We've had some great managers during my time supporting the Canaries - Bond, Brown, Stringer, Walker, O'Neill (for a brief tenure), Worthy and Lambert. John Bond was my favourite and will always be - he pulled up City's image and got us talked about. Used to love his interviews with Gerry Harrison on Match of the Week. We've also had some turkeys: Deehan, Rioch, Megson, Rodent, Peter the Pointer, Gunny - any votes for who was the worst ??
I can only refer from Bond onwards. Brown gets my vote as I was old enough to work and get to some games. He lured some great names. Woods, Bruce, Watson, O'Neill, Crook, Phelan and Gunn for example. There was of course the Milk Cup win in 1985, Division 2 champions in 1986 and the then highest finish of 5th in 1987. That's two European qualifications which City couldn't take part in. He provided some great results too, a rare win at Coventry City (1980), a double over Liverpool (1982-83), an aggregate 9-1 double over Birmingham (1982-83), the 6-1 home win over Watford (1984), 4-1 at Aston Villa (1986), 1-0 at Manchester United (1986), 2-1 home to Liverpool (1987), 2-1 at Arsenal (1987).
Unfortunately I was only just born when Walkers side finished 3rd so I've spent more time watching Norwich in League 1/The Championship than in the Premier League. I only really started going to games the season before Worthy got us up so my choices from who I have seen is fairly limited. It's only really between Worthy and Lambert. Worthington had a more settled squad and had a few years to get up and he did it well. Unfortunately, I feel he approached the Premier League the wrong way. Dispensed with too many of the team that got us up and those that came in to replace weren't really up to scratch. Good footballers, but not good enough. Lambert was obviously a completely different kettle of fish. He galvanised a club at it's lowest point for 50 years and sent us striding back up the table with arguably a worse team then Worthington ever had. And then he kept us in the Prem, which is why I'd have to choose Lambert over Worthington. And as an aside, the entire time I have supported Norwich there have been major ups and downs but I'd take that over 10-12 years of steady decline that our dear neighbours down the road try to cover up with their history! We've definitely been the more interesting team!
Fantastic post. Even I'm not quite old enough to remember the original Cup semi-final at all clearly, but I'd like to let the young 'uns know that in those days the FACup was a serious competition and winning it was at least equal to winning the league. So when a third tier team got as far as a semi-final replay, the whole country would have been interested and the city itself must have been rocking. I think the important thing about the decade from the 80s to the mid-90s was continuity, and how each of the managers built on what the previous manager had done. It was similar to how Liverpool did things in the 70s and 80s, although obviously at a much lower level.
I think the FA should try and resurrect the cup so it means something again and is current. Does anyone have any ideas? Like if you win it you get to move up a league if you are not already in the prem? Or if you are in the prem already maybe you can have a play off with the league cup winner for a CL group place or something? Ideas???
CH is a strange one. We can't begin to write his history yet because it could go either way. If the happy clappers are right, he'll go down as the guy who started a new 20-year dynasty and regular membership of the Premiership elite. If us pant-wetters are right - well, at least he'll always have Rodent to stop him hitting rock bottom. I think it's fair to say that he hasn't won the hearts of the fans, even during the 10-match run. But that seems to be a reflection of his personality - he is not the demonstrative type and fans tend to warm to managers and players who wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Unfortunately I think it's too late to resurrect the FA cup. The FA killed it when they let Man Utd not defend it and have stamped on its grave by playing the final on days when there are important premier league games going on.
FROM KEMP: Does anyone have any ideas? Like if you win it you get to move up a league if you are not already in the prem? Or if you are in the prem already maybe you can have a play off with the league cup winner for a CL group place or something? I think this is a great idea. It would make both cups worth winning, and it could theoretically offer a lift up to a 'smaller club' and give their fans a real chance to dream again.
Oh god Mikey you would not believe how pleased I am you are back. The future is now very much bright.
Yes. Robbie BB, tell us all off for being superstitious, but my heart is also lifted by the return of Mikey.
You know i don't harp on and on about the same thing vietnam! Anyway you've got the message even if not the will to act on it Re. your point about continuity through the 80s to mid-90s, why not include the 70s in that. It really began with Saunders and the moral is that the building process is more marathon than sprint.
Kemp I like that, in fact I like that very much, would you mind if I put it out there on twitter to see what response it gets, or perhaps you might like to? ? I only ask because I don't want to steal your thunder as it were
