After their recent relegation to League 1, Norwich City will automatically become one of the favourites to return immediately to the Championship and gain promotion.
Brian Gunn and his backroom team of Norwich legends Ian Crook and Ian Butterworth will be hoping this is the case.
Some say it was a sentimental appointment back in January bringing in their legendary goalkeeper and unfortunately resulted in their relegation but he will be given a chance by the Carrow Road faithful to get them back up.
Gunn plans to promote the youth system and scrap a reliance on loan players, with an astonishing 17 loan players coming through the revolving doors at Carrow Road last season.
This is something that will appease fans who were understandably upset with the performance of the team last season and felt there was a lack of spirit amongst the players.
However, with the sale of Scottish goalkeeper David Marshall to Cardiff City already and winger Lee Croft likely to return to another Championship club on a free transfer in the coming weeks, it is important not to rely on only youngsters.
The performances of Cody McDonald, who was plucked from non-league Dartford in February, have left City fans with hope for the future that he could help fire Norwich out of League 1.
It will be necessary to add a few experienced heads alongside the younger players and hope that Brian Gunn is the man to get the most out of the players at his disposal.
There is a cautionary word though for Norwich fans expecting them to stroll League 1 like Leicester City this season.
In recent memory the likes of Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have all dropped into the third tier of English football and did not bounce back at the first attempt, with Leeds still marooned there after another play-off disappointment.
Norwich, Southampton and Charlton, alongside Leeds, will be the big fish in a small pond and smaller teams will raise their games and enjoy playing at the bigger stadia these clubs have.
If Gunn and Norwich are not at least in the play-off picture at Christmas, expect unrest from the terraces at Carrow Road, who so desperately want one of their former heroes to succeed but also not to tarnish the memories they have of him.
Richard Howard
