Chris Sadler

I once had a goldfish. I called him Daniel. I never thought I’d have him for long. This is a tale of effort, hardship, achievement, reward, and disappointment. (Actually, I don’t need to tell you the tale, as I’ve just done so – like they did with the Hollywood trailer for Free Willy.) But, the […]

It’s a Catch-22 cliche that young footballers are not ready to play in the Premier League until they’ve played in the Premier League. The experience of playing at the top level is what exposes those so-far-accomplished young bucks to a whole new level of aspiration. It pushes their dreams into the realms of attainability, and […]

Following City’s brave exit from the FA Cup this week at the hands (or left boot) of Harry Maguire – it occurred to me with some bitterness that it was a player who’d cost £80million who made the difference. Failing miserably to avoid wallowing in self-pity after yet another glorious failure, I decided to check […]

I noticed when pootling about the internet the other day that several Norwich City players share the same birth month. Mmm. That set me wondering… Could the date of your birth define your chances of becoming a professional footballer? The answer is… No. Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. But, before we get carried away […]

Joy is a rare commodity these days, especially for fans of professional football clubs. But sometimes, even when things aren’t going so well, there’s an area of the game, a region of opportunity where a club can notch an accomplishment or two and the fans can enjoy the sweet taste of success. Such an area […]

Right, normally I try to write with kindness but today I’m gonna holster the compassion and just put the boot straight in… (reminds you of football in the 80s doesn’t it?)  Recent years have just not been good enough.  That’s Norwich’s recent FA Cup history I’m talking about. Just look at this chart I’ve made […]

The year is 1985. Elizabeth II is on the throne, Margaret Thatcher is prime minister, and Tears for Fears are storming the charts with Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Richard Briers is wittering his way through Ever Decreasing Circles on BBC1, Morons From Outer Space is showing at the ABC, and somewhere in Croxteth, proud mum Jeanette Rooney has […]

As the expiry date for this year’s FA Cup final slips by, maybe it’s of interest to mention those Canaries who have scored in major cup finals during their career.  Do you remember any of these? FA Cup – Peter Osgood 1970 – Alan Taylor 1975 – Kevin Reeves 1981 – Andy Linighan 1993 – […]

Some people say it’s a mistake to start a football article with a Shakespeare quote peppered with paltry puns such as ‘A (Danny) Rose by any other Nayim would smell as sweet’.  Those people are right (*cough*) So let’s get straight to the quiz.   QUIZ 1: The following virtual team of eleven players have surnames […]

So, how many of these managerial appointments do you remember? Cue music… 1. Martin O’Neill O’Neill’s highest league position was 6th with Aston Villa which remarkably he achieved for three consecutive seasons from 2007/08 to 2009/10. His highest position with Leicester was 9th. 2. Malky McKay Cardiff City (2013/14) Having achieved promotion as champions the previous […]

Fourteen managers have managed Norwich City Football Club in the top flight since Ron Saunders first achieved it in 1972/73. But how do their records compare? In the following table all fourteen managers are ranked by the percentage of games won under their leadership in the top division in English football. All competitive league and […]

Since Ron Saunders first dragged the Canaries scratching and pecking into England’s top football division in 1972 several hundred players have represented the club – including many dozens of strikers.  But which of these strikers was the best? Who managed to hit the back of the net most frequently? In short, who was the most […]

It’s April 2050 and as the 2049/50 season draws to a close manager Daniel Farke comes under pressure as Norwich City sit only 2nd in the Amazon Prime Premier League, a division they’ve won for the last 11 seasons. Club chairman Sir Ian Culverhouse says Farke has the board’s full support, but ‘needs to pull […]

There has never been a physical wall along the Norfolk/Suffolk border; no barrier to trade, people, and friendships. But in sporting terms there surely is. That thin line on the map that traces east to west forms the demarcation point between the two East Anglain footballing giants; Norwich City and Ipswich Town. League victors, cup-winners, […]

Apologies, forgive the loose connection to football analysis, but as it’s such a nice headline, I beg your indulgence… Cutting to the chase (or more appropriately ‘to the Smith’); what do Madonna, Beyoncé, and Delia all have in common? – Are all three a whizz in the kitchen?  Well, no – even if one of […]

I do like a graph. Must be something in my chromosomes (the ‘X’ and ‘Y’ bits probably) And, for reasons that will become clear, I like this one very much.  It shows a comparison between the average home attendances for Norwich City and Ipswich Town since 1992. As you can see, City’s attendances have been […]

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 […]