts a month, it will be many years before Sing Up The River End! is how I want it to be. So the only answer is an increase on the one post per day. My intention, later in the year is to target 40 items a month. That may prove to be a tall order, but hopefully readers will appreciate the effort. Expect to see an increase in statistical information, which I want to see posted sooner rather than later.

I continue to gather NCFC information on spreadsheets. This is taking forever, but once finished, will lead in itself to even more previously unpublished bits and pieces being brought to the world wide web. I have two major fact gathering projects on the go right now that I want to finish before the end of 2011. If I succeed it will mean further advancement for the site in 2012.

Also you may see a little more current opinion being added. I have no intention to ever publish match reports or daily news on SUTRE! Other sites and blogs cover that adequately. But there are times when I fancy more topical discussion sitting alongside our rich history. It might happen !

Thanks once again to everyone who takes the time to get in touch and comment. It is nice to know my efforts are appreciated in some quarters. Stand by for even more NCFC scribbling going forward.

OTBC!
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Debutants 1907

Here is a list of all players who made their first team débuts for Norwich City Football Club in 1907 :

Patrick McLarney    9 March 1907 v Millwall Athletic  (Southern League)  (a) won 2-1

William Jex    29 March 1907 v QPR  (Southern League)  (h) won 1-0

Walter Bugg    11 April 1907 v Crystal Palace  (United League)  (h) lost 2-0

Wally Taylor    13 April 1907 v Brighton  (Southern League)  (h) lost 2-1

Bill Fiske    18 April 1907 v Hastings & St Leonards  (United League)  (h) won 4-1

George Martin    27 April 1907 v Watford  (Southern League)  (h) won 2-1

Tommy Allsopp    2 September 1907 v Portsmouth  (Southern League)  (h) won 4-0

James Bauchop    2 September 1907

Harry Hutchison    2 September 1907

Albert Jones    2 September 1907

Wally Smith    2 September 1907

James Young    2 September 1907

Gerry Newlands    14 September 1907 v Portsmouth  (Southern League)  (a) drew 1-1

Peter Roney    5 October 1907 v Brentford  (Southern League)  (h) won 3-2

Bobby Whiteman    5 October 1907

Alec Divine    26 October 1907 v Reading  (Southern League)  (a) lost 2-1

Ernie Coxhead    9 November 1907 v New Brompton  (Southern League)  (a) lost 2-1

Joe Pegg    9 November 1907 

Vivian Simpson    23 November 1907 v Southampton  (Southern League)  (h) lost 1-0

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Measuring Up To Last Time Around

..............history isn't just about yesteryear, it's also happening right now, and is brought to you on a regular basis in The Canary Chronicles


With the days left to the big kick off getting fewer and fewer, I am finding it difficult to focus on history. Or at least on people and events from a very long time ago. Much of the content on Sing Up The River End! over the past couple of weeks has had some kind of new season flavouring added to it, and today is no exception. Once the first ninety minutes in the 2011-2012 Premier League competition are behind us, this blog will return to it's more natural habitat but for now, here are just a few more facts and figures with current times in mind :

The Canaries will be hoping for a much better start to this Premier League season than the last time they were in the top flight in 2004-05. Despite some staunch efforts, it took them fourteen matches to record their first victory, with a 2-1 home win against Southampton. Another win three matches later over Bolton Wanderers gave hope, but only one more win (over West Bromwich Albion in early February) was secured in the first 32 games of the campaign. And to think, we were only relegated on the final day of the season and just a single point from safety ! I for one will be comparing our progress this term with that of 2004-05 on a regular basis because I will be amazed if we don't get our first three points much earlier this time around.

Another unwanted record from that disappointing campaign was our failure to win a single match away from home. We did put together seven draws, though some of them were against lesser teams, when we really could have done with three points. Again, a huge hurdle will have been jumped the day we break our duck on our travels.

Don't you just love the week leading up to a new season. This is possibly the only football web site in the world that does not cough up predictions on who will finish where. I don't mind fan blogs doing it - that's fun, and all part of being a football supporter and sharing dreams. But newspapers ? I am not sure I want to know from journalists. Whilst I may pass a cursory glance over some of the articles, frankly I would rather read a few more considered opinions backed up with a few facts, to maybe help me make up my own mind. One interesting thing I have noticed is that immediately after we gained promotion, far too many experts within the game were quick to decide we would be very lucky not to go straight back down again. But as the weeks and months have passed, I now detect that quite a few professional media people think we might, just might, actually do well. I find that interesting in itself, because I think there is a feeling out there that Paul Lambert has approached the task ahead in a remarkably pragmatic way. All of the new signings have been chosen because the manager believes they will fit in with the work ethics that currently prevail at Carrow Road. Those who study the game closely are concluding that of all the options Lambert could have taken, his final route is the one that could work for us. Let's be honest, he could probably have spent another £12 million on three experienced but largely ineffective Premier League players who would not offer the same commitment levels as the existing squad. Had he done so, I have an odd feeling many would be rating our chances a lot lower than they have. Only time will tell. But without doubt, slowly but surely this Norwich City strategy is gaining admirers.

Most football followers believe that last season's Premier League was the most exciting ever, and especially at the wrong end of the table where a number of sides were in danger of dropping into the Championship with just a few weeks remaining. Here is a look at the number of points won by the 18th placed team in each of the last ten seasons, that is to say the club that was closest to surviving but still went down :
2010-11    39 points    Birmingham City
2009-10    30 points    Burnley
2008-09    34 points    Newcastle United
2007-08    36 points    Reading
2006-07    38 points    Sheffield United
2005-06    34 points    Birmingham City
2004-05    33 points    Crystal Palace
2003-04    33 points    Leicester City
2002-03    42 points    West Ham United
2001-02    36 points    Ipswich Town

The worst ever performance in a Premier League season was by Derby County in 2007-08. They drew eight times but managed only one win, giving a grand total of 11 points. That solitary win equalled a Football League record set by Loughborough FC in 1900, when they gained just one victory in an entire Division Two campaign.

As recorded on Sing Up The River End! a couple of months ago, the game against Wigan Athletic on Saturday will be the 100th with Paul Lambert in charge. The earlier article can be read at :  http://canaryseventyninety.blogspot.com/2011/06/one-hundred-games-await-for-paul.html               He will also be one of only two 2011-12 Premier League managers to have won the European Cup as a player, alongside Kenny Dalglish.

This will be Norwich City's fifth season in history in the English Premier League. They have been top of the league on 20 occasions, and bottom of the league 7 times. An interesting comparison can be made with Ipswich Town who have headed the table only once and been at the bottom 21 times.

And finally............this week's head to head feature on Wigan Athletic notes a number of ex Canaries who have managed the Lancashire club in the past. Two more old favourites are working for the Latics right now. Dave Watson is the youth team coach and Kevin Reeves is a scout.
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All Time Football League Record

Norwich City joined the Football League in the 1920-1921 season, and have competed in the competition every year since, apart from during World War Two.

Progress in the all time league table is very slow and difficult, but it is worth noting that after another successful season last term, the Canaries have climbed two places from 60th to 58th. In the last twelve months we overtook Luton Town (who are not presently in the Football League and cannot therefore add to their tally) and Crystal Palace. 

Our full record is :

Played :  3610

Won :  1332

Drawn :  962

Lost :  1316

For :  5109

Against :  5153

Points :  4115

As to where we go from here, immediate advancement looks unlikely. Not only do we find ourselves in the Premier League where points are going to be more difficult to accrue, we will of course also play fewer league games. It should be noted that any table based on total points gained throughout history may be interesting to the statistician but it is not altogether scientific. Clubs that have spent more time in the lower tiers have generally played more games as the Divisions are larger. Also the change to three points for a win obviously favours those clubs that have been more successful during the last thirty years.

Above us in 57th spot are Rotherham, who lead us by 30 points, and ahead of them are Swansea, six points further on. In 55th place are Bournemouth, 60 points better than Norwich. Upward progression therefore looks unlikely during the next twelve months.

More pertinent to us perhaps are the two clubs breathing down our necks in 59th and 60th places respectively. Cardiff City are only eight points behind us and Crystal Palace just eleven. It is reasonable to assume one or both will catch us during the 2011-12 season. Beyond that we need not worry - Luton are 61st and Southampton in 62nd are still a massive 131 points inferior to us.

It is interesting to note that after two cracking seasons, we have made little impact on our overall standing in English football when measured on this basis. None of that has any relevance to forthcoming events of course, but I hope readers nonetheless find it interesting.

[This post is an update to the one featured on Sing Up The River End! on the 5th August 2010 http://canaryseventyninety.blogspot.com/2010/06/all-time-football-league-record.html ]

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