On Saturday, Daniel Farke will become just the ninth man to manage Norwich City to return to Carrow Road in charge of an opposition team in five decades.
The German enjoyed incredible success at Norwich during a five-year spell in Norfolk and remains an incredibly popular figure after guiding the club to two Championship titles.
He brings his Leeds United side to Norfolk this weekend, hoping to ensure his comeback is a successful one as the Whites look to continue their march up the table.
What do the history books show about returning ex-bosses to NR1? We trawled through the history books to find out.
Ron Saunders
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 1-1 Manchester City – 29 December 1973
MacDougall (7); Law (39)
After resigning as Norwich manager in November 1973, Saunders returned to Carrow Road a month later with his Manchester City team. He was in charge of the Canaries for their first-ever promotion to the First Division.
His return to Carrow Road ended in a stalemate, largely thanks to Kevin Keelan’s excellence in goal. Ted MacDougall’s opener inside the opening 10 minutes was cancelled out by Dennis Law.
John Bond
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 2-0 Manchester City - 4th April 1981
Barham (13), McDowell (32 pen)
Bond left Carrow Road to take up the position as Manchester City boss in 1980, having kept Norwich in the top-flight under tight financial constraints.
It wasn’t until later in the 80-81 campaign that Bond returned to Norfolk as an opposition boss – but was successful both in the reverse fixture, a 1-0 victory over the Canaries at Maine Road, and a 6-0 FA Cup drubbing.
Goals from Marc Barham and John McDowell ensured Bond’s return to ensure an unhappy return for the former Norwich boss. It also ended a 22-game unbeaten run for Manchester City against the Canaries.
Mike Walker
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 3-0 Everton - 21 March 1994
Culverhouse (40), Sutton (49), Bowen (70)
Walker left Norwich for Everton in January 1994 after a long-running feud with chairman Robert Chase, ending a period of unparalleled success that almost saw the club win the Premier League and record a famous victory over Bayern Munich in the Uefa Cup.
His time at Everton was short-lived and unsuccessful – overseeing 35 games in charge at Goodison Park, winning just six.
He returned to Norfolk just two months after resigning. He saw three of his ex-players in Ian Culverhouse, one of only two City goals, Chris Sutton and Mark Bowen all get on the scoresheet in a game that would begin to show he wouldn’t last the distance on Merseyside. Walker returned to Norwich in 1996.
Martin O’Neill
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 2-1 Sunderland – December 2 2012
Bassong (8), Pilkington (37); Gardner (44)
O’Neill’s first Carrow Road return is perhaps the most unique – coming 17 years after he resigned from his post to join Leicester City in 1995.
The Northern Irishman would only manage three competitive matches against his former club, all coming during his spell in charge of Sunderland. O’Neill’s time at Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa never saw him face Norwich.
Like Bond and Walker, it ended in defeat, with Chris Hughton’s side running out 2-1 winners in December 2012 courtesy of goals from Sebastian Bassong and Anthony Pilkington.
Gary Megson
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 1-1 Stockport County – 18 October 1997
Angell (31); Eadie (73)
It may have been a brief spell in charge of Norwich City for Gary Megson between 1995 and 96, but he went on to enjoy a long career as a manager.
Megson enjoyed a decent record in his five visits to Carrow Road as an opposition manager – being beaten just once in a 2-0 defeat as West Brom boss in October 2001.
His first comeback was as Stockport manager in 1997, with Brett Angell’s opener being cancelled out by a Darren Eadie wonder-strike in the second half.
Paul Lambert
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 1-4 Aston Villa (League Cup quarter final) – December 11 2012
Morison (19); Holman (21), Weimann (79), (81), Benteke (90+1)
Paul Lambert is the only returning manager in 50 years to record victory in his first comeback to Carrow Road. It was so good he did it twice.
The Scot’s divorce with the Canaries was messy and public – but he was out to right wrongs when his Villa team came to Norfolk in the League Cup in December 2012. Despite falling behind, three goals in the final 10 minutes secured a 4-1 victory.
Lambert also tasted victory on his league return, beating Hughton’s City side 2-1 in May 2013. He has won three of his five Carrow Road reunions – although Norwich had the last laugh on the most recent one as Ipswich Town boss.
Chris Hughton
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 2-0 Brighton and Hove Albion – 21 April 2017
Stockdale (o.g 18, 39)
Chris Hughton has never managed to record a victory as an opposition manager at Carrow Road in both attempts with Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest.
The Irish boss was sacked by City in 2014 when they turned to Neil Adams to save their Premier League status. His style of play proved unpopular with supporters during his tenure.
At Brighton, he enjoyed success and took the team to the top flight for the first time in 34 years. They were already promoted when they came to Carrow Road in April 2017, but a brace of own goals from David Stockdale ensured they handed the title to Newcastle United.
Alex Neil
Carrow Road return: Norwich City 1-1 Preston North End – 25 November 2017
Maddison (34); Barkhuizen (70)
The most recent former City boss to return to NR1 is Alex Neil – who has been a regular visitor since his Norwich sacking back in March 2017, prior to Stuart Webber’s arrival.
Neil has yet to record a victory against Norwich at Carrow Road in five attempts – drawing two and losing three matches on his return.
His first game back in Norfolk saw his Preston team leave with a point after Tom Barkhuizen’s equaliser cancelled out a trademark James Maddison free kick in Daniel Farke’s debut season in charge.
Daniel Farke
Carrow Road return: Norwich City v Leeds United – 21 November 2023
Daniel Farke will attempt to become only the second ex-City boss to win their first reunion with the Canaries on Saturday as he brings his Leeds United side to Carrow Road.
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