Thanks Paul, You've Been Brilliant For Us

News that manager Paul Lambert has tended his resignation would seem to signal the end of his tenure at Norwich City. The club may have rejected it, but things will never be the same again, even if his rumoured move to Aston Villa falls through.

History will always see Lambert recorded as one of the best and most successful Canary bosses ever. Through outstanding tactical nous, clever transfer dealing, and admirable man management he has pulled the club up by their proverbial boot strings.

But am I alone in feeling just a little relieved that things have now come to a head ? There has been an unease around the club in recent weeks - perhaps even, in recent months. Suddenly I see some light at the end of the tunnel. Pursuit of Premier League survival was so ruthlessly undertaken, there was an inevitability that once safe from relegation, much behind the scenes manoeuvring would kick off. Lambert, and indeed some players, were always going to have their own personal agendas to satisfy. And those agendas were not necessarily in the best interests of the club.

Sad as I am to see the end of an era, I am happy to swiftly move on. The combination of owners and directors that we have in place, fills me with much hope that we are in a position to get a good replacement. Paul Lambert will be a hard act to follow, but for once, the club will not be short of impressive applicants. And whilst the transfer funds and ambition may not be big enough for some present incumbents, there are many out there who will see Norwich City as a fabulous challenge. Getting the new appointment right will be a massive task. And please, let us leave sentimentality behind for once. Nobody currently employed at the club is suitable. I am confident David McNally will go for a proven achiever, and perhaps this time, somebody with top level experience, either as a manager or player.

Supporters will have their favourites. And they will deal with the emotion, and in some cases, anger, of Lambert's departure in their own way.

Paul Lambert, you have been brilliant for us. You gave us three great years. Whilst only time will tell whether you have made the right move, their are no question marks over your level of commitment to the cause since August 2009.

This day was always inevitable for Norwich City. It was always going to happen, sometime.

But anyone believing it marks the end of our great club should think again. Paul Lambert created a huge wave of success. Don't put it past David McNally to find a new man, if he has to, who is capable of riding the surf, and taking us on even further.
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Short And Sweet - Scott Parker

A quick look at players who had short stays at Carrow Road, before or after a more illustrious career elsewhere..................

Loan arrangements come in all shapes and sizes. In the case of Scott Parker, his six games for Norwich City in November 2000 suited both his parent club, Charlton Athletic, and the Canaries. It was early in his career and he needed game time - the season had seen him make just four appearances for the Addicks before he came to Carrow Road, two in the Premier League and two in the League Cup. For City manager Bryan Hamilton it provided the opportunity to add some energy and craft to his struggling team - they had been bottom of Division One in early September after failing top win any of their first five games. It was never going to be a permanent arrangement as some fans hoped as even at a young age, Parker was clearly destined for greater things.

He made his Norwich début on the 4th of November 2000 in a 1-0 home win against Tranmere Rovers, slotting into a midfield that also included Lee Marshall, Phil Mulryne and Chris Llewellyn. Another win followed over Birmingham City three days later at Carrow Road before he scored his only goal for the club in the 3-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. Parker played in all the remaining fixtures that month, but unfortunately all three were lost. A second month's loan was already agreed, but to the frustration of the Canaries supporters, he was recalled to Charlton, who had injury problems to resolve. It brought to a close a brief relationship with Norwich that promised to lift an otherwise under performing campaign. He took his undoubted skills back to The Valley, cemented a place in their midfield, and launched a good career at the top end of the English game that continues to flourish to this day.

Scott Parker was a product of the FA School of Excellence at Lilleshall and played his youth team football with Charlton. At thirteen he appeared in a McDonalds TV advert during the 1994 World Cup finals, when he was seen playing keepie uppie. His first team debut for the Addicks came in August 1997, though in those early days he was largely limited to substitute appearances. But after his loan spell in Norfolk, he got better and better for the London club, playing in 145 games in total through to 2004, and breaking into the England set up for the first time with a debut in 2003.

His combative box to box style earned him a £10 million move to Chelsea in early 2004 after much speculation about his future, something that led to a deterioration in his relationship with manager Alan Curbishley. But as it turned out, his time at Stamford Bridge saw him restricted to being an understudy to more established names. Then, on the 18th of December 2004, he broke a metatarsal bone in his foot, playing against, ironically, Norwich City. He didn't appear again all season and in July 2005, Graeme Souness paid £6.5 million to take him to Newcastle United, where he continued to develop his reputation as a busy midfielder, although a bout of glandular fever ended his season early in the March. The following summer, new manager Glenn Roeder made him captain of the Magpies.

In June 2007 he moved back to London with a switch to West Ham United. He remained there until 2011, three times being voted Hammer of the Year, and Player of the Year by the Football Writers' Association in 2011, despite the fact the club were relegated down to the Championship. Not for the first time, much intrigue followed as to Scott Parker's future, and in August 2011 he signed for Tottenham Hotspur.  In February 2012 he captained England for the first time in a friendly against Holland, and is widely expected to bring his battling qualities to the forthcoming UEFA European Football Championship in Poland and the Ukraine.
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Soccer USA - Trevor Hockey 1976-1977

We continue our look at former Norwich City players who also appeared in American football with focus today on Trevor Hockey. Though more famous for spells with Bradford City, Birmingham City and Sheffield United, his short thirteen match stay at Carrow Road at the end of the 1972-73 season was enough to turn him into a cult hero for the Canaries. The impact of his tough and ruthless ways are already well documented here on Sing Up The River End! (you can source items from the sidebar) - but in a nutshell, he was a huge reason why City survived their first ever season in the top flight.

Soon after, he left for Aston Villa, and in 1974 found himself back at Bradford City. He was reaching the end of his somewhat nomadic Football League career by this stage and in 1976 went over to Ireland as player manager of Athlone Town. It was in that summer that he first ventured to the US. His destination was the short lived franchise San Diego Jaws in California. His traditional long pirate style hair was replaced by a more chic permed look, and he played 22 matches in the 1976 North American Soccer League season wearing the number 17 shirt. Home matches were played at the Aztec Bowl on the San Diego State University campus, and amongst Hockey's team mates that year was another old Canary, Peter Silvester. It wasn't a great season for the Jaws, and the franchise was sold to Las Vegas Quicksilvers.

Trevor returned to America in 1977 and shared his time between the Quicksilvers and the San Jose Earthquakes where he coached as well as playing. The former were another one season venture -  based at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada. To prove that the sport was attractive to practitioners of all styles, Eusebio, the silky skilled Portuguese legend was there at the same time. Hockey appeared in 15 matches for them. Another five matches were played for the Earthquakes but neither side made any impression on the business end of the season.

He did not go back to the US to play after that, returning instead to non league football in England and in particular the grass roots of his home town of Keighley. Hockey was a frightening footballer to watch - brutal in the tackle and a fierce competitor. In the NASL he rubbed shoulders with some real superstars, but aside from the razzmatazz one thing is certain - they would all have known they had been in a game with Trevor around. He left an impression wherever he went. In England he will be remembered for his disruption of opposition midfield play on cold winter days. In America he was a showman, and ideal for the game as it was at the time.
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Stars Of The Past - Arthur Archer

Arthur Archer was one of the earliest contributors to Norwich City as a professional club. He joined the playing staff at Newmarket Road just as life in the Southern League commenced, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his previous exploits in the Football League. Some confusion exists as to his actual place and year of birth. Modern sources suggest it was in Derby in 1874, but Mike Davage in his 1996 book Glorious Canaries has it recorded as Ashby-de-la-Zouch in the autumn of 1877.

What we can be fairly safe in saying is that it was certainly in the East Midlands - in the first half of the 1890's Arthur played for Burton St. Edmunds, Tutbury Hampton and Burton Wanderers. It was with the latter that he first appeared in the Football League, in the Second Division in 1895. However Wanderers lost their league status at the end of the 1896-97 season and this led to a move across the Midlands to Small Heath, the club we know today as Birmingham City. He remained there until 1902, playing over 150 games. In the consecutive seasons of 1898-1899 and 1899-1900 he missed only one league match, and helped the club to a second place finish in the Second Division in 1901.

A slightly more nomadic few years followed, with time at New Brompton (later to become Gillingham), non league Wingfield House, QPR (significantly in the story as to why he later became a Citizen) and Tottenham Hotspur (where he played in eight friendlies and London League matches).

Arthur Archer signed for Norwich City in the summer of 1905. He was a stocky right back, big and beefy whose general style could best be described as hard and without nonsense. He was certainly effective. During his time at City, we had a good side defensively, with Punch McEwen, who debuted on the same day, in the other full back role. Once more, Archer had a great capacity for staying fit, and was virtually an ever present during his two seasons in the blue and white shirt of the Citizens. His first appearance came on the 2nd of September 1905, in the club's first ever official professional game, at Plymouth Argyle in the Southern League. His first goal (one of eleven in 83 matches in all competitions for Norwich) was scored on the 4th of November against his old club New Brompton.

In 1905-06, City managed a very creditable seventh place finish, with Arthur playing in thirty of the thirty four contests. In 1906-07, he missed just one Southern League match, at Luton in the October, as the team ended the campaign just one place lower in eighth. On four occasions he captained the side in the absence of McEwen, and also played in eleven United League games, three of them as skipper. His last appearance as a Citizen was on the 27th of April 1907, in the 2-1 win over Watford at Newmarket Road.

Arthur Archer had been brought to Norwich by manager John Bowman. At the time his signature was much sought after by Southern League clubs but the fact he had played in the same defence as Bowman just a few years earlier at Queens Park Rangers was no doubt a major influence. Unfortunately they left together too. Bowman resigned in the summer of 1907, and Archer moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion, as did another fine Citizen of the day, Duncan Ronaldson. Our broad shouldered full back stayed on the south coast for just one season, before ending his playing days at Millwall Athletic in 1908-09. Upon retirement he coached at various times in Germany, Belgium, and Italy and was known to be a trainer at Watford FC in the early to mid 1920's. He passed away in 1940, and will always be recorded in the annals of Norwich City as a pioneer of our great club.
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Norwich City Goalscorers

Norwich City first team goalscorers in all competitions. Friendlies and trials not included. Players still at the club omitted.


I

Billy Ingham  33
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Born This Week

.    May 28th (Today)

Walter Church ~  in 1884 in Leytonstone

.    May 29th

Andrew Crofts ~  in 1984 in Chatham

.    May 30th

Cody McDonald ~  in 1986 in Chelmsford

.    June 1st

Mark Walton ~  in 1969 in Merthyr Tydfil

William Flack ~  in 1916 in Cambridge

.    June 2nd

Leigh Bromby ~  in 1980 in Dewsbury

Trevor Howard ~  in 1949 in King's Lynn

Antonio Gallego ~  in 1924 in San Sebastian

.    June 3rd

Terry Ryder jnr ~  in 1928 in Norwich



[This feature is produced weekly and posted on Sing Up The River End! every Monday]
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Canary Fact File

The first Norwich City player to make his début against Ipswich Town was goalkeeper Bill Jeffries in 1902. Despite a 2-1 win, he never played for the club again

Former Canary Trevor Hockey sadly passed away in 1987 aged just 43

Norwich City winger James Stokes narrowly missed out on a place in the 1920 British Olympic running team, beaten by Harold Abrahams of Chariots of Fire fame

In 2001, Grant Holt had a spell in Singapore, playing for Sengkang Marine

In the 1920's, the largest crowds City played in front of in the league invariably came with trips to either Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace), The Den (Millwall) or Vetch Field (Swansea Town)

Jordan Rhodes' father Andy, was at Norwich City in 1996 as goalkeeper cover for the injured Bryan Gunn. However he played in only eight Reserve team games, and never got a first team chance

Canary Lists - Norwich City Testimonials

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


Here is a list of Norwich City Testimonials I have identified. It may not be definitive - such matches, or benefit games as they were often called in times gone by, are generally not well recorded, especially the further back you go. Details like who played, who scored and how many people went to the game is virtually impossible to identify. The granting of a testimonial was normally a way to acknowledge service to the club - and to provide financial reward to the player and his family after retirement. Some though were necessitated because of career ending injuries. In the cases of Barry Butler and Honrie James Reed, the games were memorials, as both had passed away before the matches took place.

.   Adam Drury   2012 versus Celtic  2-0
.   Craig Fleming   2006 versus Newcastle United  1-2
.   Alex Notman   2005 versus All Star XI  4-8
.   Tim Sheppard   2001 versus Celtic  2-4
.   Daryl Sutch   1999 versus AZ Alkmaar  0-0
.   Bryan Gunn   1996 versus Manchester United  0-3
.   Ian Crook   1996 versus Sparta Rotterdam  0-0
.   Jeremy Goss   1994 versus Genoa  4-5
.   John O'Neill   1989 versus John O'Neill XI  2-8
.   Peter Mendham   1987 versus Real Sociedad  2-0
.   Greg Downs   1985 versus Norwich City 74/75  7-6
.   David Jones   1982 versus All Star XI  3-2
.   Kevin Keelan   1980 versus All Star XI  4-3 (Farewell Game)
.   Billy Steele   1979 versus England XI  0-5
.   Martin Peters   1978 versus England 1966 World Cup Squad  4-2
.   Duncan Forbes   1978 versus Norwich City 71/72  0-3
.   Dave Stringer   1975 versus West Ham  1-1
.   Kevin Keelan   1974 versus Ipswich Town  1-3
.   Albert Bennett   1972 versus All Star XI  0-1
.   Terry Allcock   1969 versus Ipswich Town  3-1
.   Phil Kelly   1967 versus Select XI  6-3
.   Barry Butler   1966 versus Ipswich Town  3-1
.   Ron Ashman   1964 versus Ipswich Town  0-0
.   Barry Staton   1964 versus International XI  1-3
.   Harry Proctor   1954 versus All Star XI  2-4
.   Don Pickwick   1959 versus Spalding United 4-1
.   Bernard Robinson   1949 versus Luton Town  1-2
.   Robert Robinson and Jack Scott   1937 versus Ipswich Town  3-1
.   Joe Hannah   1932 versus Derby County  2-2
.   Charlie Dennington   1928 versus Tottenham Hotspur  3-0
.   George 'Pompey' Martin   1926 versus Hull City  2-5
.   Honrie James Reed   1910 versus Brighton & Hove Albion  0-6
.   Bobby Muir   1908 versus Norwich City Past XI  5-4
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The Nearly Canaries - Joe Lewis

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


Joe Lewis may seem a strange inclusion into the Nearly Canaries section of Sing Up The River End! but the truth is he never actually played a first team match for Norwich City. Unlike outfield players, goalkeepers are often the subjects of long periods warming the substitute's bench without getting onto the pitch, and this is exactly what happened to Joe Lewis. He was first selected whilst still nine days short of his 16th birthday for the Division One game at Carrow Road against Crystal Palace on the 27th of September 2003. Robert Green was the Norwich custodian that afternoon but Joe's elevation in rank came after an injury to Paul Crichton, the recognised number two goalkeeper. Crichton was out of action for the next half a dozen games too, but Lewis remained in waiting on the sidelines. 2004-05 saw Norwich in the Premier League of course and Paul Gallacher was signed on a free transfer from Dundee United as back up to Green. Lewis continued his education at Carrow Road and made one further bench appearance in the top flight, and four more the following season. With the departure of Robert Green to West Ham in the summer of 2006, Lewis officially became second in command but missed out on the chance of a first team début through injury, prompting the short term loan of Lee Camp and, later in the season, David Marshall and Tony Warner. The frustration was growing for young Joe and he eventually went out on loan himself to get some game time - firstly to Stockport County and then Morecambe. With Marshall eventually joining City on a permanent transfer, his opportunities were again limited and in January 2008, an offer of £400k was accepted from Peterborough United. In late April 2012, Lewis left London Road on a free transfer having made 190 appearances for the club. Ironically he signed for Cardiff City, whose No1 goalkeeper is David Marshall.

Rarely do managers substitute a goalkeeper late in the game just to give a player some experience. Had Joe Lewis been an outfield player, it is likely he would have got a few minutes on the pitch somewhere along the line. But as it is, he remains, a nearly Canary.


[This article has been updated, having first been published on Sing Up The River End! on the 12th of February 2012]
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Final League Placings 1949-1950

Football League 1949-1950
Division Three South








Notts County  58
Northampton  51
Southend  51
Nottingham Forest  49
Torquay United  48
Watford  45
Crystal Palace  44
Brighton  44
Bristol Rovers  43
Reading  42
Norwich City  42
Bournemouth  42
Port Vale  41
Swindon Town  41
Bristol City  40
Exeter City  39
Ipswich Town  35
Leyton Orient  35
Walsall  34
Aldershot  34
Newport County  34
Millwall  32


Full City Record :  P42 W16 D10 L16 F65 A63  PTS 42   Manager :  Duggie Lochhead


Portsmouth were English champions
Arsenal won the FA Cup


In This Year :  The Eagle comic appears for the first time

The first turbine powered car is tested by Rover

Clement Attlee wins the General Election for Labour with a majority of just five seats



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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Lost Opponents : Newport County

Norwich City's history against clubs no longer in the Football League or no longer in existence

Norwich City had a competitive history for many years with Newport County, before the South Wales club hit hard times. They were founded in 1912, originally as Newport and Monmouth County Association Football Club, and were followed by steel workers who had located to the area - hence their early nickname of the Ironsides. They immediately joined the Southern League, but did not come directly into contact with the Canaries as they were in a division lower. This did not happen until after World War One, by which time they had re-formed and were known simply as Newport County. The first competitive contest between the clubs was on the 30th of August 1919 at the Nest, with City comfortably winning the match 4-1.

For the 1920-21, both clubs joined the Football League Third Division, and it saw the start of a long series of matches. County won the first meeting in this competition, 2-0 at Somerton Park on the 13th of January 1921. Norwich had revenge a week later, winning 3-0 thanks to a Sam Austin brace and another from Tommy Booth. With the division thereafter being regionalised, the sides met every campaign through to 1930-31, with honours largely even. In 1929, a 4-4 draw took place in South Wales, with seven of the goals being scored in a hectic second 45 minutes. But that 1930-31 season saw the two clubs filling the bottom spots in the final Division Three South table, with County one place above City on goal average. However, whilst Norwich were voted back into the Football League, Newport were not.

It would prove to be just a one year absence for the men in amber and black. They returned for 1932-33. Their visit to the Nest in 1934 was watched by 22,433 people, the highest ever attendance at that ground for a league match, and they remained at the third tier until just before World War Two -  finishing as champions in 1938-39. Norwich had already made it up a division for the second half of the thirties, but tragically, the suspension of competitive soccer due to the war robbed Newport County of any hope of survival. They played just three games in Division Two before the season was abandoned with all records being expunged. When football resumed in 1946-47, life, as well as the game, had much changed. County struggled to compete at the new level, and finished bottom after winning only nine games.

Norwich had actually gone back down to Division Three South a year earlier than that, so clashes resumed in 1947-48. The clubs shared divisional parity right through to the end of the fifties. Though fortunes varied from season to season, the Canaries were seen at the higher end of the table more often than County. Both clubs however secured status in the third tier when a Fourth Division was formed. The last meeting at Carrow Road in Division Three South took place in 1958. City triumphed 5-2 courtesy of a Jimmy Moran hat-trick and a Terry Allcock brace.

Division Three fixtures took place in the following two seasons, including, in December 1958, a 2-2 draw which was played out at Somerton Park on an absolute mud-bath of a pitch. The final clash ever between the two clubs came in 1960, on the 12th of March in a 1-1 draw at Newport. At the end of the term, the Canaries were promoted and set flight on a largely uninterrupted existence in the top two levels of English football thereafter. For Newport County, history was not so kind.

The final head to head in Football League and FA Cup competitions reads 21 wins for Norwich, 13 for Newport, with 20 draws. City scored 97 goals to County's 71. The figures include two FA Cup matches. The Canaries won them both, the tie in 1929 ended 6-0 with Percy Varco netting four times.

At the end of the 1961-62 season Newport County finished bottom of the Third Division, and would go on to spend the rest of the sixties and all of the seventies in the fourth level. Many of those campaigns were a struggle, both on and off the field - 1972-73 was a rare exception, seeing a fifth place finish. Then, in 1979-80, promotion was secured, leading to seven seasons back in Division Three. County won the Welsh Cup in 1980, thereby gaining entry to the European Cup Winner's Cup the following year. Gallantly they reached the quarter finals, beating Crusaders from Northern Ireland, and then SK Hauger (Norway), before losing on aggregate to East German side Carl Zeiss Jena.

That proved to be the last peak for Newport County. A fourth placed finish in 1983 put them within touching distance of the Second Division, but after that, the decade showed decline. Relegation hit the club hard in 1987 - they failed to recover the next year too, finishing bottom of Division Four with only 25 points. And that meant the loss of Football League status. The fate awaiting them actually turned out to be even worse. In February 1989 the club went bankrupt, not able to complete it's Conference fixtures and eventually being expelled from the competition.

In the summer of that year the club was re-formed in the name Newport County AFC. They joined the Hellenic League, but had to play home matches at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire. However, they won the league and cup double, taking them back to the Southern League. They had time playing back at Somerton Park, then another spell playing away from their home, this time in Gloucester during a dispute with the Football Association of Wales. But since 1994-95 they have played at the newly built Newport Stadium, working their way up to the Conference once again, as they aim to re-gain their proud Football League heritage.


Update :  On the 5th of May 2013, Newport County beat Wrexham 2-0 in the Football Conference Play Off Final at Wembley to win entry back into the Football League. They therefore can no longer be considered 'lost opponents' to Norwich City, as the clubs could be drawn together in the League Cup.



pictured : Newport County playing colours during the period they first met Norwich City, though it is believed they started the 1919-20 season wearing chocolate and blue shirts donated to them by West Bromwich Albion. Given the fact their opening fixture of that campaign was against the Canaries, they may well have worn that colour rather than their traditional strip (picture copyright Historical Football Kits - not to be reproduced without permission of the owners).
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Debutants 1934

Here is a list of all players who made their first team débuts for Norwich City Football Club in 1934 :

Jack Roy    25 January 1934 v Gillingham  (Division 3S Cup)  (h) won 4-0
Harold Houghton    10 March 1934 v Exeter City  (Division 3S)  (h) drew 1-1
Alf Kirchen    28 April 1934 v Southend  (Division 3S)  (a) drew 0-0
Frank Perfect    28 April 1934
John Hewitt    8 September 1934 v Bradford Park Avenue  (Division 2)  (a) drew 1-1
Harry Dukes    15 September 1934 v Plymouth Argyle  (Division 2)  (h) won 3-0
Jack Russell    6 October 1934 v West Ham United  (Division 2)  (h) lost 2-1
Bill Hinton    13 October 1934 v Blackpool  (Division 2)  (a) lost 2-1
Alfred Worton    13 October 1934
Sam Bowen    20 October 1934 v Port Vale  (Division 2)  (h) drew 0-0
Harry Proctor    3 November 1934 v Sheffield United  (Division 2)  (h) won 3-1
Glynn Davies    22 December 1934 v Swansea Town  (Division 2)  (a) drew 1-1
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Life After City

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

Ian Murray, who was at Norwich City for a six month period from August 2007, has been released by Scottish Premier League club Hibernian, where he was club captain. After an injury dogged campaign, the 31 year old is quoted as being unsurprised by the news. The Edinburgh club are keen to take some of this season's loanees back to Easter Road next term, and included on that list is George Francomb. The twenty year old Canary right back played in the final fifteen minutes of Saturday's Scottish FA Cup Final, coming on as a substitute as Hibs crashed 5-1 to local rivals Hearts. He also appeared for City in the second half of Adam Drury's testimonial against Celtic last night. Time will tell whether the coaching staff at Norwich feel he is now ready to take the step up to the English Premier League.

Omar Koroma made six Norwich City appearances between August and October 2008 whilst on loan from Portsmouth. This week the Gambian international has agreed a three year contract with Conference side Forest Green Rovers. Last year's loanee, Ritchie de Laet, has joined Championship side Leicester City from Manchester United in a permanent move. Former Canaries favourite Ian Crook has been appointed manager of Sydney FC in Australia. And Ryan Jarvis is in talks with Torquay United about a permanent move to Plainmoor. He is out of contract with his parent club Walsall in the summer and had been on loan to the Gulls since March, scoring twice in sixteen appearances.

Two more players with past connections to Norwich City find themselves looking for a new challenge for next season. 2009 Player of the Year Lee Croft, has been transfer listed by Derby County. He has made 31 appearances for the Rams but has also been out on loan to Huddersfield, and more recently St. Johnstone. And striker Stephen Elliott, who had a cameo loan spell at Carrow Road during the League One promotion push, has been shown the door by Hearts, despite playing a part in their Scottish FA Cup triumph at the weekend. A number of other former City players are also seeking pastures new, including Gary Doherty, Darel Russell, Sammy Clingan, Oli Johnson and Joe Lewis.
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Football History Links No7

Sing Up The River End! is well established with NCFC facts, figures, and trivia, and now we also bring you more general football history information from all eras. In an occasional series we will select the best links, news stories, sites and videos available on the net for those readers whose interest in the past times of football goes, occasionally, beyond the yellow and green 

People of my generation, and younger, have become well accustomed to seeing the England national set up out-thought and outplayed by teams from foreign shores. But a game played on the 22nd of November 1953 is recorded as the exact moment in history when we woke up to the idea that other countries were maybe much better at developing association football, both tactically and technically, than we were. In later years, Brazil, Holland and more recently Spain, would hold that honour, but in the fifties it was Hungary. They came to Wembley and won by 6 goals to three. England had brought the game of football to the world, but in ninety quick minutes were shown a whole new way of playing, which included a deep lying centre forward who continually dragged our centre half out of position. Whilst the final scoreline no longer looks quite as devastating as it did back in 1953, this occasion was a huge wake up call for the sport in this country. Thereafter, English coaches studied and adopted foreign ideas and methods where they could, and clubs in general became more professional in their whole approach to the game.

Here are two links that give much greater insight into the match in question :

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/17/seven-deadly-sins-football-hungary-england  takes you to the Guardian site and an article written by Brian Glanville in the Observer.

And then a YouTube clip for the action as it happened.

The longer my football watching life has gone on, the more I like John Motson, the BBC commentator. He has recently been celebrating 40 years behind the microphone, and the thing I love most about his work is that he has retained an enthusiasm for the game that is rarely seen in professional broadcasters - you could send him to a match in the eighth level of English football and he would report back in the exact same style as you would expect for a Champions League Final. He clearly loves the game, and you can tell his roots go back to a day when football was hugely different to the 2012 version. This recent article  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16039736 was published on the BBC Sport site and includes footage of a time when John was not so well appreciated - by none other than Brian Clough. Personally, I take everything Clough said on this occasion with a pinch of salt, he was one of the earliest self publicists on television, who understood saying something outrageous was much more rewarding than taking a soft option approach. But it is amusing to see a younger and less experienced Motty looking less than comfortable with Clough's views. And perhaps reflecting that debate on the standard of football coverage on television is nothing new. Even in 1979, there was no format that would please everyone.

Whilst researching something else a few days ago, I came across the story of Leslie Knighton. Whilst he may not exactly be a household name in footballing circles, he was involved in one of the very earliest cases of doping in professional sport. Knighton was manager of Arsenal immediately after World War One and his six years in charge were notable only for mid table obscurity and a strained working relationship with the Gunner's chairman Sir Henry Norris. In 1925, Arsenal were drawn against West Ham United in the first Round of the FA Cup. The story goes that one day a stranger walked into Knighton's office claiming to be a Harley Street doctor and an Arsenal supporter. He offered the manager a box of pills, advising they were likely to provide increased energy levels, and the team each took one prior to the cup game. The match was postponed due to fog, leaving Knighton with a group of players that were both highly excited and suffering from unquenchable thirst. They took another dose before the re-arranged game, but that again was postponed. When the game did eventually take place, the Arsenal footballers reluctantly swallowed more pills, and though they had fantastic stamina throughout the ninety minutes, they could only manage a draw. So severe were the after effects of these mysterious tablets, they point blank refused to take any more for the replay. The whole episode took place in secret, and only emerged years later when Knighton published his memoirs. And as to the exact nature of these drugs nobody knows to this day. The only description we have is ' little silver pills ' and should point out that there was no rule in existence at the time prohibiting their use.
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First & Last - Max Briggs

First game :  31st August 1968 versus Bury home Division Two 2-2 draw

Last game :  5th February 1974 versus QPR away Division One 2-1 win



Signed from :  youth team
Next club :  Oxford United
Played professionally :  until 1978
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Kevin Keelan In 2011

Anyone who admires Kevin Keelan as much as I do will love this video clip. It shows a match played just last year in 2011 in which the Norwich City goalkeeping legend took part, and 'The Cat' can be seen making some good saves. In fact one was really good (around ten minutes into the video), demonstrating he can still get to ground quickly, just as he did back in the good old days. The event was billed as The Buick GMC Celebrity Half Time Game, the greens versus the yellows, with Keelan between the sticks for the latter wearing the No13 shirt. It's not much more than a park kick-around, but persevere if you can, the best parts come in the second half of the clip.

Keelan (born 1941) stills look fit, healthy, and alert, and you can tell that he has remained in football since leaving these shores way back at the start of the eighties. His positioning in this game was still excellent, and his distribution was miles better than Joe Hart (though some might argue that is not too difficult). I loved also the beaming smile of victory at the end of the match -  KK, I reckon, is still a fierce competitor.

My thanks, as always, to YouTube, and the contributor who posted the clip.


 

Born This Week

.    May 21st (Today)  

Jonny Howson ~ in 1988 in Morley, Leeds

Peter Gordon ~  in 1932 in Northampton

.    May 22nd

Ron Spelman ~  in 1938 in Blofield

Bob Edwards ~  in 1931 in Guildford

Fred Ferrari ~  in 1901 in Stratford

.    May 23rd

George Wiseman ~  in 1921 in East Dereham

.    May 24th

Nick Tanner ~  in 1965 in Bristol

Ernest Williamson ~  in 1890 in Murton, Co Durham

Jimmy Bauchop ~  in 1886 in Sauchie, Scotland

.    May 25th

Paul Peschisolido ~  in 1971 in Ontario, Canada

Ron Davies ~  in 1942 in Holywell, North Wales

George 'Pompey' Martin ~  in 1889 in Gateshead

Walter Bugg ~  in 1882 in Poplar

.    May 26th

Les Allman ~  in 1902 in Burton On Trent

.    May 27th

Leonard Kell ~  in 1932 in Billingham



[This feature is produced weekly and posted on Sing Up The River End! every Monday] 
.

Who Knows..........Paul Wilkinson 1971

I sometimes receive communication from readers, regarding a Norwich City fact, or memory. If I can't help, maybe you can .....

???

This e mail came in to me recently from Andy Chapman 

Hi Aitch,  

I write for http://www.greensonscreen.co.uk and we are trying to get a photo and a player profile of every player to have played for Plymouth Argyle since our Southern League days in 1903. One player is Paul Wilkinson, an 18-year old loaned from Norwich City in 1971 - he made 2 appearances for us which turned out to be the sum total of his entire league career. I was wondering whether you or anyone on your blog or message boards might have a good head and shoulders shot of him from a team photo or a programme that we could use? Any help you can give would be gratefully appreciated.

I have been aware of Paul Wilkinson for some time, after other research I needed to do for Sing Up The River End! But he was, in truth, slightly before my time as a Canary fan - I was still a young teenager in 1971 and my range of knowledge in those days did not really stretch too far beyond the regular first teamers. As it happens, I was able to help Andy with a picture, courtesy of an old Norwich City handbook, plus a small amount of information regarding the player - he was born in Themelthorpe, near Reepham and broke his leg whilst still an apprentice with the Canaries. He signed professionally in May 1970 and played in 25 Reserves games in 1970-71 scoring once. However, he never played a first team game for Norwich and seemingly slipped off the radar the following season.

In exchanging correspondence, Andy and I both agreed that it would be good to know what happened to Paul after Carrow Road, and I suggested that an older reader of this blog might well know the answer. There is no record that we can find of him playing any other Football League soccer other than with Plymouth Argyle. I wonder if he was involved in local football, something I would have missed because of my age at the time.

If anyone can help please let us know.

Please leave your reply as a comment, or email me (address at bottom of blog) and I will add. We all have things we remember that others have forgotten......here is your chance to help a fellow fan. Do you have any questions that are nagging away somewhere in your mind ? Something you can only half remember. Drop me an e mail (anonymously if you prefer) and I will try to sort you out, or add to the 'Who Knows' section
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Norwich City Appearances

Norwich City first team appearances in all competitions, including those from the substitutes bench. Friendlies and trial matches not included. Players still at the club omitted.


I

Billy Ingham  134
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Canary Fact File

The nickname 'Canaries' was due to the birds being bred locally by Flemish settlers, and stuck when manager John Bowman kept calling his players 'my little Canaries'

Relegation in 1980-1981 was confirmed by losing 3-2 at home to Leicester City on the final day of the season

The most league appearances by a Canary is 590 - by Ron Ashman

Mel Machin conceded a penalty in the 1975 League Cup Final with a flying one handed goal line save. He was not dismissed - just booked

John Bond was Norwich City manager for just under 7 years

The Canaries have had green shorts in their home kit continuously since 1970 except for the period between 1997 to 1999
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Time To Say Goodbye

The following players have left Norwich City FC :




Josh Dawkin
2009-2012   3 appearances 0 goals

Kyle Naughton 
2011-2012 (on loan from Spurs)   32 appearances 0 goals

Zak Whitbread
2010-2012   48 appearances 1 goal

Aaron Wilbraham
2011-2012   28 appearances 2 goals

They depart with our best wishes, and thanks for their service to the club
.

Final League Placings 1948-1949

Football League 1948-1949
Division Three South








Swansea Town  62
Reading  55
Bournemouth  52
Swindon Town  51
Bristol Rovers  48
Brighton  48
Ipswich Town  45
Millwall  45
Torquay United  45
Norwich City  44
Notts County  43
Exeter City  40
Port Vale  39
Walsall  38
Newport County  37
Bristol City  36
Watford  35
Southend  34
Leyton Orient  34
Northampton  33
Aldershot  33
Crystal Palace  27


Full City Record  :  P42 W16 D12 L14 F67 A49  PTS 44    Manager :  Duggie Lochhead


Portsmouth were English champions
Wolverhampton Wanderers won the FA Cup


In This Year :  The first Badminton Horse Trials take place

Clothes rationing ends in Britain

Musician Rick Wakeman is born



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 Goalscorers

Norwich City first team goalscorers in all competitions. Friendlies and trials not included. Players still at the club omitted.


H

Ralph Hunt  72
Jimmy Hill  66
Roy Hollis  59
Darren Huckerby  48
Tommy Hunt  33
Joe Hannah  21
Oscar Hold  20
Trevor Howard  19
Don Heath  18
Billy Hampson  10
Harold Houghton  10
Ron Hansell  10
Arthur Hawes  8
Ian Henderson  6
Archie Hubbard  6
William Hughes  6
Asa Hartford  5
Paul Haylock  4
David Hodgson  4
Gary Holt  3
Age Hareide  3
Stephen Hughes  3
Joe Herbert  3
Andy Hughes  2
John Hewitt  2
David Healy  2
Sandy Higgins  2
Philip Hope  1
Phil Hoadley  1
Bert Holmes  1
James Hodge  1
Phil Hubbard  1
William Horton  1
Charlie Hooper  1
Paul Hughes  1
Percy Humphreys  1
Bob Heffer  1
Ernest Hunt  1

.  

Loose Ends

..............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 

His stock may be high, and there may well be constant talk of him leaving Norwich this summer. But for now, Paul Lambert is the sixteenth longest serving manager in the top four levels of English football. Interestingly, of the fifteen above him in the list, only two men are younger - Paul Tisdale of Exeter City and Roberto Martinez of Wigan Athletic.

At the end of this season, Norwich City had completed 202 Premier League games. Of these 62 have been wins, 62 have been draws and 78 have ended in defeat. The 248 points accrued place the Canaries in 28th position in the all time table.

City have not kept an away clean sheet in the Premier League since the 16th of October 2004 in a 0-0 draw at the Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion - a run of 33 matches.

During the season just finished, a few landmarks were reached by current Canaries. Grant Holt now stands on 70 goals for the club in all competitions, putting him equal 7th in the all time club scoring list alongside John Deehan. Adam Drury has reached 361 appearances for the club, placing him 14th in history and now just eight games behind Ian Culverhouse. Wes Hoolahan passed the 150 mark (finishing the season on 158), Grant Holt (130) and Russell Martin (113) both crashed through the 100 game barrier.

Norwich City's 2-0 win over Aston Villa was their first final day of the season victory since the 2003-04 season when they won 3-1 away at Crewe, in Iwan Roberts' last ever match as a Canary. It was also the first time in history that City had won a Premier League match on a Sunday - coming at the sixteenth attempt.

The modern day attendance record at Carrow Road now stands at 26,819 which was achieved on the 28th of April 2012 against Liverpool.

Eleven men played for Norwich City for the first time in senior football during the 2011-12 campaign. This compares to fourteen in the previous season. Incredibly twenty four players made their débuts in 2009-10, and out of these only seven are still with the club.
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Norwich City Review Of The Season

Norwich City 2011-2012

League Playing Record : 

Full    P38  W12  D11  L15  F52  A66  PTS 47    

Home    P19  W7  D6  L6  F28  A30  PTS 27    

Away    P19  W5  D5  L9  F24  A36  PTS 20

Premier League Final Position :  12th
FA Cup :  5th Round
League Cup :  2nd Round


Most Appearances (all comps) :  Grant Holt 38, John Ruddy 37, Russell Martin 37, Wes Hoolahan 37, Steve Morison 37

Most Goals (all comps) :  Grant Holt 17, Steve Morison 10, Anthony Pilkington 8

Career Appearances :  Adam Drury 361, Wes Hoolahan 158, Grant Holt 130, Simon Lappin 124

Career Goals :  Grant Holt 70, Chris Martin 34, Wes Hoolahan 31

Player Of The Year :  Grant Holt

Highest Attendance : 26,819 v Liverpool  28th April 2012

Biggest Win : 4-1 v Burnley  FA Cup  7th January 2012

Biggest Defeat :  1-6 v Manchester City  Premier League  14th April 2012

Five Days That Shaped The Season

Saturday 27th August 2011 -  Chelsea 3 Norwich City 1

After draws in the opening two Premier League fixtures, this match provided the first 'fingers crossed' occasion - a day when hope was probably overtaken by dread of what might happen. As it turned out, the Canaries gave a fantastic account of themselves in a dramatic match. It didn't look good when Bosingwa put the home side ahead with a good shot after just six minutes. But by the time Grant Holt equalised on 63 minutes, City had given Chelsea a really tough afternoon. The game only slipped away from us in the closing stages. A long hold up after a horrific injury to Drogba, who collided with John Ruddy, was followed by a penalty in which the City goalkeeper was red carded, and then a last gasp goal deep into the time added on. But Norwich had shown enough on the day to suggest they would be no pushovers at this level, and it was a very early sign of Paul Lambert's tactical nous, which would set us in good stead for the remainder of the campaign.

Saturday 17th September 2011 -  Bolton Wanderers 1 Norwich City 2

Whilst I am sure the players went in to this match focussed only on the job in hand, it was an important day for supporters. A day when they got a monkey off their backs. Norwich City had failed to win away from home in the Premier League for 17 years, having won no three pointers on their travels in their last top flight campaign of 2004-05. It was a record that needed to go - a similar run this time around was always likely to spell relegation. That it went in just the third away trip of the season was satisfying, and a relief. Goals from Anthony Pilkington and Bradley Johnson towards the end of the first half were followed by a red card for Bolton's Klasnic. The expected fight back from the home side after the break produced just one goal (from the penalty spot, meaning Norwich had conceded in this way in all five opening matches of their league campaign). But the Canaries were comfortable and deserved the win. A first victory back in the Premier League. And that record, which would have undoubtedly been a millstone as the season progressed, was gone very early on.

Monday 2nd January 2012 -  Queens Park Rangers 1 Norwich City 2

This was always going to be a hard match, given the rivalry of last season and City's win over Rangers in the home fixture back in November. It was no surprise when Barton gave the Hoops the lead on eleven minutes. And it was no surprise when the moody midfielder saw red after 36 minutes. It was the turning point in a tempestuous affair. The Canaries held firm, fully prepared to add needle and aggression to their mind set. A goal from Anthony Pilkington levelled things before the break, leaving Steve Morison to come off the bench and hit home the winner seven minutes from time. This game was a huge landmark in the season for both clubs. Norwich had already been attracting praise for their Premier League efforts thus far. This victory took them to 25 points at New Year, and showed that the side had real backbone. It was one of those days when survival in the top level suddenly looked achievable. And a double over the only team to finish above us in last season's Championship felt good.

Saturday 4th February 2012 -  Norwich City 2 Bolton Wanderers 0

I think most Norwich fans had targeted this as a must win match even before a ball had been kicked in the 2011-12 Premier League season. And when the time came, it gave the opportunity to open up a sizeable gap on rival clubs in the relegation battle. Unfortunately, history tends to point to let downs in similar situations in the past. And an unusually poor performance at Sunderland in midweek cultivated plenty of doubt in the mind going into the match. How nice it was therefore, to see such a confident and comfortable victory over the struggling Trotters. Especially as both of our centre backs, Zak Whitbread and Daniel Ayala, were lost to injury in the first half - meaning a cobbled together defence for a large part of the game. Goals from Andrew Surman and Anthony Pilkington gave the Canaries the valuable three points. And it meant a twelve point gap between the two teams in the Premier League table. Norwich City were up to ninth position. Relegation battle ? What relegation battle ?

Saturday 24th March 2012 -  Norwich City 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

This was the victory that probably convinced most Norwich City fans that their team would be in the Premier League for the 2012-13 campaign. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was a tense occasion, made more so when Jarvis put the visitors ahead on 25 minutes. But the Canaries hit back immediately, within a minute, through a delightful lobbed goal from Grant Holt. He added a penalty on the stroke of half time, and City were on their way to three points. A Wolves capitulation did not follow however, in fact this turned out to be one of their few decent performances in the final third of the season. In the end Norwich pulled through, even surviving the dismissal of Holt late on. The wider picture was survival on a bigger front. Though the win did not quite take City to the Holy Grail of 40 points, it pretty much meant there would be no relegation. That position was not actually mathematically confirmed until a couple of matches from the end of the season as it happens, but this, undoubtedly, was the day we really felt safe.

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

Norwich City may have been the top tip for relegation amongst the so called experts. But loyal Canary fans called it differently. Personally I felt we had a fair chance of survival, given a little bit of luck along the way. As it transpired we didn't need luck, at least in no measurable quantity. Once we had shaken off the early season nerves (the reason behind all those penalties conceded), we hit a wonderful rhythm. Our group of lean and hungry footballers, constantly rotated to keep them fresh, soon made up for a lack in age and experience by producing regular fighting displays. And the tactical nous coming from the touchline often undid even the more established of Premier League opponents. In the end, survival was almost ridiculously easy. Even supporters of the most nervous disposition were treated to an armchair ride. For the third season in succession the club made progress. There was even time, after safety was secured, to beat Spurs and frighten the life out of Arsenal away from home. Thoughts already are firmly turned towards next season. It will be a busy summer in and out of Carrow Road I expect, and therefore predictions are difficult without knowing exactly what shape we are going to be in come August. But we have some extraordinarily good young talent on our books right now. There is still much reason to be optimistic. The curse of second season syndrome will doubtless be an issue. And with Reading and Southampton already confirmed as members of the top flight for 2012-13, the competition already has a more verdant look to it. But if the Canaries continue to tackle each match with the same self belief of the last ten months there should be nothing to worry about. The whole squad have shown few signs of being fazed by the greater challenges put before them. The campaign has been a pleasure, for everyone associated with Norwich City Football Club. And it is that emotion that we need to carry forward. For as Franklin D. Roosevelt once famously said, the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.


.  For reviews of other seasons, click on the label below
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Debutants 1933

Here is a list of all players who made their first team débuts for Norwich City Football Club in 1933 :

Jack Vinall    26 August 1933 v Clapton Orient  (Division 3S)  (h) won 3-0
Billy Warnes    26 August 1933
Tom Halliday    28 August 1933 v Bristol City  (Division 3S)  (h) won 7-2
Theo Pike    6 September 1933 v Bristol City  (Division 3S)  (a) won 1-0
Robert Morris    7 October 1933 v Torquay Utd  (Division 3S)  (h) lost 2-0
Rod Williams    25 December 1933 v Crystal Palace  (Division 3S)  (a) won 1-0
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We've Never Had It So Good

Back to back promotions for Norwich City in the two seasons prior to this one, was of course unprecedented. A feat that had never been achieved before in the history of the club. Keeping things tickety boo for that length of time is difficult. And puts into even sharper focus the achievements of this latest Premier League campaign. There have never been three consecutive years like it as far as Canary fans are concerned - certainly not in the hardcore factual analysis of league position department, and probably not in terms of sheer entertainment value and absence of disappointment.

There were times in history when it was much more difficult for football clubs to make progress or fall into rapid decline. For many years, promotion places at lower levels were at a premium, and there were no play-offs providing unexpected elevations. With only two points up for grabs for a win, late season promotion pushes were much harder. A large number of clubs just stayed at the same level year after year. Ticking over but surviving.

The modern game is of course much different. Although Norwich's success has largely come about as a result of hard graft and tactical genius, money within the game in general has changed things - success (and failure) can be bought in a much quicker period of time. Thirty six months can bring huge swings in fortune.

Unfortunately for Norwich City, previous happy days have nearly always been followed by set-backs, failures and bleeding hearts. Any pulse racing excitement has largely seen despair arrive soon after.

Remember our wonderful League Cup success of 1985. Yes it was wonderful, and a great era at Carrow Road. Just months later we were relegated. And the drama of our first European adventure in 1993. Again just months later, Mike Walker lived up to his name........and walked. The dream turned into a nightmare off the field, with star players sold without replacement, and a couple of years later, the loss of our top flight status. Perhaps our greatest achievement ever was winning promotion to Division One in the first place, back in 1972. And although we had a great run in the League Cup the next season and the sensational relief of surviving an unnecessary relegation battle, the third campaign saw us go down. Three good years were beyond us. And then let us not forget the second half of the eighties, when we competed with, and often beat, the best teams in England. But two UEFA Cup qualifications (and a third via that League Cup win) were cruelly denied. English clubs were banned from Europe.

None of this is to say that being a Canary fan has not been fun however. And in terms of getting close to such a successful trinity of seasons as these last three, I would offer two periods in the fifties and early sixties. The best was between 1958-59 and 1960-61. The glorious FA Cup run through to the semi final followed by a last minute promotion rush as City played catch up with their league fixtures. They finished in fourth place, with huge honour, and went two places better the following year to go up to the Second Division. And then a tremendous finish of fourth again, at that new level. Certainly a good few years there.

And at the start of the fifties, consecutive Division Three South terms that saw the Canaries in second, third and fourth positions. That though was in the days when only the champions went up, but they were great times at Carrow Road, certainly the best since World War Two. But I should add, to demonstrate my point, that in 1956, City finished bottom of that division, were broke, and had to apply for re-election back into the Football League.

Another little period worthy of a mention is the third place finish in Division Three South in 1932, followed by winning the title a year later. A solid performance the next season (not dissimilar to 2012) brought survival and smiles.

But I have no hesitation in declaring that never in history have Norwich City supporters had it so good as these last three years. And I say this with the level at which these achievements have taken place, foremost in my mind.

A fourth year of progression ?  We all hope so. But if three was unprecedented, four would surely be a bloody miracle.
.

Born This Week

.    May 14th (Today)

Reg Keating ~  in 1904 in Leeds

Arthur Wolstenholme ~  in 1889 in Middleton, Manchester

.    May 15th

Juan Velesco ~  in 1977 in Dos Hermanas, Spain

Colin McDonald ~  in 1950 in Norwich

.    May 17th

Leon McKenzie ~  in 1978 in Croydon

Aubrey Darmody ~  in 1921 in Swansea

.    May 18th

Danny Mills ~  in 1977 in Norwich

Ray Price ~  in 1944 in Durham

George Donnelly (aka George Fell) ~  in 1887 in Carlisle

.    May 19th

Ron Ashman ~  in 1926 in Whittlesey, Cambs

.    May 20th

Wes Hoolahan ~  in 1982 in Dublin



[This feature is produced weekly and posted on Sing Up The River End! every Monday] 
.

Grant Holt - Norwich City Player Of The Year 2012

Grant Holt has been awarded the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy after being voted Player Of The Year for 2012. It is the third year running he has received this accolade - no other player has ever won the award three times in the history of the club.


A full list of winners can be sourced from the index in the sidebar of this blog.

Division One (Old)

The old Division One of the English Football League was the top flight competition in the land before the establishment of the Premier League in 1992-93. Thereafter it became the second tier, until a re-branding led to a name change with the Championship coming into existence for the 2004-05 season. This article concerns itself with Norwich City's involvement pre 1992 - a further post will be made on the second period at a later time.

When the Football League came into being in 1888 there was only one division, made up of twelve clubs. But an expansion four years later led to a second division being introduced. It would be many years of course before Norwich City joined the Football League (in 1920), and even longer before they made it to Division One. The historic date was the 24th of April 1972 when a win at Orient guaranteed a place in the top tier for the following season. Between then and the formation of the Premier League, the Canaries spent seventeen years out of twenty playing in the competition - the sequence thrice being broken by single season relegations from which the club bounced straight back. For much of that time City were a well established Division One outfit, even climbing as high as a fourth place finish in 1989, beating the previous best of fifth in 1987. Both of those achievements should have led to qualification to the UEFA Cup (as should the 1985 League Cup win), but English clubs were banned at the time from European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.

Our first match in Division One came about on the 12th of August 1972 at Carrow Road against Everton. The game ended in a 1-1 draw with Jimmy Bone scoring the club's first top flight goal. The Canaries built on that start with a win at Ipswich Town and then two at home, against Derby County and Stoke City. It saw them up to seventh place in the table after six games. It was all very encouraging for Ron Saunders' team, who played with the same determination that had served them so well when winning the Second Division title. Wins against Arsenal and then Spurs in September and October meant they acquired a reputation of being no pushovers, and in mid November, victory over West Bromwich Albion left Norwich at the giddy height of sixth. Three days later however, the trouble started. Not with heavy defeat or the departure of the manager, but a stunning 3-0 win at Highbury against Arsenal in the League Cup. Suddenly City were just one step away from a first ever Wembley appearance. And the affect that had on their Division One performances was to prove almost fatal. None of the following nineteen games were won - in fact just five points were picked up in that time. It was only after defeat in the League Cup Final to Spurs that Norwich got their league season back on track. A famous victory over Chelsea in mid April settled the nerves, then a win at West Bromwich Albion and an even more famous victory against Crystal Palace on a Tuesday night at Carrow Road saw the Canaries hold on to Division One status by the skin of their teeth.

Not too many of the subsequent top flight seasons turned out quite so dramatic. Pride was high however that the club had survived that first year amongst the big boys, having been everyone's favourite for relegation. The second season of 1973-74 did though see the first of those three demotions, but strangely, the events surrounding it were significant to the success of the next twenty years. By mid November, Saunders had gone, to be replaced by the altogether different John Bond. City had been unable to shake off the siege mentality performances of the previous campaign and fans had become increasingly bored with dour and ultimately unsuccessful performances. Bond only knew one way to play. Entertaining and attacking football. Though he could not save the club from the drop, sensational signings like Ted MacDougall, Phil Boyer and Martin Peters ensured an immediate return to Division One, and in style.

Five top tier seasons under Bond followed. Whilst all were mid table affairs on the whole, Carrow Road was a great place to be. Inventive football, with more than a dash of flair. It was the beginning of a tradition in the way Norwich City wanted to, and would, play. Fans forgot the fact the Canaries had never in their history been a Division One club. We were suddenly an established team, with no fear of the sides around us.

But the wheel eventually fell off the wagon in 1980. John Bond left for a bigger job at Manchester City, and Ken Brown, his friend and assistant filled the breach. Norwich were relegated on the last day of the season after losing 3-2 at home to Leicester City, who were already relegated. Thankfully, the board backed the manager, and the Canaries bounced straight back. The brashness of Bond was replaced by the more gentle but assured style of Brown. And the lovely football got, if anything, even more lovelier. The re-built team may have lacked star names to begin with, but the likes of Woods, Watson, Bruce, Deehan and Barham would all go on to be synonymous with good Norwich football. The tragedy of course came in 1985, when the side lifted the League Cup - but then slipped to an unlikely and unfair relegation. Coventry City were allowed to play their final three games after the season had finished. They needed to win all three to send Norwich down, and did so - the last victory was against champions Everton, who put out an understrength team and the Sky Blues duly won 4-1.

Again City stuck with their manager, and again bounced straight back. There was little doubt that Brown had a Division One team - a statement borne out by the winning of the second level with relative ease. And on their return to the top flight, they proved themselves to be a very good side, finishing the 1986-87 campaign in fifth place in the table with Kevin Drinkell scoring 16 goals. Spurs and Liverpool were beaten at Carrow Road, Manchester United and Arsenal away from home.

Sadly, a poor start in 1987-88 led to the sacking of Ken Brown. Even more sad was the treatment Brown received - he had to sit through a hasty and ill prepared press conference, a crestfallen figure who deserved more from a club he had served so well. Many expected Mel Machin, ex player and formerly Brown's assistant, to return to the club from Manchester City, but he turned the approach down. So chairman Robert Chase instead turned to the popular Dave Stringer, the former centre half who had played such a significant part in City's initial entry into Division One back in the early seventies. He would go on to be the final manager to lead the club in that particular competition prior to the formation of the Premier League.

Under Stringer, seasons ranged from steady to sensational. In 1988-89, Norwich had their best ever Division One finish - fourth place behind Arsenal, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The Canaries were top of the table from early October until Christmas and only ran out of steam at Easter. That final position of fourth was the lowest place the club had been in since the second match of the campaign. Despite a regular turnover of quality players both in to and out of the club, Stringer successfully turned City into a well respected top flight club, hard to beat and entertaining. Many would argue to this day that he paved the way for the sensational start to Premier League life that would follow under Mike Walker.

1991-92 was the final season that the old Division One existed. For Norwich, it saw a disappointing end - just one win and one draw was managed from the last eleven matches. Relegation was only avoided by three points - had we not done so, we would not have been founder members of the Premier League. The Canaries last ever game in the division was on the 2nd of May 1992 at Elland Road, a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United, the last ever champions of the competition.
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