- City’s identity thrives on local passion rather than chasing elite global status.
- Clement’s arrival brings fresh ambition to a club once deemed too comfortable.
- Rejecting big club labels allows fans to enjoy football without heavy baggage.
Tottenham Hotspur’s plight is a reminder that even ‘big clubs’ can go down.
Would I classify Norwich City as a big club? No… and here’s why I’m not bothered.
Peak
Norwich City’s peak was around the early Nineties. Strangely enough, this was also around the time that the Premier League was first being formed.
My memory may be playing tricks but I remember even then we weren’t hugely fancied as a “big team”.
Big
It’s strange now to think about it but Swindon and Oldham were Premier League clubs. Leicester could be relegated to League One a decade after winning the Premier League, Wolves effectively became a banter club that decided to win to annoy bigger teams.
It is also interesting to see people talk about who ‘deserves’ to be at the top level, disparaging the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth, with an element of ‘new money’ snobbery.
Not bothered
For smaller clubs, there can be advantages. Nobody can seriously accuse a Norwich City fan of being a glory hunter.
There is also less weight of expectation. Aston Villa are doing well in Europe and yet this can be countered with “but they actually won years ago.”
It is strange to think how the Championship, League One and even leagues below feature teams that were once Premier League teams or could make some kind of big historical claim.
There were also the well-run clubs of the past, such as Wigan, Charlton, Blackpool and Stoke, that were once considered the models for others to follow.
Aim high
Sometimes the “nice” reputation of Norwich City can hold the club back.
There was a period in history where the club was sometimes nicknamed “Costa del Norwich” as players would go there to enjoy a decent place to live with lower expectations.
It did also mean that younger players may have been put off, feeling that the area was isolated, something I personally don’t agree with.
But I do feel that this is why the club is benefiting from Philippe Clement as head coach.
He has drive and ambition, something that is energising a team that seemed to be on its knees just a couple of months ago.
Norwich City will never be a name on a par with, say Arsenal or Manchester United, but to be honest, I’m good with that.
On the Ball City!
