City goal machine Grant Holt has admitted that his summer transfer has been a ‘great move’ for him, with the Canaries now within touching distance of the League One summit.
When Bryan Gunn splashed out a reported £500,000 on the Shrewsbury man, it was seen as a shrewd bit of business.
But no one could have anticipated the impact Holt has made, and knowing that a Carrow Road victory over Brentford on Saturday will see them overtake Leeds United, Holt is clearly loving life in Norfolk.
“It’s going really well and the goals have been flying in. I’ve got 23 goals and things have gone better than I thought they would,” said Holt, speaking to the Times and Star in Cumbria.
“If you are playing in a good team it is a lot easier. It’s been a great move for me to a great club. There is a lot of potential and they have tremendous support every week.”
With Leeds in FA Cup action at the weekend, with a tough trip to Spurs to negotiate, Paul Lambert’s men know that a three-point haul against the Bees will put them top of the pile.
And with this in mind, the Carlisle-born hitman feels the time is right to apply plenty of pressure to the stuttering Yorkshire giants.
Psychologically, it could be a big, big turning point in the League One season. The Whites have been in first place since the start of the campaign.
“We’re on a good run and we just want to keep it going and hopefully take advantage of the chance to go top on Saturday.
“We have two home games coming up so it would be great to take some points from them and maintain the pressure on Leeds.
“Morale is great and we also have a new club record in our sights – and that shows what kind of form we are in.
“The important thing is that we just worry about ourselves and not take any notice of how other teams are doing, which is what we’ve done all season. We’re out of the cup competitions and we are just focusing on the league.”
The 28-year-old is not getting complacent however. He’s been around the block enough times to know that there is a heck of a long way to go.
Leeds are, and rightly so, still favourites to lift the trophy come May. But Holt isn’t too fussed about titles, automatic promotion is the aim. Pure and simple.
“They have a talented team and a strong squad and they won’t give too many points away,” continued the Norwich skipper.
“Their cup games and number of rearranged midweek games will take their toll, which is inevitable. They will always be a point where there is a dip in their form.
“Our aim this season is to be promoted. It’s not about beating Leeds for the title, it’s about getting away from Charlton and Colchester.”
And it’s not just about those teams either. MK Dons are picking up after their earlier slump and you wouldn’t rule out the likes of Lee Clark’s Huddersfield or Southampton. Holt has another tip as well for any of you out there who like a flutter.
“Nothing is clear cut and, with about 20 games still to go, there is a lot to play. There are some good teams up there like Charlton, Colchester, MK Dons and I think Swindon could be the dark horses.
“I think the title race will go right to the wire. In the last six weeks of the season, we have got Charlton, MK Dons and Bristol Rovers so it is going to be a tough run-in.”
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