Simon Lappin swinging over a cross for Grant Holt…it doesn’t take a massive amount of delving into the nostalgic mind of a Norwich City fan to picture such a scenario.



But Canaries supporters may not have to just imagine it for much longer after the duo signed for King’s Lynn Town on Monday.

The pair, who were part of Paul Lambert’s successive promotion-winning sides at Carrow Road, have both declared themselves fit and available for the Linnets’ Evo-Stik Southern League Premier clash at home to Hitchin Town on Tuesday night.

The international break, which saw England limp through to Russia 2018, has left City fans thirsty for the return of Championship action.

MORE: The biggest signings in King’s Lynn’s history, says chairmanBut with that still four days away, perhaps a visit to The Walks could sate the desire to see some quality live football with a Norwich City flavour.

The arrival of Holt and Lappin is the latest step in chairman Stephen Cleeve’s vision to turn the Linnets into a Football League club.

Lynn are still three promotions away from fulfilling that dream as they currently ply their trade in the Southern League Premier, step three of the non-league pyramid.

But this hasn’t stopped the ambitious Cleeve splashing the cash since buying the club from speedway chief Buster Chapman in May 2016 for a reported fee of around £250,000.

He described the club as “a sleeping giant” at the time and has made a number of significant changes since.

The most important was sacking manager Gary Setchell in February earlier this year and replacing him with another former Canary in Ian Culverhouse.

Cleeve was attracted by Culverhouse’s coaching pedigree and enticed the Norwich City legend to The Walks with his Football League grand plan.

Culverhouse had a couple of months to get his feet under the table before using the summer to start moulding a squad capable of working its way up the non league ladder.

MORE: Fans react to King’s Lynn signing Grant Holt and Simon LappinCulverhouse, who was Lambert’s assistant at Norwich, has cultivated a passing style at The Walks heavily reliant on buccaneering full backs Fraser Blake-Tracy, formerly of Lowestoft Town, and ex-Norwich City FA Youth Cup winner Cameron Norman.

The Norwich City connection doesn’t end there with another couple of academy products in Michael Clunan and Ryan Jarvis also becoming key members of Culverhouse’s set-up.

These are exciting times for a Lynn side gunning for promotion. They have made a promising start to the campaign and, in Lappin and Holt, they have brought in a bit of Football League know-how that could strengthen their ambitions.

Lynn have regularly had gates in excess of 800 at home this season – well beyond what most teams at their level can command.

With Lappin and Holt in particular, they may see that number increase further.