Source: PA
Lambert relishing shot at the big time
Paul Lambert maintains Barclays Premier League-bound Norwich have earned the right to tackle teams "on a different stratosphere" after the Canaries signed off from the npower Championship with an entertaining 2-2 draw against Coventry at Carrow Road.
Norwich, who last played among the elite clubs of English football for just one season in 2004/2005, had already secured a second-successive promotion at Portsmouth on Monday night after rivals Cardiff suffered a shock 3-0 home defeat by Middlesbrough.
It meant a party atmosphere at a sun-baked Carrow Road, where Lambert's men had to come from behind after Richard Keogh bundled the Sky Blues in front at the start of the second half.
Two goals in the space of six minutes from captain Grant Holt and on-loan Liverpool youngster Dani Pacheco put the Canaries in front, only for Lukas Jutkiewicz to grab a quick equaliser.
While Coventry were left to contemplate another campaign looking up at the riches of the Premier League, the Canaries set off on a lap of honour as the 25,000-strong home support dreamed of tackling the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal just two years after dropping down into League One.
Lambert said: "When you have special moments like this, you make sure you have to milk it. I have said every single week, it is the players and fans who are the most important. The lads are brilliant people, they really are a tight group, but that was not just made overnight, we had to work at it and get the right people in. We have earned the right to play these teams. We will try everything we can to enjoy it and get results."
