Norwich City Heaven - Premier League destiny

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Back in 1994 Everton under the stewardship of former Norwich boss Mike Walker were on the verge of losing their top flight status for the first time in 40 years when they needed to beat Wimbledon in their final game of the season to stay up. Losing 2-0 after 20 minutes the Blues looked doomed. However after a being awarded a very dodgy penalty and a Barry Horne wonder goal (even though the ball appeared to hit his hand in the build up) they managed to save themselves by winning 3-2. There were later allegations made of match fixing but it was never proved. Norwich City won't ever be remembered for any similar great escapes. When needing a win to avoid relegation at the end of the 2004/05 season they got thrashed 6-0 by Fulham.

In April 1992 Dave Stringer's boys needed to get a point against Wimbledon to secure their place in the top flight and the newly formed Premier League. It's incredible to think that if City had lost this particular game at Carrow Road there would have been no league title challenge and no Uefa Cup run.

Norwich had been sitting comfortably in mid-table following an exciting 4-3 home win against Everton on March 21st (Darren Beckford hat-trick). Then it all went wrong for City with 7 consecutive defeats including a home defeat against second from bottom Notts County and an embarrassing thrashing at bottom club West Ham. Not forgetting second division Sunderland beating us in the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough.

Admittedly the Canaries had a few injury problems and they were boosted by the return of Culverhouse and Phillips for the visit of their bogey team Wimbledon, not really the team you want to play when you need the right result!

The Dons had won 3-1 at Plough Lane in October 1991 but when Robert Fleck scored his 19th goal of the season at an empty Barclay end (the Barclay was being rebuilt during the '91/92 season) following a Ruel Fox corner the Carrow Road faithful breathed a sigh of relief.

Fleck's goal was his first league goal for over 2 months (although he was injured during this period) and his final goal of his first spell at the club. He controversially joined Chelsea for £2.1m a few months later.

In the second half Gary Elkins levelled for Wimbledon from a free-kick but City got the draw they needed and the rest is history. After guiding Norwich to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, the quarter-finals of the league cup and almost getting them relegated, Dave Stringer resigned as Norwich boss and that man Mike Walker took his place.