Norwich City 2015/16 season
League Position: 19th Premier League (2014/15: 3rd - Play-Off Winners)
Average league attendance: 26,972 (2014/15: 26,342)
Top league goalscorer: Dieumerci Mbokani (7)
The Canaries return to the second tier next season after spending just one campaign among the Premier League elite following last May's third place finish and Play-Off final win over Middlesbrough. Alex Neil invested heavily in his squad last season with Robbie Brady [Hull City], Steven Naismith [Everton], and Ivo Pinto [Dynamo Zagreb] all coming in for seven figure sums as Norwich looked to establish themselves at the highest level. Andre Wisdom [Liverpool], Matt Jarvis [West Ham United], and Dieumerci Mbokani [Dynamo Kiev] also arrived on loan with Lewis Grabban [AFC Bournemouth] and Gary Hooper [Sheffield Wednesday] both leaving in an attempt to balance the books.
Life in the Premier League started brightly for the East Anglians as they lost just twice in their opening seven league matches, registering comfortable wins over Sunderland and AFC Bournemouth in the process. West Bromwich Albion were beaten 3-0 in the Capital One Cup Third Round but October marked a turning point in their season. They lost all four league matches, including a 6-2 defeat to Newcastle United, and were knocked out of the League Cup on penalties by Everton. A 1-0 win over Swansea City in early November kept The Canaries away from the drop zone and three wins from four over the Christmas period elevated them to 14th, six points above the bottom three.
After a 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, Norwich's form deserted them as they picked up just one points from their next nine matches. Important points were dropped late on in matches against Liverpool and West Ham United but despite that The Canaries still entered April four points above the drop after consecutive wins over West Brom and Newcastle. Goalscoring hadn't been Alex Neil's side's strong suit over the season and, just when goals were most needed, they completely dried up as they failed to find the net in five of their last six league matches. The fans at Carrow Road did see their side put four past Watford in the penultimate match of the season but by then it was too late as results elsewhere saw The Canaries' relegation confirmed with a game to spare.
The Ground
Carrow Road
Norwich
NR1 1JE
For directions to Carrow Road click here
The Manager
Alex Neil didn't take long to make his mark as a manager after hanging up his boots at the tender age of 31. As a player Neil had spells both sides of the border with Airdrieonians, Mansfield Town, and Barnsley before returning North of the border to join Hamilton Academical. He made more than 200 appearances at New Douglas Park and helped Accies gain promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2008.
After Billy Reid stepped down in April 2013, Neil was handed the manager's job on an interim basis before being appointed the full-time boss that summer. In his first season in charge he guided Hamilton back to the top tier in Scotland and then oversaw their first win away at Celtic Park in 76 years. Neil answered Norwich's call in January 2015 and won 17 of his first 25 games in charge to bring Premier League football back to Carrow Road.
The First Meeting
9 October 1920, Football League Division Three - Norwich City 0 Brentford 0
Brentford: Durston, Hodson, Spratt, Eliott, Amos, Morris, Cartmell, Thompson, King, Anstiss, Henery
All square at The Nest
The Last Meeting
24 January 2015, Sky Bet Championship - Norwich City 1 Brentford 2
Brentford: Button, Odubajo, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell, Douglas, Diagouraga, Jota, Pritchard, Dallas, Gray
Jota and Alex Pritchard on target in win at Carrow Road
Head to Head
Brentford wins: 21
Draws: 8
Norwich City wins: 22