The clue is in the title.
And so, kicking us off in civic style, straight in at number ten, in a Fluff Freeman style, it’s the Mayor…
10. Kenny McLean (Midfielder 2018-?) – Apps 50, Goals 4
A sprightly, energetic midfielder, full of life, who loves scoring the odd goal here and there. A great character to have knocking about. Tendency towards amnesia and wearing tricorn hats after winning trophies.
9. Jimmy Bone (Forward 1972-73) – Apps 39, Goals 9
Aptly named. A quick and tenacious winger.
(For a fuller, more stylish and definitive description see Ed Couzens-Lake’s superb MFW article ‘The name’s Bone… Jimmy Bone’
8. Ken Foggo (Forward 1967-73) – Apps 197, Goals 57
Twice the NCFC Player of the Year, a popular winger with goal-scoring pedigree who was the team’s top scorer in three successive seasons and part of the Ron Saunders team that made it to the top flight for the first time.
7. Asa Hartford (Midfielder 1987-92) – Apps 40, Goals 5
A full Scottish international with 50 caps, Hartford wasn’t at Carrow Road for long but while he was here he did do something rather special on 24th March 1985. If you need me to tell you what you’re on the wrong site. Gosh bless dear old Gordon Chisholm too – and Chris Woods for his strong gloves!
6. Ted MacDougall (Forward 1987-92) – Apps 112, Goals 51
Ted netted twice versus Frank Worthington’s Leicester City in my first game as a supporter in 1975. What a goalscorer. Netmakers always rubbed their hands with glee when the original Maccy D laced up his boots and trotted across the white line.
5. Paul Lambert (Manager 2009-12) – Won 70 / Drew 37 / Lost 35
A brilliantly offensive manager, spiky and irritable. He infused confidence into a limited squad and set them on a glorious goal-fest for a handful of seasons. An unpleasant end bittered memories slightly, but it’s great to see he’s still doing a marvellous job down the road in Suffolk.
4. Robert Fleck (Forward 1987-92 & 1995-98) – Apps 299, Goals 84
What would life be without Robert Fleck? A lot duller for a start. A goal-scoring menace with a touch of the devil in him. One of the most watchable strikers ever to wear a yellow shirt.
And now to the Top 3… Firstly, a manager from the mists of time. A man who set the bar that bit higher…
3. Archie Macauley (Manager 1957-61) – Won 105 / Drew 60 / Lost 59
Achieved promotion and an FA Cup semi-final. Macauley was the man who lit the flame (before passing the torch eventually to Ron Saunders) which set the Canaries on a course to join the major English clubs at the top of the football pyramid.
He was the catalyst for the club’s top league finishes, cup success, and European run.
In at No. 2 is that (once) floppy-haired, crossbar-nutting, all-round cheerful life-enhancing shot-stopper…
2. Bryan Gunn (Goalkeeper 1986-98; Manager 2009) – Apps 477, Goals, 0; Won 6 / Drew 5 / Lost 10
I remember a fully-follicled Bryan James Gunn arriving in 1986 bouncing on the pitch full of character, fun, and determination. He was here to fill the gap left by the sublime Chris Woods (temporarily filled by the cheerfully likable Graham Benstead) and did so with aplomb.
We shared an enviable decade or so and all of us are richer for the experience. A genuine Canary legend that not even a regrettable management appointment could spoil. ‘There’s still only one… Bryan Gunn!’
But who could possibly beat Bryan Gunn to the No. 1 jersey?
Well, he’s last but most definitely not least, sitting at the top of the tree (and probably giving it a good kick while he’s up there). He’s the leader, the strength, the heart; he is the epic…
1. Duncan Forbes (Defender 1968-80) – Apps 357, Goals 12
Forbes was captain that day in 1975 I first stood on a beer crate in the stands at Carrow Road and, in my mind, he’s been captain ever since. ‘Forbesian’ should become a geological term. A great player for the club and wonderful force of nature as a man.
A sad, sad loss towards the end of last year.
I could type many more words but none would do him justice. A picture might though, and the picture I’m thinking of is probably the same one you’ve got in your mind’s eye right now – the iconic shot of him training at Mousehold towards the end of his career.
That was Duncan Forbes. A Scottish colossus. He may have worn No. 6, but he will always be No. 1.
Thanks for all those Scots who have contributed to the Canary cause and may the high road (or low road for that matter) continue to provide a string of stud-booted talent for the seasons ahead.
I can’t argue with any of these. However, one of my favourite Scots was Billy Steele; injury prevented him from becoming a legend, but he went on to run The Ironmakers (I think I’ve got the name right) which was a good pub to start the night off.
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Thanks for the comment, Don. The Ironmongers was one of my favourite city pubs in the late 1980s and I remember Billy Steele in there. There must have been a TV on with football in there one night, because Billy came into the small pool room off to the left as you walk in complaining that someone had just waltzed through the penalty box and scored. I remember him waving his hand about and vociferously insisting someone should have ‘done him’. ‘Pragmatic’ is one word!
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Ha!
Beat me to it [see below].
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Hi Don
It was actually the Ironmongers [Arms] on Lobster Lane near the Maddermarket.
Back in my working days I was a regular in the Garnet but we’d sometimes go to see Billy in a group of about four or five. A really nice man. We also had the occasional pilgrimage across the Market to the Vine [now a Thai bar/restaurant] when a guy called Alan used to run it. 1990s.
The Sprowston Wanderers management team of Mally and Marty were part of the clique but we didn’t actually talk about football that much!
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Cheers Martin. I liked The Vine too – and The Garnet. Norwich city centre always felt strangely sparse pub-wise, as right by the market is traditionally where the life of a city is. The Fruiterers was about then too. Happy times.
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I guess you’d remember the Kingsway and the Clarence Harbour too.
My mate knew one of the Specialised Security guys at the Clarence [Sean?} who was the one with the dog and we were allowed to park there for free – if we bought him a discreet pint, of course.
Shame it’s long gone – as you say, happy days.
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How you leave malky mckay out beggers belief tbh .
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Agreed canaryjim. Malky was definitely in the ‘unlucky to be left out list’.
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About to say the very same thing. After an uninspiring start developed into a key player for us.
Very much an old-school centre half though, not sure how he would fare into today’s game mind you.
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Hugh Curran one of the best Scots we ever had be worth a fortune in today’s market
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Another good ‘un. Cheers Kevin.
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Tommy Bryceland was a sixties legend and a better player than some you have mentioned.
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Thanks JohnF. Nice to hear. Someone we should know more about perhaps? Hopefully someone will pick up on this and write an article about the 1960s legends to share their story.
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Don’t look at me – I was 2-12 in that era and lived in London.
It would indeed be great to hear about them from the gee-gee’s gob though – and I’m sure there’ll be somebody around who can do that.
Good idea Chris.
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Great column Chris, and some excellent comments.
I cannot disagree with any of your selections………but……
One of my early memories of watching City was seeing an inside forward (remember them??) by the name of Tommy Bryceland. Very much the Emi Buendia of his day (without quite as many strops!).
O T B C
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Thanks John. Tommy Bryceland has come up a couple of times now. Must do some research on him, sounds quite a player.
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When I first went to City games with my aunt and uncle in about 1964
Tommy Bryceland was the star inside forward. The sixties equivalent of Wes. Very skilful playmaker.
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Hugh Curran. Would run through a brick wall to score for City Tough character that you wouldn’t argue with.Should be in the top ten.
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Thanks John H. Another strong contender.
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How about little old Bill Punton played 216 and scored 24 before being sold to Sheff U were he played 16 scored 1
Was a legend at Yarmouth Town as manager also at Diss
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Thanks Alex B. Hugely popular Bill was in the running from the start and you’re right probably worth a place,
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