Seeing the news of Dean Wright moving to Town plus the "defections" of other staff to us from over the county border in recent times, coupled with the fact we now seem to be being run properly, are on the up and Norwich may *potentially* be in a relative decline (fingers crossed), I contemplated their achievements during the time in which they have been better than us.
After their relegation in 2009, Norwich won the 2009/10 League One title (after that glorious 1-7 home defeat) as we ended up in lower mid-table under Keane. The following season they embarrassingly beat us home and away and went up in 2nd place to the Premier League.
They were in the PL from 2011-14, finishing 12th and 11th before going down. They won promotion (as they should have done) via the play-offs, of course, in 2015 after beating us over the two legs. They then came straight back down.
Championship finishes of 8th in 2017 and then 14th in 2018 followed, as we pipped them and Leeds to 12th on goal difference, our first finish above them since 2010. They then came to us early in the 2018/19 season with Farke under pressure, and the match finished 1-1. They then seemed to click, won the division and we decided to get relegated.
They then went down. And back up. And came back down. This has surely been the longest period since we entered the League in 1938 where they have had the better of us. We haven't beaten them since 2009. Still, it was embarrassing how they produced "decade of derby dominance" posters back in 2017 despite their unbeaten run against us only stretching back to late 2010. Surely the extra fingers would actually help when it comes to counting?
So, they have had the joys of four promotions to the Premier League in this time, as well as three relegations. But have they really achieved anything? They have of course had the riches of Premier League TV money, and been able to invest in the club on and off the pitch. But is that about it? If this is their best-ever period relative to their main rivals, it doesn't seem anything too special. Of course we would love the joys of being promoted. We've been starved of that for too long. But in our eras of "dominance" over them, I think we achieved a bit more. You can say that football is different now, but even so.
I think their best cup run during this time was the QFs of the FA Cup a couple of years ago. Even we managed a semi-final in the League Cup back in 2011, and we were rather gash. I suppose my point is, what will they actually have to crow about when we have beaten them again? They won't have their "decade+ of dominance". Most repugnant colour combination, maybe? |  |
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