Millwall striker Steve Morison spoke to MARK ARMSTRONG for the latest Pink Un magazine and dispelled a few myths about his time at Norwich City.
Whenever you start a new job there are a few butterflies during those first few weeks and months.
When Steve Morison was bought by Norwich City from Millwall for £2.8million in 2011 he was coming in to compete with a player who had already achieved legendary status.
Grant Holt had spearheaded City’s drive back from the oblivion of League One to the Premier League within two seasons. He was the main man in every sense and then Paul Lambert brought in this other big striker in Morison to compete against him. And fans didn’t like it – Holt was the king in their eyes: who was this confident Londoner coming to try and take Holty’s throne?
It inevitably led to stories that the pair didn’t get on – there wasn’t enough space for the both of them. It turns out that this couldn’t have been further from the truth.
“It was a bit of a funny one really – people want to make up stories but the truth is that we really got on,” said Morison, 33, now back at Millwall after a stint at Leeds United – and preparing to face the Canaries tomorrow.
“Whenever I scored he would be the first person I’d celebrate with and vice versa.
“I still speak to Holty a lot and I think a lot of people know that we own greyhounds together. He’s a top pro and I know that he’s regarded as a proper hero by Norwich fans – rightly so.”
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Morison’s goals, nine in the Premier League, helped keep Paul Lambert’s Norwich in the top flight comfortably and the forward looks back on his time at Carrow Road with fondness.
He does admit that the club changed markedly when Lambert left and, six months after, Morison was also heading for the exit door as part of a swap deal involving Leeds’ Luciano Becchio.
“I had a great time at Norwich – it was a privilege to be part of that Paul Lambert side,” he said. “We had such a successful first season and we stayed up comfortably.
“Me and Grant scored around 20-odd goals between us, which isn’t bad at all at that level. We had a great team spirit – the real shame of it was that Paul Lambert left when he did. Although the club stayed up that season, it wasn’t anywhere near as much fun.”
For the full article, pick up your copy of the August edition of The Pink Un magazine, available at local retailers now for £3.99 or at buyamag.co.uk/pink6
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