So… here is my Norwich City Dream XI, set out to play in an admittedly conventional 4-4-2 formation. Such was, however, their abundance of talents that they could – and would – be able to switch to whatever was needed on the field at the time in order to overcome whatever the opposition dared to throw at them.
Goalkeeper – Chris Woods (1981-1987).
Confident, vocal and a keeper who treated the penalty area as his own personal fiefdom, Woods also had remarkable agility and reflexes, assets that he displayed time and time again in his time at the club – that mix of physical presence and agility is rare in keepers (David Seaman springs to mind as someone similar in style to Woods) and that, coupled with the way he would continually berate, badger, cajole and encourage his defenders throughout a game gets him my vote although this call was as hard to make as any in the final XI.
Right Back – Ian Culverhouse (1985-1994).
One word: consistent. Cully rarely seemed to have a below par game for the club, his speed of thought and anticipation making him one of those oh-so-crucial defenders who rarely stand out by making last ditch tackles or goal line clearances simply because they so often see the potential danger and eliminate it before those moments are needed. A defender who played the game with the ball at his feet and made things happen but also, at heart, a man who stopped the opposition playing. One ex-Norwich player has told me that full backs are rated by the number of times they prevent their opposite man from getting his cross in. Not many got past Cully to do that in his time at Norwich. An easy choice.
Central Defender – Dave Watson (1980-1986).
At around 6 feet, Dave wasn’t the tallest of centre halves, but there were few who could beat him in the air – at the back or in attack where he contributed 11 league goals during his time at Carrow Road. An inspirational captain who was not short on skill and as adept at making a run out of the penalty area, ball at feet and intent on starting an attacking move as he was clearing his lines by any means possible when the occasion merited it.
Central Defender – Steve Bruce (1984-1987).
Plenty of candidates for this role including Jon Newsome and Malky Mackay, however, Steve shades it because of his time playing alongside Dave and the understanding they developed as a partnership. Steve was a traditional exponent of the central defensive art, rugged and no nonsense and prepared to do whatever was necessary when leading the line. Will forever be remembered for his tie winning header against Ipswich in the League Cup semi final second leg in 1985, a goal and dominating performance to be certain, but one typical of him as a whole.
Left Back – Mark Bowen (1987-1996).
Mark often performed his left back duties in the marauding manner that we expect of Gareth Bale today – frequently getting forward to contribute to the attacking cause but always having the positional nous to not get caught out. Whenever an opposition attack was made on the right hand side, it was rare not to see him there – calm, collected, and, frequently breaking down the move and winning possession.
Right Midfield – Martin Peters (1975-1980)
Captain. What hasn’t been said about this man? Creative skills in abundance but also with an element of steel in his game that belied the image of a cultured player, football ‘types’ who are often portrayed as lightweight and shirkers of the tackle. Had that natural talent for being in the right place at the right time – and all of the time. Versatile enough to play in any of the eleven outfield positions – which he did whilst he was at West Ham.
Central Midfield – Jeremy Goss (1983-1996).
Every team needs its unsung hero, the player who, according to Eric Cantona was the ‘water carrier’, he who won the ball and, when he had it, looked to move it on to a team mate able to do something with it – whilst, at the same time, wanting it back. This was Gossy’s game, a player to dig in and get a good shift in all over the pitch, one who regarded the ball as his own personal property and who regarded the opposition having possession of same as a professional insult.
Central Midfield – Ian Crook (1986-1997).
A genius. Quite how Crook was ‘allowed’ to spend the majority of his career at Norwich without being wafted away by a bigger club is beyond me. If it had been Gossy’s job to get the ball then it was the his duty when that goal was achieved to find Crook who would invariably make things happen, play the telling pass that hadn’t yet been invented. To us what Liam Brady was to Arsenal and Glenn Hoddle – who had kept him out of the team there – was to Tottenham at the time.
Left Midfield – Darren Huckerby (2003-2008).
Every team needs a player who gets supporters off their seats when he is even within touching distance of the ball; Hucks was that for Norwich. Combining searing pace with great touch and a mix of tricks that often befuddled opponents and team mates alike, Hucks was blue touch paper in yellow and green. A master of his art and one of the last of his kind, the ball at feet – head down – run like hell wide player.
Striker – Ted MacDougall (1973-1976).
Ted was put on earth with but one task in life to fulfil – to score goals. Nothing else mattered and nothing else needed to be done. It was his function, pure and simple – and would be in this team. The thought of Hucks creating chance after chance for Ted to put away is an electric one with Ted’s power and positional awareness (Hucks would have to do his running as well mind) meaning he’d be guaranteed at least half a dozen good chances in every game – and would always dispatch at least one of them.
Striker – Craig Bellamy (1996-2000).
Hardest pick of the lot. Boyer? Sutton? Drinkell? All were considered but Craig gets it for the fact that, alongside Ted’s rather languid but effective style, his non-stop running and harrying of opponents as well as his overall energy and effervescence would cause problems for them even if he did all that without the ball at his feet. A strike force who would cause myriad problems for even the most organised of defences.
Subs – Keelan, Ryan, Newsome, O’Neill (M), Paddon, Eadie, Sutton.
Manager – Dave Stringer. Coaches – Mel Machin and David Williams.
The midfield is, admittedly, a little tender in places. But I think it would hold firm. This, after all, is a side that would be sent out to win matches and dictate play from the off. And with an eclectic mix on the bench, all possibilities are being accounted for. The only problem with making such a selection of course, is the calibre of the players who miss out – Gunn, Forbes, Neighbour, Reeves, Fashanu, Gordon, Fleck and Ashton to name but a few – in fact you could pick an all time Norwich City XI and then do the same thing again and have two sides of such matching skill and ability, no one could predict the result were they to go head to head.
In terms of the players we have had at the club, we are, truly blessed. We have had some exceptional ones. Will any of the class of 12/13 fit into such a side one day. John Ruddy? Seb Bassong? Wes Hoolahan? Grant Holt? Even, dare I say it, Ricky van Wolfswinkel?
Time will tell. But one thing is certain amongst all the second guessing here, if RVW was to become a member of such a hallowed XI in years to come, then we are all in for a hell of a ride next season!
Who would your chosen XI be?
Any ‘Dream’ team that does not include Ron Davies,Terry Bly, Barry Butler etc is a joke!
My Team: I’ve been watching Norwich since 1985, hence the later vintage of my team. I’ve ignored the no current players rule too.
Green, Russell Martin, Fleming, Butterworth, Bowen, Fox, Crook, Gary Holt, Eadie, Sutton, Fleck.
Subs: Gunn, Newman, Phillips, Hoolahan, Grant Holt
Manager: Stringer
Sorry but Bellamy can’t be in our greatest ever XI when he treated the club with such contempt.
Wish I’d seen them play Derby Canary but my self-inflicted rules were that they could only be players that I (& others) had seen play for Norwich-and I’m a tad too young for the greats you’ve listed! Please list your XI, will be good to see one featuring said greats from the 50’s and 60’s.
Point 1: Apologies to those with fond memories of City players from before 1977 – before my time of recall.
Point 2: When I see a rule written down, I feel it my duty to ‘bend’ it a little.
Point 3: Putting Martin Peters on the bench is a treasonable offence I know but Crooky turned out 400+ times which gives him the nod for me.
Coach + Top 11 with replacements in each position are;
Lambert (Walker)
Woods (Gunn)
Bowen (Culverhouse), Watson (Bruce), Mackay (Fleming), Drury (Downs)
Eadie (Gordon), Crook (Peters), Newman (Goss), Huckerby (Adams)
Roberts (Fashanu), Fleck (Sutton)
Surprised such great servants as Fleming, Newman, Adams haven’t featured more prominently.
Ed: Peters, Goss & Crook in midfield – the coach would have his work cut out accommodating all 3.
Russell S-fair point on the midfield. It is, or could be, as I said yesterday, a little ‘fragile’ with only Gossy as the definite ball winner and proverbial terrier in there amongst the artists.
I’ll go through all the replies when the threads have died down a little (Gary, cajole more entries please!) so we can have a definitive MFW XI based on the most popular choice for each position.
KobeCanary-fair and good point on Bellamy. Trying to leave circumstances surrounding players and their relationship with the club out of it. And he does speak fondly of us now. A few have left us under a cloud-Steve Bruce is another-admittedly.
Keelan, Culverhouse, Watson, Stringer, Bowen,
Huckerby, Crook, Peters, Eadie
Allcock, Davies
Subs: Woods, Ashton, Forbes (Duncan, not Adrian), Bruce, Bly, Sutton, Bellamy
Manager: Lambert
An even more lightweight midfield, but with Lambert as manager it’s all out attack anyway!
Re: Martin Peters starting on the bench – I would insist he be provided with a silk cushion befitting of his ‘OBE’d’ status.
Cheers Ed for setting us what is nigh on an impossible task(!), but for what it’s worth…
Keelan
Culverhouse Bruce Watson Bowen
Suggett Crook Peters Huckerby
Ashton MacDougall
Subs: Gunn, Butterworth, Eadie, Fox, Bellamy
Manager: Paul Lambert (sorry folks…)
Ed – Forgive my use of ‘artistic licence’ in using Colin Suggett as a wide man, but there’s no other way of accommodating four of my Canary heroes in the same midfield…
For what it’s worth here’s my team based purely on having a claim to sort of having some contact with the players a bit…you’ll see what I mean;
Kevin Keelan (I was in the same class as his daughter at Junior school); Kenny Brown (the son of the landlady of my then local pub lost his place in the youth team to him); Steve Bruce (my mate used to cut his hair); Dave Stringer (presented me with an U10 cup winners medal the day after losing to Villa in the League Cup Final); Tony Spearing (I knew him when he was in the Youth and Reserve teams but I can’t remember how); Mark Barham (was our team manager in a long distance supporters competition at Colney);Jerry Goss(in the year below me at Senior school);Terry Allcock (carrried out the funerals for both my parents and went to junior school with his sons); Clive Woods (rang rings round me when I tried to mark him in the Norwich Sunday League);Robert Fleck (married to my old neighbour’s daughter; Phil Boyer (gave me a glass of orange juice when I was ball boy). Sub: Keith Robson (had him in my pocket when I played against him in the Norwich Sunday League); Manager Peter Grant ( I know he was a rubbish manager but he went to school with my cousins in Coatbridge); Coach: Goerge Lee (was first team trainer in the early 70’s but trained my Sunday side in the mid 80’s). Not a bad team all in all.
Some have given us their ‘Dream Team’ on Twitter. Here are a few:
Chris Sharman:
Keelan,
RMartin, Watson, Stringer, Bowen,
Huckerby, Paddon, Goss, Foggo,
Boyer, Sutton
Kathy Blake:
Keelan
Culverhouse Bowen Bruce Linighan
Suggett Crook O’Neill Huckerby
Holt Reeves
Robin Sainty:
Woods,
Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Bowen,
Neighbour, Phelan,Suggett, Paddon,
Reeves, Davies
Phil Harris:
Gunn,
Culverhouse, Bowen, Bruce, Watson,
Gordon, Crook Phelan, Eadie,
Fleck, Sutton
Darren Riley:
Gunn,
Needergard,Culverhouse, Malky, Bowen,
Neighbour, Crook, Phelen, Hucks,
Roberts, McDougall
Peter Alan Dolby:
Ruddy,
Martin(R),Bruce,Watson,Bowen,
Hoolahan,Huckerby,Goss,R Fox,
Sutton,Holt
We’ll allow a few current players to slip through Ed’s net…
Keep ’em coming folks
Keith Robson eh-forgot about him.
I’d put him in the same team as Kevin Keelan, Alan Black,Duncan Forbes,Mick McGuire,Carl Bradshaw,Albert Bennett,Craig Bellamy,Trevor Hockey,Keith Robson,Robert Fleck and Jimmy Bone.The no nonsense eleven…
Loving this, keep them coming everyone. Will do a definitive XI based on everyones choices and post it on here in next few days.
How did Bellamy treat us with contempt? Left when under contract for 6m to pay us back for developing him, at a time when we needed the money, rather than run his contract down and leave for nothing like a certain gk who went down the road…
Robert Rosario update – nil point!
I have fond memories of him running around trying his best. Hope he doesn’t make it into the worst X1..that would be harsh.
Poor count for the Fash too – the only striker of ours I’v seen who genuinally put the fear of God into opposition defenders in his sadly too brief career at Carrow Road.
Being only 24 and a fan since 96 I am a bit more limited in my selection. Here it is anyway.
GK – Ruddy
LB – Drury
CB – Bassong
CB – Fleming
RB – Martin
LM – Huckerby
CM – Safri
CM – Francis
RM – Snodgrass
CF – Holt
CF – Bellamy
Subs: Green, Garrido, Turner, B Johnson, Eadie, Ashton, Earnshaw
Going back to my first game in 1972, my team would be:
Keelan
Culverhouse Bruce Watson Bowen
Gordon Crook Peters Huckerby
Ashton Sutton
Subs: Gunn, Stringer, Eadie, Fox, Suggett, MacDougall
Manager: Dave Stringer (He built the 1990s team)
Almost an impossible task..but here goes..
Woods
Culverhouse Bruce Watson Bowen
Gordon Suggett Crook Peters
Davies Sutton
Subs : Perm any 7 from hundreds
Man: Dave Stringer
Coach : Dave Williams
Physio : Tim Shepherd
I believe that if this is repeated in a couple of years then Bassong, Russel Martin and Snodgrass will also get a few mentions
I started watching in 1982, so quite a wide pool to choose from:
Woods – as you say Ed, I remember him shouting lots! Very unlucky to be a contemporary of Shilton.
Culverhouse – quietly classy; never needed to get dirty because his thinking was so fast.
Bruce – for that goal alone. I played center back in school/youth football and he was my idol. I nearly broke my nose as many time as him too!
Lineghan – reminded me of Alan Hansen in the way he gave the impression of strolling around, snuffing out danger.
Bowen – I remember a goal he ‘passed’ into the net from about 25 yards on the artificial pitch at Kenilworth Road. it didn’t leave contact with the ‘turf’.
Barham – typified the ‘get chalk on your boats’ approach to wing play
Crook – pure class; again to use a cliche: ‘put it on a six-pence from 40yards’.
Hucks – I still remember the day he signed and was paraded around Carrow Road before the Forest game. Suddenly promotion was on.
Deehan – he scored a hat-trick in each of the first two games I witnessed live. Although not always exciting, he knew where the goal was.
Ashton – a tragedy that his career was cut so short. He would have been an England regular by now. His efforts (including THAT winner against Newcastle in the 93rd minute) very nearly kept us up.
Re: John C(17) – brother-in-law (at least I hope it is!);
No Huckerby!..and you’ve got Martin Peters on the left wing – how’s that going to work?
Holty surely deserves a place?
Fortunately most NFC managers are betting at counting than me. All that choice and I missed out centre midfield! I only saw him a couple of times in the flesh, but Martin O’Neill would get the final spot.
Doing all the stats and the ‘definitive’ My Football Writer team now. Some interesting bits and pieces-including 32 different players who got just the one vote in your teams (incl.subs).Should have it ready over the weekend.
Re Russell S (19) – yes, your bruv-in-law !
As this is a ‘dreamteam’ I am still fantasising over having Peters, Suggett and Crook in the same team……but in my dream we thrash allcomers – Man U, brushed aside; Arsenal, don’t get a touch of the ball; Chelsea, reduced to in-fighting; etc. etc.
Holty, yes, but you, little tinker, are bending the rules…no present players, Ed said. For what he has done for club over the past few years he is legendary status already…but is he better than Ron Davies ? In my humble opinion, no.
And if you want to be picky….love Drury, but how can you put him in your ‘dreamteam’ ahead of Bowen ? Plus, the way you go on and on and on and on about Iwan…why is he not in your selection?
It’s all down to those green & yellow specs, and who is wearing them – they make many above-average players look great.
As for the ‘Nightmare’ teams, that would be cruel, I think……..and bring back too many bad memories.
I’m loving this dream
Ref Comment 22
Sorry Russ…looking at the wrong selection…you do have Iwan in your dreamteam.
And these are my normal specs – should’ve gone to Specsavers.
Ref Comment 22
Sorry Russ, again. You have put Bowen in, at RB, but ahead of Culverhouse. Just goes to prove…you have too much time on your hands.
My dreamteam took a few minutes to put together, going with strong memories and my (big) gut instinct. You’ve obviously mulled over this for hours.
Re: John C (22) – Apologies to everyone for this family ‘disagreement’ but… Iwan is in my starting team! What a guy.
Dreamteam..yes, but it has to be balanced to go out and face the opposition surely?
As for Ron Davies – way before my time..showing your age there!
Come on Hevingham and district, calm down!! Russell S has a good point-teams packed full of stars and big names don’t always work, even the famed Galacticos didn’t have things all their own way!
With my dad having been a Carrow Road regular since the recommencement of football at end of World War II I thought it would be interesting to gauge his thoughts on an all-time City XI. So… allow me to introduce the Dick Gowers ‘dream team’. Prepare to ‘google’…
Chris Woods
Mel Machin, Barry Butler, Maurice Norman,Ron Ashman
Johny Gavin, Martin Peters, Roy McCrohan,Bobby Brennan
Terry Alcock, Ron Davies
Subs: Keelan, Drinkell, Channon, Bruce, Huckerby
Manager: Paul Lambert (he apologises!)
Confused? So was I…
Gary – Cracking team that – who on here remembers those players? We now have a total of 86 different players nominated via all the replies here and tweets! Your Dad’s back four would let very little through -all hard men but all could play…
Ed
Thanks for this. Goss actually struggled to get into the Norwich side for most of his career. Apart from him, mine would be quite similar over the last 40 yrs
Keelan
Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Bowen
Huckerby, Peters, Crook, O’Neill
Boyer, MacDougall
Probably not a good mixture, but all of these players were of high quality. Peters is probably the best player ever to play for the club, even though it was in the last five years of his career.