- Clement reflects on City’s miraculous turnaround during this historic season.
- Slim mathematical playoff chance, but an incredible seasonal recovery.
- From relegation threats to playoff hopefuls, the Canaries prep for the finale.
And so we head to the Carra for the final time in 2025-26… probably.
Philippe Clement, at yesterday’s pre-match presser, cited a 0.7 per cent chance of City squeezing into the playoffs, and that feels about right.
It doesn’t take a mathematician to calculate that’s less than a 1-in-100 chance, and so greater than 100/1.
Not happening, right?
But, while the dream remains a mathematical possibility – and it may not be by 2;30pm this afternoon – we should adopt a never-say-never mode.
Let’s not forget, the late Leicester City were 5000/1 to win the 2015-16 Premier League in August of that season, which puts our 142/1 (yes, I’m that sad, I worked it out) to shame.
Other famous (and not-so-famous) winners who triumphed from starting odds greater than 142-1 are thus:
| Winner | Event | Starting odds |
| Rulon Gardner | 2000 Sydney Olympics (Wrestling) | 2,000/1 |
| USA Hockey Team | 1980 Winter Olympics (“Miracle on Ice”) | 1,000/1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2011 World Series | 999/1 |
| Ben Curtis | 2003 Open Championship (Golf) | 500/1 |
| Emma Raducanu | 2021 US Open (Tennis) | 400/1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 1999 NFL Season (Super Bowl XXXIV) | 300/1 |
| Shaun Murphy | 2005 World Snooker Championship | 150/1 |
| Greece | 2004 UEFA European Championship | 150/1 |
If Greece can do it…
I’m being daft, of course, because the big story is that we’re even having this conversation in the first place.
To be where we are now compared to where we were when that bedraggled, lifeless, broken group of players left the pitch at St Andrew’s on November 22nd is astonishing. Those of us lucky enough to write and talk about Norwich City have run out of superlatives.
Just crazy.
From broken to believing…
We had nine points from 16 games, at a rate of 0.56 points per game. Extrapolated across the remainder of the season, it would have left us on 26 points. Leicester would still be in with a shout of survival.
That’s how dire our situation was prior to Clement and Stephan van der Hayden getting to grips with what they had to work with… which was actually far better than any of us had ever imagined.
Not only did they look broken, but they also looked hopeless.
I wrote at the time about how, in fact, despite the summer overhaul, it was a squad of players who just weren’t very good.
I was wrong. Not for the first time.
They were a good group of players who were badly organised, poorly motivated, unfit, and who didn’t believe in what they were being asked to do.
And now the opposite is true, on all four counts.
From chore to joy…
Back then, a trip to Carrow Road was a chore. An ordeal even. There was nothing to look forward to. Only defeats.
And now it is fun. Great fun. And will be again this afternoon, even if we don’t win.
And Big Phil and his boys are guaranteed a thunderous reception when they make their way around the pitch for the end-of-season ‘lap of appreciation’.
From boos and jeers and calls for Ben Knapper to go, to love and pride.
This has been, without question, the craziest Norwich City season ever.
But crazy enough for there to be one final twist?
See you there.
On the Ball City!
