Norwich City's Best Starting XI from '90s to Present Day

James Kent@jimlk2007X.com LogoContributor IIIMarch 12, 2012

Norwich City's Best Starting XI from '90s to Present Day

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    Norwich City has have some good players since the Premier League era began. However, I am going to attempt to narrow it down to a starting XI. As ever with this type of article, there are plenty of contenders and some players will be excluded—that you would have loved to have put in.

    Selection is a matter of profile and instinct. So let's begin... 

Bryan Gunn (Goalkeeper)

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    Bryan Gunn was a Norwich City player from 1986-1998. This coincided with a very successful period for the club at the sharp end of the Premier League table—including their famous European exploits.

    Every good team needs a great goalkeeper, and Gunn was certainly that. He made over 400 appearances in the Norwich City first-team. He is a strong contender to be the Norwich City's best ever keeper. However, he was pushed hard for this place by Robert Green and current man John Ruddy.

    Gunn returned to the club later as manager for a short time. That was not a successful spell, and Gunn should be remembered for his playing career.  

Adam Drury (Left-Back)

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    This may be a controversial choice, but Drury has been a fantastic servant of the club. He is a rare breed by modern football standards. Possessing that rare commodity of loyalty. The full-back is the club's current longest serving player. He arrived in 2001.

    I think it is fair to say that Norwich City have received value for money for this transfer. Drury has played over 300 games for the Canaries.  

Marc Edworthy (Right-Back)

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    Norwich City has had plenty of quality right-backs over the years. But Edworthy stands out for me.

    He was only at the club for a short period from 2003-2005. However, in that time he showed to be a reliable and dependable defender. 

Craig Fleming (Central Defender)

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    What can you say about Flem?

    Absolute legend in my book. He was solid at the back and even popped up with the odd goal. The defender played for the club from 1997-2007, making well over 300 appearances. Well worth the £600,000 transfer fee.  

Malky Mackay (Central Defender)

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    Malky Mackay's Norwich City career ended way too early. I would have loved to have seen what he could of done in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the Canaries received six years of great service from the great Scot from 1998-2004.

    Mackay is now making moves as a manager with Cardiff City and one day may be destined to be a future Norwich City manager.

Darren Eadie (Left-Winger)

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    I grew up watching Darren Eadie, so I might be a bit bias here. However, he was a hugely talented player that all fans love to watch. He was loved due to his pace and trickery and goals against Ipswich!

    Injuries cut Eadie's career short. Without those injury problems, he surely would have played for England. Nevertheless, Norwich can be proud of one of the real great players to emerge from the youth system. 

Ruel Fox (Right-Winger)

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    Ruel Fox was another player that fits into the the exciting to watch category.

    He was also part of that successful period the club had in the 90s. Fox played for the Canaries from 1986-1994. Like Eadie, Fox came out of the Norwich City youth setup. He went on to play over 150 games for the club.   

Jeremy Goss (Midfielder)

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    Jeremy Goss played for the club from 1983-1996. He is perhaps best known from the scoring of wonder goals. Most notably against Leeds and in that famous game against Bayern Munich.

    Goss, another product of the Norwich City youth system, went on to play over 150 games for  the club.

Gary Holt (Midfielder)

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    Gary Holt was not the most skillful midfielder that the club has ever had. However, he put in the yards to work across the pitch, was strong in the tackle and popped up with the odd fantastic goal, just like Goss.

    He played for the club from 2001-2005; he certainly repaid the £100,000 transfer fee. 

Darren Huckerby (Forward/Winger)

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    It would be hard to put together a list like this without including Huckerby. Hucks played for the club from 2003-2008. During that time he played a significant part in getting the club into the Premier League. The club only stayed there one season on that occasion.

    However, Darren proved he could more than cut it at that level. He was, in fact, the most fouled player in the league. I think it is fair to say that Huckerby is held in a very high regard by fans. 

Grant Holt (Striker)

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    Grant Holt may only have been a Norwich City player since 2009 but in that time has scored goals for fun. Those who thought the player would not cut it in the Championship or Premier League, have been very wrong.

    Have Norwich City had a bigger bargain than the £400,000 that they paid for Holt?

    That being said there were other contenders like Dean Ashton, Iwan Roberts, Chris Sutton and Craig Bellamy.

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