Norwich City: The eight Canaries to make World Cup squads

Martin O'Neill

Martin O'Neill was a regular for the Northern Ireland side, captaining them to the 1982 World Cup while at City as they reached the second group stage and defeated hosts Spain.

He scored eight goals in 64 Northern Ireland games between 1971 and 1984, going on to play for Notts County, Chesterfield and Fulham after leaving the Canaries the same year as that World Cup.

He returned to Carrow Road as manager in 1995, leaving shortly thereafter following a reported spat with then-chairman Robert Chase over the potential signing of Dean Windass.

He's recently had his first book, On Days Like These, published.

Martin O'Neill, who played for Norwich City when he was called up to the 1982 World Cup. (Image: Archant)

Chris Woods

A regular back-up option in the England squad, Chris Woods was Peter Shilton's understudy for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where the Three Lions were knocked out by Diego Maradona's infamous 'hand of God' goal.

He left Norwich the same year, joining Rangers after making 216 appearances for the Canaries. 

Woods retired in 1998, going on to have a successful career as a goalkeeping coach with the likes of the US national team, Manchester United and now Scotland.

Chris Woods, centre of the back row, was a Norwich player when called up for the 1986 World Cup by England. (Image: Archant)

Bryan Gunn

Another City goalkeeper to attend the World Cup as a secondary option, Bryan Gunn was in competition with Jim Leighton and Andy Goram going into the 1990 tournament.

He made six total Scotland appearances between 1990 and 1994, but none came during that trip, with Leighton chosen for every game.

Gunn turned out for Aberdeen, Norwich and Hibernian in his career before returning to Norfolk, becoming City manager in 2009.

After that short spell came to an end he became involved in football agency, now overseeing the goalkeeping department of the company that works with his son Angus, City academy prospect Sam Blair and Watford's Daniel Bachmann.

City legend Bryan Gunn went to the World Cup with Scotland in 1990. (Image: Archant)

Andy Townsend

Then-Norwich midfielder Andy Townsend first appeared for the Republic of Ireland in 1989 against France, before being taken to the same World Cup as Gunn.

He played all five of Ireland's matches as they reached the quarter-finals, scoring a penalty in the shoot-out defeat to Romania that eventually brought an end to that run.

He moved on from Norwich to join Chelsea in the same year, and has worked as a pundit since his retirement from playing in 2000.

Andy Townsend played for the Republic of Ireland at the 1990 World Cup. (Image: Archant)

Robert Fleck

Completing a yellow and green trio, Robert Fleck was both a club and international team-mate of Gunn's in 1990, when he was also called up for the tournament in Italy.

Two of his four Scotland caps came at that tournament, before he spent two more years with Norwich.

He then joined Chelsea for £2.1million ahead of the start of the Premier League, struggling there for three years before returning to Norfolk in 1995.

He's managed local clubs Gorleston and Diss Town, but now works as a teaching assistant in Norwich. He featured in September's charity game at Carrow Road raising awareness for the fight against dementia.

Robert Fleck played for Norwich when he was called up to the 1990 World Cup with Scotland. (Image: Archant)

Efan Ekoku

Former City forward Efan Ekoku was the last player of the millenium to travel to a World Cup while on Norwich books, being called up by Nigeria for 1994's trip to the USA.

His form had been impressive for the Canaries in the time leading up to the tournament, but tailed off thereafter, making him yet another player to leave the same year as a World Cup.

From Carrow Road he moved to Wimbledon, having been the first player to score in European competition for the Canaries.

He's now working as a pundit, having retired from playing in 2004.

Efan Ekoku played for Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup in the USA. (Image: Archant)

Leroy Fer

After 20 years without Norfolk representation from Carrow Road, Leroy Fer broke the sequence with his trip to Brazil in 2014.

The midfielder made only one substitute appearance during the tournament but made his mark, scoring from the bench in a group game against Chile before receiving a bronze medal for his efforts.

This success told only weeks later, with Fer making only one more appearance at Carrow Road before being signed by QPR. At 32 he's plying his trade with Turkish Super Lig side Alyanaspor, having spent time with Swansea and Feyenoord after leaving West London.

Leroy Fer scored for the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup while a Norwich City player. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Josh Sargent

When Sargent was announced as part of the USA's World Cup squad on 9 November, he became the eighth City player to receive the honour.

Gregg Berhalter's squad will take on Wales, England and Iran in the group stages, with a strong chance of progressing. Sargent hasn't regularly started in recent international games but arrives in fine form, having scored nine goals this season.

Many of those have come from his second-choice right-sided role, but he'll hope to play a key part through the middle for Berhalter's side.

Josh Sargent is the first Norwich City player to be called up to a World Cup squad in eight years. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)