Archive for June, 2009

Bryan Gunn's willingness to seek hidden gems in the murky depths of non-league was again evident this week with news that Cambridge City's right-sided midfielder Scott Neilson would be granted a two-week trial at the Norfolk club.

Cody McDonald is the first of that particular breed as the Canary chief looks to emulate the feat of Wolves boss Mick McCarthy who plucked winger Michael Kightly out of relative obscurity with Grays Athletic before polishing him up into the …

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City boss Bryan Gunn will today watch his players go through the first of their pre-season paces – well aware that this summer's transfer merry-go-round has many a-spin to go.

For while the Canary chief has not been slow of the mark in terms of rebuilding his midfield with the arrival of Owain Tudor Jones from Swansea City and Matt Gill from Exeter – and, indeed, has shored up the defence with the arrival of ex-Hartlepool skipper Michael Nelson – all eyes now remain on the …

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One of the more painful – albeit all-too predictable – exits of the summer was duly completed last night as City's Player of the Season Lee Croft signed on the dotted line for Derby County.

The 24-year-old – and as such available on a Bosman-style free transfer – agreed a three-year deal with Rams' boss Nigel Clough and became the latest in a long line of Barry Butler Trophy winners to disappear out of Norfolk before the start of the next season.

This …

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City boss Bryan Gunn was some ?700,000 better off this lunchtime after a third of City's 19,000 season ticket holders opted not to claim their League One rebate.

And while the Canaries were still faced with a hefty pay-out of ?717,603 as a penalty for leading the club's ever-loyal fan base into the murky depths of League One, it could have been far worse.

The better part of ?1.1 million was on the line as supporters agonised over whether or not to claim a rebate …

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City striker Jamie Cureton was today to be found playing a very canny game with the Yorkshire Evening Post newspaper – refusing to be drawn on just what level of threat the Norfolk club might pose to Leeds United's own promotion hopes.

That Simon Grayson's side will be one of the teams to beat is not in doubt. The former Blackpool chief came within a whisker of giving the Yorkshire side a big day-out at Wembley.

And with a full summer in which to tweak and …

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The Canaries tonight completed arguably one of their most important signings of the summer as England goalkeeping prospect Declan Rudd agreed a new, three-year contract with the Norfolk club.

It ties the bright Academy prospect to City until the summer of 2012.

More importantly, should the 18-year-old build on his eye-catching efforts in this year's FA Youth Cup quarter-final run and become a fixture in both the Canary first team and the England Under-19 set-up, it …

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Three in and Nos 4 and 5 potentially poised to join the 'Gunn Revolution', so thoughts were now starting to focus on who might be next to follow David Marshall out of the Colney door.

For with most clubs starting pre-season training in earnest next week, so the City chief will not be the only one trying to get as many bodies as possible in the building before the hard work of the summer really starts.

Likewise, for any want-away player, the ideal scenario finds …

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It was a couple of lines that I stumbled upon quite by chance, but it reveals much as to the change in thinking that this summer has brought to the corridors of Colney – in that big is the new small.

The lines in question followed City's 2-1 defeat by Derby County last season; a game in which the Canaries went into battle with the towering centre-half partnership of Adam Drury and Elliot Omosuzi.

Both decent footballers; neither though of the tall and …

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The revolution at Norwich City continued today with a further addition to the squad which Bryan Gunn has promised will have a burning passion for the Canary badge.

Michael Nelson, the big, sturdy central defender from Hartlepool, is one man who is idolised by a friend of mine who for years has supported the Pool and been the odd one out watching Soccer Saturday in the pubs of Norwich.

The interesting thing that has become very clear to me this week is how much Nelson is …

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Derby County forward Liam Dickinson could become the Canaries fourth signing of the summer after Rams' director of football Adam Pearson confirmed that the 23-year-old would – in every probability – be going out on loan to League One next season.

In what is fast proving a busy week for the Canaries, ex-Hartlepool skipper Michael Neslon today put his honeymoon on hold to sign a two-year deal with the Norfolk club.

And with Owain Tudur Jones already in the …

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