'Now or never' - Norwich's Wembley glory, 40 years on

BBC News

24-03-2025

"I remember the song on the bus going down, It's Now Or Never by Elvis - this was our big opportunity, our big chance."On 24 March 1985, defender Steve Bruce was a member of the Norwich City squad heading for Wembley to take on Sunderland in the League Cup final.Bruce was to know many big occasions in his later career with Manchester United, but for him, having been plucked from the lower divisions by Norwich after seven years with Gillingham, it was one to savour.Already a Canaries hero for heading the winning goal against East Anglian rivals Ipswich Town in the semi-final, he formed an impenetrable barrier with fellow centre-back Dave Watson.The final didn't have the greatest winning goal as Asa Hartford's effort was deflected past his own goalkeeper by Gordon Chisholm, but the ribbons on the trophy were yellow and green when it was handed to captain Watson on what was at that time Norwich's greatest day. They had won the same competition back in 1962, but that was a two-leg final against Rochdale, played on their own grounds - and Spotland could hardly compare with Wembley in terms of history or atmosphere. "We just about handled the occasion better than they did. It wasn't a classic final - but for everybody that supports Norwich, though, it was," Bruce told BBC Radio Norfolk."We'd won a cup and it didn't matter if it had come off two deflections. That day is arguably the best they've had in their history."
'The best £75,000 you've ever spent'
Bruce had his father-in-law to thank, in part, for the move that took him to Carrow Road, with then Norwich chairman Sir Arthur South baulking at the fee they were being asked to pay by a transfer tribunal."He wasn't too happy having to pay £75,000, rising to £125,000, I think it was. I remember him saying 'you're going to cost a lot of bloody money, you' and my father-in-law interrupting him and telling him, 'it'll be the best £75,000 you've ever spent, mark my words," the now-Blackpool manager recalled.It was not a straightforward passage to Wembley for Norwich - who had lost to Tottenham and Aston Villa in the 1973 and 1975 finals, both by a 1-0 scoreline.They beat Preston 6-1 in a replay following a 3-3 draw and also needed two games to see off Aldershot 4-0 after the first ended goalless - before 3-0 and 1-0 away wins against Notts County and Grimsby Town.They trailed 1-0 to Ipswich after the first leg of the semi-final but turned it around with a 2-0 win, with Bruce - who had been at Wembley as a 15-year-old ball boy when Newcastle met Manchester City in the 1976 final - heading the second."I can can still remember it as it if was yesterday. From a corner we always fancied our chances, he always put it into a certain area and it was one of those easier headers where you're running onto it, I managed to make first contact and we were 2-1 up in the last minute - a great feeling," he said.
'It was my first sight of Wembley'
Norwich supporters flocked to north London for what was to become known as the 'friendly final' because of the excellent spirit between them and their Sunderland counterparts."It was my parents' wedding anniversary. We left Mum at home, and Dad and I went off on a bus from the village. It was my first sight of Wembley, Dad had been 10 years previously but wouldn't take me to the Villa game," Norwich fan Lorraine Taylor told BBC Look East."We were playing football in front of Wembley with some Sunderland fans, it was just so friendly, I don't think it's ever been re-created, that atmosphere we had that day."Kathy Blake was also among the Norwich contingent, travelling there and back on a special trains, although they had to take matters into their own hands to ensure everyone could catch it for the return journey home."They slightly miscalculated and didn't allow for the fact that if we won, people would want to stay behind and celebrate," she said."I always remember that the train was supposed to be going at half past six and people on the train got off because it wasn't allowed to leave if the doors were open - the only way they could make sure everybody got back on the train was to keep opening the doors."Her memories of the day also focus on the warmth between the two sets of fans, but the match itself seem to pass by "in a flash".She added: "At that time, there was still quite a bit of hooliganism so it stood out as something special."I can remember big, tough men with tattoos crying like little babies at the end (when Norwich had won) - very emotional."Apart from maybe the play-off final in 2015, we've had nothing like it so it still looms large in the memory as a very special day. Hopefully we'll get another one like it in my lifetime."
Beaten by Sunderland the week before
Norwich could have won the game by a wider margin if winger Mark Barham had taken one of the chances that came his way."I had four or five misses. They were good efforts and on another day I might have had a hat-trick but sadly I didn't score," he said.But Barham, who had won two England caps two years earlier, was just relieved to be playing in the game."I'd only just come back from 18 months out with cruciates and to hear my name come up (when the team was announced) was incredible," he told BBC Look East."The build-up was very tense because we'd played Sunderland the week before at home and they battered us 4-1. "But we were all jovial when we got to Wembley. The pitch was stunning and it was just fantastic to walk out and be within a theatre like that."
Barham recalls Dave Hodgson missing a clear chance for Sunderland in their first attack of the game - and there was another anxious moment when they were awarded a second-half penalty following Dennis van Wijk's handball, but Clive Walker shot wide."I think Chrissy Woods would have saved it whether it went inside the post or not and that summed up the whole game really. We looked like the team that was going to win the whole way through," he said.After that, Norwich were able to see out the rest of the game, leaving just one last job to be done."You walk up the steps, you know the captain's going to pick the trophy up. You're tired but it didn't make any difference whatsoever, you couldn't get up there quick enough. I really can't believe it's 40 years ago," Barham added.
'His man management was fantastic'
The League Cup was the only trophy won by Norwich during Ken Brown's seven years in charge, but Bruce has no doubt about his contribution to that memorable run to Wembley."His man management skills were absolutely fantastic. There was never a dull moment with Ken," he said. "It is a hard job but the pair of them, him and Mel (Machin, assistant boss) were a wonderful combination. When you get beat it can make you miserable, but he was always up and ready for the challenge."The season did not have a happy ending for Norwich, who won only three of their 13 remaining games and were relegated from the top flight."We celebrated too much. We were out every other night around Norfolk and that bit us, because for a team that had gone so well, it fell away," said Bruce.He moved on to Old Trafford at the end of 1987 but Carrow Road always remains a special place."I never forget Gillingham where I started but Norwich was the one that above all gave me the platform to have the career I've had."When I first went there, I thought I'm never going to be as good as these. But you get to a certain level of fitness and confidence and all of a sudden you're up and riding, and that's the epitome of it - getting to a cup final, being man of the match, wonderful memories, and I've got nothing but affection for the whole club."