You could forgive Canary supporters for thinking that something season-defining is around the corner ? if only for the reason that the next match up on the fixture list reads Plymouth (a).
With takeover talk having died down this week, City fans are left to ponder the immediate future of the football club, with Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones seemingly ready to hand over the reins.
And in the aftermath of City's previous two visits to Home Park, drama was never too far away as the Canaries slumped to two moral-sapping defeats.
In September 2006, a 3-1 defeat in Devon signaled the beginning of the end for Nigel Worthington. Remember the Smiths' famous ultimatum?
“We and the board are deeply disappointed by the lack of passion and commitment in the team's performance on Saturday and wish to apologise particularly to the 776 loyal supporters who undertook the long and arduous journey to Plymouth but also to all our fans who have given us such wonderful support. You deserve more.
“We are determined to achieve success at Norwich City and to that end we expect this situation to be rectified at our next home game on Sunday and at our next away game.
“We rely on our manager and squad to do this not only on behalf of our supporters but for the long term future of the club.”
Well, we all know the rest. A 4-1 Carrow Road defeat to Burnley was Worthington's last act as Canary manager and he was later to be replaced by Peter Grant.
Last year's November mauling at the hands of the Pilgrims went on to be as important in the grand scheme of things as the year before as it was represented City's 'rock bottom' moment.
In truth, if Worthington had been allowed to carry on after his very own Devon nightmare, it is unlikely that the Norfolk club would have been relegated.
But if Glenn Roeder hadn't taken the squad by the scruff of its neck after that dire showing, then we would be sitting here 'looking forward' to a League One encounter tomorrow.
The Canaries really were that bad last November and if he hadn't shipped out the deadwood at Colney, along with making some key loan signings, then Norwich would have been down by Christmas.
“It's the third game I've had since I've been here,” Roeder said at the time. “You often learn more about your players after a couple of defeats and I've got a clear picture of what I've inherited. I think this is the toughest job of my career – but it will also be my most enjoyable.
“I'm a very positive person and believe I will turn it around but I've seen a lot of things the last couple of games which I don't like.
“There are certain things in their character that I don't like at all. There's a culture of winning and we haven't got a culture of winning. We are a long, long way away from that.”
Luckily for the club's army of supporters, City got somewhere near a winning culture and clawed themselves back from the dead. At one point, they were within touching distance of the top six but that dreadful start meant that any hopes of a top-half finish were fanciful.
But it was the major clearout that was Phase One of City's recovery. Neither Julien Brellier, David Strihavka, Ian Murray nor Simon Lappin made another start in the yellow and green and only Lappin remains at the club ? despite Roeder's admittance that he wants rid.
Of the other performers that afternoon, Chris Brown was soon bundled out of the door marked 'exit!' and both Chris Martin and Michael Spillane are now plying their trade at crisis club Luton Town ? albeit on loan.
This year, however, and another vital game tomorrow beckons. With City's squad now looking settled, and capable of playing some decent stuff, the trip to the West Country represents a huge opportunity to pick up their first win.
And make no mistake, the longer the Canaries go without a win, the tougher it's going to get – that's when it starts messing with your head. Let's hope the 'Plymouth jinx' can be put to bed once and for all.
Tom Haylett
Leave a Reply