Upon announcement of Bradley Johnson’s deadline day move to Derby County – or ‘Derby City’ as he put it – many a Norwich fan felt a little emotional. It’s safe to say that he had become one of the journeymen of the team, playing under Paul Lambert, Chris Hughton, Neil Adams and perhaps most significantly, Alex Neil.
The midfielder was part of a rather amusing transfer raid on Leeds who would later become branded with the nickname of ‘feeder club’. Johnson caught then-Norwich City manager Paul Lambert’s eye through his performances from centre-midfield alongside the young but impressive Jonathan Howson, Robert Snodgrass, and the prolific Luciano Becchio.
When joining Norwich City in 2011, he was handed a golden opportunity to prove himself at the top level. He would go on to build a strong relationship with the fans, proving vital in City’s 2014/15 season, securing Player Of The Season status.
It seems only fitting then that we commemorate his time at Norwich, here.
2011/12
Johnson joined an eventual eight other new arrivals at Norwich City in the summer of 2011, signing a three-year deal following a free transfer. He was given the number four shirt and soon became an ever-present figure at the heart of Norwich City’s team.
A beautifully headed goal away at the Reebok Stadium announced his arrival. It put the Canaries two-nil up and would prove to be the winner, helping City to their first three points in the Premier League for nearly six years.
He sported a passing success rate of 78% – his highest over any season at Norwich – and provided five assists and two goals. He contributed to what was the 7th best attack in the Premier League that season.
His second goal of the season was a little lucky; a long-range effort deflected and looped over ‘keeper Paul Robinson giving the Canaries a foothold back in the game, having gone 1-3 down. It sparked one of the most memorable of comebacks, with Grant Holt scoring a stoppage time penalty to salvage a point. 
Miraculously, Johnson received just two bookings that season. He became increasingly athletic, more powerful and a bigger presence on the pitch. But that’s not to say it was all plain sailing.
In a game versus QPR, Johnson became entangled in an off-the-ball confrontation with Joey Barton. The notorious QPR mifielder was deemed to have headbutted Johnson, but TV replays were very inconclusive. Such is the nature of Johnson, he didn’t go down crying and screaming – neither did Barton. It was quite a spectacle to see two promoted sides’ hardmen go head-to-head. Luckily for Norwich, Barton was sent off.
Johnson was later pictured with a card saying ‘Barton, your breath stinks’ which summed up his personality. What was perhaps more funny than the card itself was the evident difficulty Johnson had had writing those four words.
Let’s not forget though that Johnson was often criticised for his lack of technical ability, poor range of passing and above all, his wild and erratic shots. He managed a shot percentage of just 29.5% across the two Hughton seasons and this frustrated fans. Many would yearn for David Fox or Jonny Howson or Alex Tettey to replace him, but the former-Leeds midfielder always seemed to have a place in the Norwich team.
The Canaries finished the season in 12th place – far higher than most expected. Perhaps the most famous victory was City’s visit to White Hart Lane. Elliott Bennett, who developed a life-long friendship with Johnson during their time together, scored the sweetest of strikes to put City 1-2 up. In celebration, Bradley Johnson appeared to yank his best mate in such a way that you feared for the winger’s health. Fortunately, like the result, it was all in good spirit.
2012/13
In Norwich’s second Premier League season in 2012/13 Bradley Johnson played an integral part of a team that stuttered and stammered over the finish line. He featured in 37 of the 38 Premier League fixtures, doubling the amount of aerial duels he won, but with that came ten yellow cards.
His delicate backwards header vs Stoke in October was his only goal of the season, but again it was an important one. The goal won the game and meant City were three games unbeaten – a run which would later extend to ten including five consecutive home victories.
New signing Robert Snodgrass was one of City’s new summer signings, another close teammate of Johnson from Leeds.
City made bit of a habit of being thrashed by ‘big teams’ under new manager, Chris Hughton. Johnson was often held accountable for City’s permeable midfield. His pass success rate had dropped by 7 per cent, and it was that sort of sloppiness which was inevitably punished in the top-flight.
In the end Chris Hughton’s Norwich finished a place higher than Paul Lambert had managed the year before, thanks to two wins in the last two games of the season. That does, however, sugarcoat the fact Norwich were in real danger of relegation.
2013/14
It was a case of ‘more of the same’ for Johnson in 2013/14. He had become slightly more technical in his play, and his passing rate was an improvement on the previous season. His discipline, however, remained as much of a problem. Due to City’s lack of a goalscorer, his contribution of three strikes made him joint second goal scorer.
A beautiful header away at Anfield was the pick of the bunch but it was barely worth cheering at the time; Norwich City were 4-0 down with all four goals being courtesy of a certain Luis Suarez.
‘Bradders’, as some fans called him, scored his second of the season away at Crystal Palace in a game which, quite frankly, shouldn’t have been played. The weather conditions were horrendous; heavy rain, soggy pitch. It was so bad in fact that Michael Turner sustained an injury which would see him out for the rest of the season when attempting to clear a ball that did not bounce whatsoever.
It was an emphatic goal – right foot, curling, in off the woodwork. It gave those cold and wet away fans something to cheer. Unfortunately for Norwich, Palace equalised shortly after.
Johnson experienced the feeling of losing 4-0 for a third time in successive visits to Old Trafford. Here he is expressing one of his iconic expletive-laden arguments to the referee following Leroy Fer’s concession of a penalty, which for the record, was incredibly soft.
The midfielder earned the Man Of The Match award in City’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Carrow Road, as well as scoring against Stoke in the following home game, but City weren’t picking up enough points.
Norwich were condemned to relegation even before they kicked a ball against Arsenal on the last day of the season, making for an emotional end.
2014/15
What no one expected when City went down was for Bradley Johnson – a player who had been made to look profoundly average at times in the Premier League – to take it by the scruff of the neck and secure an immediate return. Fifteen goals from midfield made him not only Norwich City’s Player Of The Season, but arguably one of the Championship’s players of the season. He became the spearhead of the team; the poster boy; the derby-day hero.
There was perhaps not a better strike than the one he notched on a cold wet night in Blackburn.
Not only did he contribute goals, but at Championship level, his general performances were far superior to the vast majority of midfielders.
And of course, his net-busting, heart-wrenching goal versus Ipswich sealed his place in Norwich City folklore.
Who put the ball in the Ipswich net? Super Bradley Johnson!
Here, the pictures speak largely for themselves.
Johnson was perhaps a little quieter in the play-offs than he had been for the rest of the season, but the team as a whole delivered.
Johnson won Leeds’ player of the season in 2010/11. He won Norwich City’s player of the season in 2014/15.
I think that there is something quite pleasing about that symmetry. The fact he’s moved on while he’s been on top of his game.
Finishing the chapter with a happily-ever-after.
Bradley Johnson, Norwich City midfielder 2011-2015.
