Striker James Norwood has expressed his gratitude to U23s manager Kieron Dyer for his role in keeping him in condition to be ready to come back into the first team.

Norwood, 31, was out of favour under former boss Paul Cook, on the transfer list and was training with Dyer’s U23s squad.

Having scored twice for the U23s, Norwood came back into the first-team frame as a sub at Wigan last week when he netted the Blues’ equaliser, Dyer having become a part of interim manager John McGreal's temporary staff.

The former Forest Green Rovers frontman started at Sunderland on Saturday and grabbed his second goal in two league games to give the Blues the lead just prior to half-time before running to the touchline to celebrate with Dyer.

“This man has been unbelievable for me the last few months,” Norwood wrote on Twitter. “He’s kept me in a position to be able to come back and do what I love, looked after me and helped me. He’s a great coach.

“Can’t express my gratitude enough to KD, Bryan Klug and Nathan [Griffith, academy fitness coach].

Photo: Matchday Images

ShropshireBluenago09 added 13:29 - Dec 19 Dyer is a Great guy and huge asset to the club
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90z added 13:33 - Dec 19 Always like Nors but it seems in the past his loved the attention from social media more than him playing games. Everyone makes mistakes in life and im sure he will learn from his off field antics. I hope you stay fit and focus on scoring goals for us until the summer !
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midastouch added 14:00 - Dec 19 Nice touch to give credit where it's due. And the best way to keep his critics quiet is to keep on sticking it in the back of the net.
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rfretwell added 14:11 - Dec 19 Good on you Nors and great to give our fans an insight into the support given by our coaches, Kieron especially.
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Churchman added 14:19 - Dec 19 Well done KD. It's nice that Norwood took the time to acknowledge Dyer for helping him.
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Edmundo added 14:38 - Dec 19 Good to hear that the players "black balled" by the previous management kept their heads down. Norwood is like a new signing for us for 2nd half of the season. COYB. We can still make the playoffs.
9

BlueRuin69 added 15:43 - Dec 19 Like it or not, if fit, Norwood is the best striker at the club. Coyb
6

Reecec196 added 15:58 - Dec 19 the impact he's made since he's come back, i'll be suprised if he's still on the transfer list.
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algarvefan added 16:08 - Dec 19 I have been one of Norwoods biggest critics, I hate to see a player waste their obvious talents with 'off-field' distractions!!! If however he has managed to sort himself out and turned himself around then he deserves the opportunity he has been given and I wish him the best of luck. Well done Keiron Dyer for working positively with him.
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blues1 added 17:01 - Dec 19 Really find it strange how fans go on about norwoods off field activities? And what are they exactly? Putting aside his drinking/driving which is clearly wrong, what's he done? When slagged off on social media, he's defended himself against the idiots doing it. Smashed his own car window when locked out of it? So what. May not be the obvious solution, but it's his car. Up to him what he does. What right has anyone to slag him off for it. Even got slagged off for going out for a meal with his,family after a match bcse he got injured that day? Think some need to take a hard long look at themselves before criticising him. Good to have him back in the team tho, looking fit, and scoring goals. And well done for giving recognition to kd.

9

therein61 added 17:36 - Dec 19 Credit where it's due Nors for thanking the man(K.D) for keeping you focused and he's been proved right keeping you at it with your return and with a couple more games to get the sharpness back i can see a bundle of goals coming in for the rest of the season, as for Bonne(their seems to be an encouraging link developing between the two) he has since his don't want QPR to recall me statement fell flat on his face goal wise or is it a cunning plan!!, both firing in tandem will get us up the league be interesting to see how our new manager views it.

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markchips added 17:54 - Dec 19 Well done Nors keep it up and we might just make the play offs and who would fancy playing us then ?
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Texastom added 18:00 - Dec 19 He's a pest for the opposition, always puts a shift in. Consistent. Fans mislead on here criticising him. He's a different option up front and hungry.
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Suffolkboy added 18:55 - Dec 19 Would be really excellent if J Norwood remained fit and reformed on the field ; has the energy and willingness which some appear to lack BUT we'll need him to quite simply button his lip and use frustration to fire his contribution ! KD has done very good things ! COYB
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Karlosfandangal added 19:32 - Dec 19 As it's been said on here time and time again “When Fit” Let's hope he is over all the injuries and can now focus on football and score the goals we need to get us in the playoffs
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spanishblue added 22:20 - Dec 19 Looks a completely different animal must be a nightmare to play against Edmundo so true Newman in town, he looks lean and hungry again
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chorltonskylineblue added 23:22 - Dec 19 Just out of idle interest I was looking up Jordan Rhodes goalscoring stats, who like Norwood is 31. Rhodes has scored in 40% of his league games; no mean feat. But he's dropped off in recent years and after being linked with us, he's played 2 games since rejoining Huddersfield in the summer. Norwood has scored in 38% of his games, albeit largely at a lower level. In League One it's madness not to include him on playing ability alone.

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Barty added 08:36 - Dec 21 Norwood can a still a good job for us
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