Source: TheGuardian
When Norwich dreamed of Europe but settled for promotion
Norwich have been brilliant this season but their promotion to the top flight in 1986 takes some beating for dramaBy Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports BlogAs spring turned to summer in 1985, Norwich fans must have been emotionally drained. In March, the football Gods shone on them as they beat local rivals Ipswich in the League Cup semi-finals and then won the final against Sunderland to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history. But all that glory and hope would be taken away by the end of May.Norwich’s league form collapsed after their big day out at Wembley, with a run of eight defeats in nine games sending them towards the relegation zone. Their season was in danger of falling apart but a win at Chelsea in their final game left them on 49 points, surely enough to keep them up. They just had to hope that Coventry, who still had three games to play, didn’t win them all. Related: Patience, scouting and the system: the story behind Norwich’s promotion Continue reading......read full article
