Our review of Norwich City's top-flight history continues with David Freezer looking back on the 1982-83 season.
BACK IN BUSINESS
After steering City to automatic promotion during his first full season in charge, Ken Brown had earned another crack at top-flight management.
Players including Chris Woods, Dave Watson, Keith Bertschin, Steve Walford and John Deehan had all come to the fore, with Martin O’Neill also returning from Manchester City to help seal the deal.
O’Neill was fresh from captaining Northern Ireland to the World Cup quarter-finals as 1982-83 began, taking on the captaincy as midfielder Mick McGuire’s time at Norwich came to an end, before Dave Watson assumed the role permanently.
Things weren’t looking good though, with just seven wins, five draws and 26 goals from the opening 26 matches, leaving City second from bottom in early February.
However, just two defeats in the last 16 matches saw the Canaries surge to 14th and seven points clear of the relegation zone, thanks to seven wins and seven draws courtesy of 26 goals scored and 13 conceded during that pressure-relieving upturn in form.
A NEW HERO
John Deehan had been signed from West Brom for £175,000 midway through the previous promotion season in Division Two after an initially bright start to his top-flight career had lost momentum at West Brom.
Ten goals in 25 games had made the striker an instant hit but Deehan was just getting started.
The 25-year-old scored 20 goals in 40 league games during his first season in the top flight with City, joining Ted MacDougall as the only players to have reached that landmark in a Division One season with the Canaries.
Deehan notched a brace during three successive wins in April as Brown’s team enjoyed a significant upturn in form, during wins over Birmingham, Sunderland and Arsenal.
THE STAR MAN
It was centre-back Dave Watson being named Player of the Season though, as he continued to impress despite only celebrating his 21st birthday mid-season.
The bargain £50,000 signing in 1980, soon after Brown had succeeded John Bond in 1980, was building the reputation that would eventually earn him England recognition and top-level success at Everton.
City didn’t manage to win any of the games that Watson missed, with those seven league absences featuring five defeats and two draws, conceding 17 goals including in heavy defeats at Sunderland, Brighton and Manchester City.
Watson assumed the captaincy in February and would retain it for the following three seasons, including leading Norwich to League Cup final glory at Wembley in 1985 and the Division Two title in 1986 before becoming just three third player to leave City for in excess of £1million.
BRILLIANT DOUBLE
Liverpool were the dominant force in England during the early 1980s, both at home and abroad, but the Reds were beaten twice by newly-promoted Norwich during 1982-83.
The reigning champions would go on and become champions of England for a fourth time but Bob Paisley’s team were beaten 1-0 at Carrow Road in December and 2-0 at Anfield in April.
Star names including Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Ian Rush were left frustrated as Deehan scored the only goal in Norfolk and it was an own goal and Martin O’Neill leaving the Canaries joyful on Merseyside as Brown’s team went a 10th game unbeaten.
City’s boss said after the home win: “That was the most satisfying win of my managerial career. Also my daughter Amanda won a major tennis tournament in Melbourne and the club’s youth team won 5-0 away from home … you could say it’s been rather a good day for me.”
The Kop was ready to roar in title celebration but was made to wait for another week in a result billed the biggest upset of the season by the EDP at the time, with the accompanying headline: Canary extras play the starring role!
There was also a late Christmas present as Bond’s players showed their spirit during a 3-2 win at Ipswich on December 27, with the Tactor Boys having been runners-up in the top flight in each of the past two seasons.
Peter Mendham’s brace was added to by a late winner from O’Neill, smashing in a free-kick from 25 yards in the 89th minute to earn a first win at Portman Road in almost eight years and the first away win of the season.
The Suffolk boys wouldn’t get the better of Norwich that season as both clubs ended up in mid-table, losing 1-0 in Norfolk in the FA Cup fifth round thanks to Keith Bertschin and drawing 0-0 at Carrow Road in the league later in the campaign.
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