You know who I am referring to, and over the years I can remember many ex-players who have helped to ruin our party. They all have something to prove, and James Norwood is no exception! The only question that remains is, will he start?
I don’t think that matters too much, because we all know that even if he comes on for the last ten minutes, as he did against Charlton last season, he can do some damage! He was never a player I particularly liked – mainly because of his petulance. If he could rid this from his game he would be a much more exciting proposition. He may not be particularly skilful but he is willful in his approach and that is what makes him the kind of player he is. His strengths lie in ruffling defenders’ feathers, and barking at officials!
I am probably being a bit unkind to him because his goals per game average is very good – wherever he has been, and had it not been for a series of niggly injuries, it could have been improved upon still further, truth be told. He responded to leaving Town very well, and he will be just as eager to convince everyone here that the management team made a huge mistake! I suspect that he would ruffle a few feathers in the dressing room too, and this could have been detrimental to past performances.
As Conor Chaplin recently pointed out, there are no bad apples in the squad these days – which might suggest that at one time there was. Norwood is a complete one-off, and that is why his unpredictability is both his strength and weakness. He has been left out of Barnsley’s last two league fixtures and quizzed by BBC Radio Suffolk’s sports journalist Graeme Mac, Town’s Luke Woolfenden had no idea how the fans should deal with James Norwood. “I don’t know. I don’t really have a message to the fans on that. If you want to boo him, boo him. If you don’t, don’t! With the type of striker he is, he likes contact and puts his body about. Sometimes that works in his favour, sometimes it doesn’t.” One thing is certain though. If Town win, they will stay at top of the table!
