This time the game will be on
Last updated : 17 April 2007 By Tony Scholes
 | Chris Martin |
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It should have been played in January at a time when our long run without a win was only seven games old, when we were still very much in mid-table and when Norwich were still some way behind us. That's no longer the case and should they beat us tonight that should all but guarantee that they will end the season above us.
It's all a far cry from last October when the Sky cameras visited Carrow Road on a Sunday lunchtime to see us give them a 4-1 hammering and as the final whistle blew there were television pictures of Delia (damn, I said I wasn't going to mention her) telling supporters that she was just about to sack manager Nigel Worthington.
The usual names were put forward for the job, but they thankfully avoided Kevin Blackwell and by the time they next played had appointed former player Peter Grant who was at the time at West Ham as Alan Pardew's assistant.
It's been somewhat average since with just about as many wins as defeats, and Grant has set about changing the squad, although to date there have been just three permanent signings. He's also brought in loan players, including three goalkeepers.
Portsmouth keeper Jamie Ashdown was his first signing, but he played just the two games during his month with Norwich. In January he brought in Celtic stopper David Marshall but an injury in a cup tie at Chelsea forced his return to Scotland. More recently they signed Tony Warner from Fulham and he's currently holding down a first team place.
Away from the goalkeeping position his first signing was Luke Chadwick, a player well known to Burnley fans. It was an initial loan from Stoke with a view to a permanent signing in January, but having given them the lead in the derby against Ipswich on his debut he was injured and didn't feature again until a month ago.
Grant paid £200,000 for Chadwick in January and also spent a £350,000 fee on RK Sunderland forward Chris Brown. His other signing was midfielder Simon Lappin from St. Mirren.
On Saturday they came face to face with Nigel Worthington again following him joining Leicester, and they came from behind to win with a Robert Earnshaw penalty and a Gareth McAuley own goal. It was a return to winning ways having lost the previous three games.
Click
HERE to see all Norwich's results this season.
Burnley will be looking to get all there points to ensure mathematical safety, but already this game is getting an end of season feel about it.
Team News
Peter Grant has some injury problems ahead of the game and to add to that they will be without Dutch full back Jürgen Colin who is unavailable due to family reasons. Jason Shackell is also a doubt after suffering a knock at the Crisp Bowl and Gary Doherty, sent off when we met earlier in the season, is ruled out as he awaits a hernia operation.
To add to that Mark Fotheringham is ruled out with a back injury and Simon Lappin has a fractured thumb and will miss the game. Luke Chadwick has now managed to acquire a thigh injury (he tends not to do too much playing after the end of September) and he's also out as is Youssef Safri who has a hamstring injury.
There is though some brighter news on Adam Drury who managed just 43 seconds before being substituted on Saturday. Drury has had severe mouth problems after having dental work done in the last week. He played but quickly had to come off because of a reaction to his medication. He's expected to play tonight but will NOT be taking any pain killers, he'll just be coping with the toothache.
Robert Earnshaw, the league's leading scorer before he was injured, continues his return to fitness. He came off the bench on Saturday for his first game and that's where he'll be again tonight although expected to play longer than the twenty minutes he got on Saturday.
Norwich's team is therefore not easy to establish but I think both Shackell and Drury will play and their line up could be: Tony Warner, Andrew Cave-Brown, Dion Dublin, Jason Shackell, Adam Drury, Lee Croft, Andy Hughes, Michael Spillane, Dickson Etuhu, Darren Huckerby, Chris Martin. Subs: Paul Gallacher, Robert Eagle, Chris Renton, Robert Earnshaw, Matthew Halliday.
Click
HERE to see the full Norwich squad.
Burnley have named the same team for each of the last four games, but they will have to make a change tonight with Norwich not allowing Paul McVeigh to play against them. McVeigh has started all five games since joining the Clarets on loan but will now have to sit this one out.
It looks certain that Ade Akinbiyi will replace him and Steve Cotterill has been paving the way for his return, and telling us that Ade needs to be loved and to feel wanted. Whilst still suggesting that it could be next season before we see a fully fit Ade Akinbiyi he reckons some support and a goal or two will improve Ade's confidence.
Other than that I don't see any other changes, despite the poor performance at Leeds, and I expect us to field the following side: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Wayne Thomas, Steven Caldwell, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, Eric Djemba-Djemba, James O'Connor, Steve Jones, Andy Gray, Ade Akinbiyi. Subs: Danny Coyne, Graham Coughlan, Chris McCann, John Spicer, Kyle Lafferty.
Last Meeting
The Sky cameras rolled into Burnley at the end of March last year believing Norwich might just make it to the play offs. We were on a terrible run and had lost the previous six games and hadn't scored in the last five.
Nothing much changed initially and Norwich should have had the game won in the first quarter of an hour. They missed at least three good chances. But it was Burnley who went in front with what was our first real chance. Graham Branch got the ball in low from the left hand side for Andy Gray who turned well and hit home his first goal for the Clarets.
There was no looking back after that and it was no surprise when we doubled our lead just a few minutes into the second half. This time Branch was the scorer, heading home a superb cross from loan full back Phil Bardsley.
It ended 2-0 and we were more than worthy winners in the end - once we got in front Norwich never threatened to get back into the game.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Phil Bardsley, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (John Spicer 76), James O'Connor, Chris McCann, Graham Branch (Kyle Lafferty 88), Michael Ricketts (Alan Mahon 63), Andy Gray. Subs not used: Danny Karbassiyoon, Garreth O'Connor.
Norwich: Robert Green, Craig Fleming, Jason Shackell, Gary Doherty, Adam Drury (Robert Earnshaw 36), Jonatan Johansson (Ian Henderson 68), Andy Hughes, Simon Charlton (Youssef Safri 61), Carl Robinson, Darren Huckerby, Leon McKenzie. Subs not used: Paul Gallacher, Dickson Etuhu.
Previous 20 Seasons |
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1987/88 | LC | h | 1-1 | 7,912 | Oghani |
| . | . | a | 0-1 | 6,168 | . |
2000/01 | 1 | h | 2-0 | 15,017 | Payton Davis |
| . | . | a | 3-2 | 17,507 | Ball Taylor Moore |
2001/02 | 1 | a | 1-2 | 19,849 | Armstrong |
| . | . | h | 1-1 | 14,679 | Taylor |
2002/03 | 1 | h | 2-0 | 16,282 | McGregor Little |
. | . | a | 0-2 | 20,026 | . |
2003/04 | 1 | a | 0-2 | 16,407 | . |
| . | . | h | 3-5 | 12,417 | Wood May Blake |
2005/06 | C | a | 1-2 | 25,204 | Safri(og) |
| . | . | h | 2-0 | 11,938 | Gray Branch |
2006/07 | C | a | 4-1 | 24,717 | J O'Connor Gray(2) Mahon |
Click HERE
to see more results against Norwich since we first met in 1934 when the Clarets won 3-2 in Norwich.