It's hard to imagine there was even a debate about Angus Gunn being Norwich City's number one heading into this Championship season, such is the nature of his progress.
Rewind 12 months - Tim Krul was still at the club and it felt like the Canaries had to end the drama and uncertainty of a goalkeeping debate that had rumbled on as an unwelcome sub-plot throughout the previous campaign.
Gunn was selected by David Wagner as the club's number one and ended the campaign arguably as the outstanding shot-stopper in the entire Championship. That is a testament to another fine year of form for the Scotland international.
It scratched an itch that had proved unreachable to Gunn, that need for stability, faith in his abilities and a consistent opportunity to perform.
The vote of confidence was extended further when City elected to allow Krul, a powerful and popular influence, to depart the club to join Premier League side Luton. That said more about Gunn's qualities rather than the experienced Dutchman's shortfalls.
Some context is worth revisiting at this stage - when Norwich elected to re-sign Gunn from Southampton in 2021 for a fee much closer to £2.5m than the reported £5m, those at St Mary's had concerns regarding his ability.
He had been a scapegoat, somewhat unfairly, for a Premier League record-equalling 9-0 defeat to Leicester. Gunn's confidence evaporated and he never played another top-flight minute for Southampton after that.
Home comforts and the return to a familiar environment have helped Gunn rediscover his form - the first few years were about providing competition for Krul with a long-term view to succeeding the popular Dutchman at Carrow Road.
That process happened sooner than anyone anticipated, even if the journey contained setbacks, with Krul getting recalled despite encouraging performances from Gunn on three separate occasions.
Instead of protesting or sulking, Gunn responded with hard work. His opening came and now there is little doubt that he is firmly City's number one shot-stopper and one of the best in the Championship.
That has come about through consistency of minutes, an increased level of confidence and aided by the arrival of Paul Clements as head of goalkeeping.
The ex-Huddersfield coach is highly regarded in the game as an excellent developer, and Gunn has become more rounded since he came to Norfolk last summer as Ed Wootten's successor. Gunn has reaped the benefits of his training methods.
Few players beyond Kenny McLean and Gabriel Sara can make a better case for more consistency nor importance, other than Josh Sargent, than Gunn throughout the campaign.
On multiple occasions, be it against Kasey Palmer against Coventry, Scott Twine versus Bristol City or Billy Sharp in a crunch game against Hull - to name but three - Gunn has bailed the Canaries out of tricky situations and secured precious points in their run to the play-offs.
There will be frustration at the two errors that proved so costly in the final analysis of their 4-0 defeat to Leeds in the play-off semi final second leg, but Gunn also made six stops to prevent the scoreline from swelling any further.
It was a rare off day in a season of further progress for the Scottish international - who has looked transformed as a goalkeeper this term.
Gunn has been more commanding this season, establishing authority in his defensive penalty area, meeting crosses, and standing up physically to the test of the second tier. He has combined that with his Premier League-grade shot-stopping and comfort in possession to establish himself as a division-leading keeper.
Only Swansea's Carl Rushworth and Leicester's Mads Hermansen rank higher for post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed, with positive numbers suggesting an above-average ability to stop shots.
His shot-stopping data ranks Gunn among the best in the Championship, a tag Wagner repeatedly gave him during his various public moments of praise throughout the campaign.
It has a mutually beneficial relationship to both parties since he returned to his boyhood club, the task for City and sporting director Ben Knapper from here is to ensure they keep hold of him.
Gunn is entering the final 12 months of his Norwich deal. Knapper has to ensure that the Scot is at the core of his new City project. That will involve selling the 28-year-old a long-term vision that he can buy into and making him a key component of the side moving forward.
If City's first-choice keeper can continue his level of performance with Scotland in the European Championships this summer, then interest from the top flight is inevitable.
His affiliation with the club is well-documented, but Gunn will still hold ambitions of proving himself in the Premier League. Few would begrudge him that opportunity if a suitable club presented itself in the summer and met City's valuation.
It has been a mutually beneficial relationship. Gunn has become a better goalkeeper thanks to what Norwich have done for his career and City have benefited from his excellent level of performance.
Like Jon Rowe, Gabriel Sara, and Josh Sargent, Norwich should be braced for interest. Gunn's qualities, age profile, and contractual status will make him an attractive option in the coming months. According to reports north of the border, Rangers are long-term admirers.
Norwich will be desperate to continue that journey, after all, with his surname and the football club having such a long love affair and association, having a Gunn between the sticks feels right, but should never be a given.
Whatever comes next and with the wheels of change firmly in motion at Carrow Road, keeping Gunn remains a must for City.
Investing in a new long-term deal would be a statement of significant intent and undoubtedly among the best work they could do this summer.
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