WW2?

Former Norwich City manager Paul Lambert says the spirit of the club’s players during his time at the club was pivotal in making progress from League One to the Premier League.

Lambert managed the Canaries between 2009 and 2012 and helped the club secure mid-table status in the Premier League.

In referencing the spirit of his group at the time, the 52-year-old Scot pointed to an incident involving midfielder Bradley Johnson.

“Bradley was a really good lad,” Lambert told BBC Scotland’s Sacked in the Morning podcast.

“We were playing at QPR, who had come up to the Premier League with us. The lads said ‘if we win can we go to the darts at Alexandra Palace?’

“I said ‘no problem’. We played the game and Johnson had an issue with Joey Barton. Johnson went down as if he’d been butted. Barton was sent off. We won the game and the lads said ‘we’re off to the darts’. I said ‘see you Monday, behave yourselves’.

“I’m in the house on Saturday night and get a call from the PR guy for Norwich. He says ‘I’ll send you a picture’. He sends a picture and you know at the darts when they get a 180 the fans hold up a picture or something with writing on it? Johnson has a card held up saying ‘Barton your breath stinks’. I said ‘send him to my office on Monday’.

“He comes in. He says ‘what are you going to do?’

“I said ‘go and get ready for training’. I couldn’t fine him as deep down I was actually laughing myself. The spirit that group had was incredible. The whole thing with that group was they were so close and water tight.”

Posted By: Chris Peacock, Nov 13, 17:18:24