In a naïve poll I put out on Twitter this week, I posed the question as to Norwich City’s greatest ever player. The results of the poll were decisive, but the responses I received as to players I had omitted exposed just how broad a discussion I had started.
The truth is that identifying the greatest player in Norwich City history is not only a matter of impossible comparison, with various statistics suggesting various players while some simply dismiss statistics as a metric to decide the greatest players, but also a matter of definition; what makes a great player? Success as part of a team, contribution to the team, relationship with the club or how good they are to watch?
The fact that ‘GOAT’ has become a joke term with which cult figures at most clubs are now labelled shows that we’ve given up on trying to decide, but with the help of several more specific polls, I set about at least trying to establish the best in certain categories.
Best Technically
The most difficult category to filter to Twitter’s maximum four options was the ‘best technically’ poll, but given how pitches have improved and technique has therefore developed, I managed to narrow it down to three modern options and one slightly more retro one. My own experience watching Emi Buendia, Wes Hoolahan and James Maddison meant I had to include them, while the sheer number of replies advocating for Ian Crook when I omitted him from my original poll led me to looking into Crook and realising technique was his strong side.
City fans ended up voting quite comfortably in favour of Buendia, which brings up another issue in the GOAT debate in recency bias, but is likely also down to the fantastic first touch displayed in his goal against Bristol City, as well as the outrageous flair so regularly seen but at its best in his goal against Hull City in 2019. Maddison’s aptitude from set pieces highlights the quality of his technique, but he struggled alongside Crook, and they were both unsurprisingly beaten by Hoolahan, whose 131 goal involvements in 351 City games showed the quality of a technique which is still flourishing at 38 with Cambridge United.
Most Consistent
Consistency is one of the less appreciated aspects of football by fans, but it’s loved by managers and it separates talented players from great ones. My second poll was a slightly more mundane list than the first but included some names who are bona fide legends of Carrow Road because of their consistency. Adam Drury displayed fantastic consistency in his 11 years with the club, and came out on top with more than half of the vote. Drury’s consistency is underlined by the fact that he regularly started for no less than eight different managers, fitting each system and ensuring he was irreplaceable in his left-back role.
He was followed by Grant Holt, whose goalscoring consistency is matched only by Iwan Roberts, Holt’s aptitude at the highest level ensuring he squeezed in ahead of the Welshman. There was a time in Paul Lambert’s reign when a City match felt incomplete without a Holt goal, and he also managed to consistently wind-up opposition supporters.
Also included were Martin Peters, whose maintained level of performance even as he reached the twilight of his career is to be commended, and Jonny Howson, who consistently impressed even in a grim 2015/16 season that ended in relegation, scooping the Barry Butler that year.
Most Exciting
A vital component in legendary status is simply how enjoyable a player is to watch. While the skill and talent of the likes of Buendia and Hoolahan are to be marvelled at, this category exists to reward a player’s ability to activate the primal instincts of a fan at the Carra, elevating them from their seat as their pulse starts to race.
The players most typically associated with this ability are wingers, and all four of the nominees were. Darren Eadie also deserves a mention given he forced his way into England youth sides with his brand of pacey wing play, although I tried to create a poll that included something for every generation of Norwich fan and thus Onel Hernandez was included.
Pace and excitement are best served running into space, so it makes sense that two of the poll’s players were pre-millenium heroes that regularly faced less compact defences. Dale Gordon and Ruel Fox were players who possessed bags of pace but also had a trick in their locker and the end product that may be lacking in City’s more recent flankers. Fox, one of the more nationally celebrated of City’s successful group of the mid-90s, underlined his ability to excite by moving on to Newcastle United, where skilled and pacey dribblers are revered more than perhaps anywhere else.
Nobody came close, however, to Darren Huckerby, whose ability to excite was also highlighted in the number of fans who have told me he was their favourite ever player. Huckerby was the shining light in an otherwise dull five years for the club, crowned player of the year twice including in his only season as a Canary in the Premier League.
Mr. Norwich
Football is, after all, a team sport, and any discussion as to great players must include what they did for their clubs. This category honoured that aspect most, and included four ex-players whose names will forever be most strongly tied to the fine city.
Jeremy Goss, along with owning the single most famous goal in the history of the club, played at Carrow Road for 12 glorious years and continues to be involved to this day, working in an ambassadorial role. He was still beaten by three other players, however, including Duncan Forbes, who was described as “the rock on which a new Norwich City was built” by Mick Dennis and whose death inspired an outpouring of grief and tributes.
They were joined by two former players who became managers, albeit one far more successful than the other. Dave Stringer played for Norwich between 1964 and 1976 and oversaw one of the most successful periods in the club’s history as manager between 1987 and 1992. Bryan Gunn could do little to prevent relegation to League 1 in 2009 but was nevertheless voted clear winner in the poll.
He became City’s greatest goalkeeper in nearly 400 appearances, quite literally inspiring the next generation. His son Angus came through the academy system before returning for an impressive loan spell in 2017, an advantage Gunn has over any other player who can claim to be the Canaries’ greatest.
Favourite Player
A decidedly more subjective category, enquiring as to supporters’ favourite player is more cause for celebration of the weird and wonderful tendencies of football fans than for debate around a club’s greatest player.
I must confess that my first favourite Norwich player was Gary Doherty, although I’m sure that was down to him being the first player I saw a picture of in a Norwich kit, as oppose to any strong connection I have to rugged Irish centre-backs. As previously mentioned, Huckerby was the most common response to the favourite player question but some highlights include Jed Steer, Robert Fleck, Mark Bowen and even Colin Suggett.
In conclusion, it will never be fair nor possible to decide on one true ‘best’ player in the history of our fine football club. Each fan will have a varying opinion as to what adds up to a great player, and which players have achieved this based on varying metrics.
What I have learned is that there are a great many fantastic players to discuss, and discussion is one of the greater aspects of being a football fan.
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Gary
In my time , almost 20 years as a Season Ticket holder, then my vote for the most the best player I have seen would be for Darren Huckerby.
One thing that strikes me is that these often understandably concentrate on the recent or fairly recent, we also see a few nods back to players who were playing when we first watched. This means that we overlook a large number in the middle. The team of the 80s and early 90s was by far our most successful but is often overlooked as the crowds were so low in the 80s (no it wasn’t a tax dodge or a fiddle on the gate, all clubs really did have massive gaps on the terraces those days). I notice that Gunn and Crook are mentioned but looking at the players missed out (Chris Woods, Mike Phelan, Bruce and Watson, Bowen and Culverhouse, Dale Gordon). Theoretically our best team should start with these players and then add individuals who stood out in later eras. It is difficult to compare players from different times. Can we compare Pukki with McDougall? A fairer comparison would be Pukki with Boyer and it is probably an even match. Buendia stands out for me as a player who combines technique with effort and awareness. I can not think of a better player who dominates his position so much (ahead of Hoolahan, Crook et al) as a comparison I see Bowen as the best left back but only slightly ahead of Drury. So for me it is Buendia
That’s probably fair, people do tend to romanticise players from the slightly more distant past and we obviously easily remember the qualities of recent players. Phelan and Bowen were probably the best that I didn’t mention
Sam,
What a great column….however, whilst I can appreciate that you include Gunny in your Mr Norwich category, I cannot agree that he was our greatest ever goalkeeper.
Yes, he was there when we were a force in the newly created Premier League, but greatest goalkeeper??Definitely one Kevin Keelan for me.
Oh; and Mr Norwich?? Has to be Dave Stringer; local lad, player, scout, coach and the manager who made Mike Walker’s job so much easier!
O T B C
Thanks John, I did wonder about Keelan when I wrote that but the achievements of the team Gunn was part of mean he’s probably the best in my opinion
Hi a good read was that I’ve been supporter since 65 and would have to say huckerby has been my favorite player always had you on the edge of your seat live holty as well but Kevin drinkell was extremely gifted and turned down man Utd to stay with us keelan Phil boyer and jimmy neighbour I have fond memories of keep well 😊
Thanks Kevin
I’ve been watching City since the early 60s. I’m surprised Ron Davies never gets mentioned.
Look at his record at Southampton and ask did Holt, Sutton or Huckerby win the golden boot. Davies did it twice, tying with George Best the second time.
He scored something like 37 goals in 44 appearances in his best season in the top flight and Mat Busby rated him the best centre forward in Europe after he scored four goals against United at Old Trafford.
Does anybody who’s played for City, apart from Martin Peters come close?
I’ll go for two from across the years:
My all-time fave Mark Bowen with Hucks in front of him on the left.
Explosive.
Loved Hucks, Ian Crook, Holty, Iwan, Paul McVeigh. Strangely never a big Wes fan, gave the ball away to much for me.
I guess its just wrong to list the worst ever seen but Raymond De Waard, a Bryan Hamilton signing would be my choice.
Just nice to get a mention, all you can do as a player is give it your all week in week out, to leave a legacy at any club you played at is what every player should be striving for, The game is all about the fans, The game moves on and newer players will get judged differently to older players, so to be remembered years after we finished is great credit to all the players in this list
Hucks
Top man, thanks for reading Hucks
My unwise celebration after you scored in our 4-1 defeat at Highbury, I think 2005, got me removed from my seat although not the ground.. I’d attended with a Gooner season Ticket holder as his usual mate couldn’t make it and had blended in quietly as ‘one of their own’ until that moment.
If ever one player made a difference to a side it was you Darren, will always remember your performance against Cardiff. You gave the entire Canary Nation a lift during your playing time and pleased you’re staying involved today.