With the curtain set to draw on Dion Dublin's glittering career this weekend, Canary favourite Iwan Roberts has admitted that it will be a day of high emotion at Carrow Road when City entertain mid-table QPR.
The 39-year-old striker will, of course, have one more opportunity to lace up his boots on the final day of the Championship season at Sheffield Wednesday.
But add the fact that the Rangers clash could well be City hero Darren Huckerby's last game in front of his adoring public and there may well be a few tears shed by one and all come the final whistle this weekend.
If the reality of retirement hadn't sunk in for Dublin just yet, then you can bet your bottom dollar that it will have by 5 o'clock on Saturday.
And Roberts, who experienced his own emotional farewell to the Canary faithful against Preston during the glorious promotion campaign four years ago, believes it will be a sad day for everyone concerned.
With Huckerby admitting this week that he expects it to be his last home match in the yellow and green, with no contract offer on the table yet, City supporters will be saying their goodbyes just in case. Add the fact that a Norwich win will secure their survival, and it promises to be a day to remember.
And Hucks' big pal is convinced they will both be sorely missed in Norfolk?
“I actually think they have been two of the better players this season,” said Roberts, now back in his homeland working for BBC Radio Wales.
“Big Dion has been a great professional. Norwich got him in the twilight of his career but he is still a handful and whether he is playing at the back or up front, he is a threat to any defence.
“I can imagine he has been great to have in and around the place, especially when things haven't been going so well. And Hucks has just done superbly since he arrived at the club. He was a big reason why we got promoted.
“He has suffered with injuries recently though and that is something that he's going to have to come to terms with; this hip problem keeps cropping up.
“But if he was offered another year at Norwich, I think he would take it. He loves playing for the club; he loves living in the area. But if he does leave it will be his last game at Carrow Road this weekend, and Dion's as well. It will be a sad day.”
The most important thing in Glenn Roeder's mind, however, will be securing the three points that will ensure Championship survival. For him, any emotions will have to be put on the backburner until the Canaries have got the job done.
Make no mistake, getting that all-important win will be no walk in the park and according to Roberts – who hit 96 goals in his seven-year spell with the Canaries – Luigi De Canio's much-improved Hoops will be no pushovers.
But City just have to win. End of story. League One football is quite simply not an option.
“QPR have been playing some good stuff since the new man took over and it won't be an easy game,” the Welshman added. “But it is vitally important Norwich can finish the job this weekend. You don't want to be going to Sheffield Wednesday on the last day needing a point or maybe three.
“I'm surprised to see them still down there. They went 13 games unbeaten and it's unbelievable how they put that run together and find themselves, at this stage of the season, still needing three points to stay up.
“You look at the stadium, which is one of the best in the Championship, and the support they get. Norwich getting relegated doesn't even bear thinking about. This weekend's game is massive.
“I had a phone call a few months ago talking about the play-offs and whether I thought Norwich could get in there. But I said that they had to get to 50 points first, that was the most important thing.
“It was too early to be talking about the top six. And since then, they've had a bad run and lost games they would have expected to win. Even at this stage, they still find themselves needing three points to make sure they are playing in the Championship next year.”
And for Roberts, it promises to be quite an exciting weekend. Despite attending the Birmingham vs Liverpool clash in his new guise as BBC Radio Wales summariser, he will no doubt have an ear out for results elsewhere, with a number of his ex-clubs having plenty to play for.
With Wolves pushing for a Championship play-off berth and the Canaries and Leicester fighting it out at the wrong end of the table, the Bangor-born striker could be forgiven for being a little distracted when the half-time scores are announced at St. Andrews circa 3.45 this Saturday.
“Norwich is the first result I look for; I don't really follow how Gillingham are getting on to be honest with you! But I had a good time at Leicester and it's disappointing to see them in a similar position to Norwich.
“They've got a fantastic stadium but for whatever reason, it hasn't quite happened for them on the pitch. They've had changes of manager and it just hasn't worked so far.
“But it's unbelievable how many big clubs are down there fighting it out at the bottom. Just look at Southampton. You've got them, Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry, Leicester and Norwich as well. I think one big club will go down this year and we should know more about who it will be come 5 o'clock this Saturday.”
Everyone of yellow and green persuasion will be praying that City are not the ones to fall through the relegation trapdoor and when Roberts when returns to Norfolk on May 18 for the club's Greatest Ever event, it will be with the Canaries installed as a Championship club for season 2008/09. That is the plan anyway.
And the City legend, for one, cannot wait to return to his adopted county?
“It will be my first trip back since September, when Cardiff played at Carrow Road. I was working for BBC Radio Wales that day and I don't tend to get back up for games but hopefully I'll be back twice next year, with Swansea coming up as well.
“It's an honour to be named for the event and put into that category. It's great considering some of the players that have also been mentioned and it's only right that I travel up for it and take part in a huge day for the club.”
Tom Haylett
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