The 2009–10 season was the 108th season in the history of Norwich City. It was the club's first season in Football League One for 49 years, following relegation from The Championship in 2008–09. However, they gained promotion back to the second tier as league champions with a club record total of 95 points, finishing nine points ahead of runners-up Leeds United. This article shows statistics and lists all matches played by the club during the season.
Norwich had high expectations after a good pre-season campaign, however no one expected what was to come as City suffered their record home defeat in a 7-1 defeat to Colchester United in their opening game of the season. Although City beat Yeovil 4-0 in the Carling Cup Bryan Gunn was sacked and Paul Lambert, the man who masterminded Colchester's victory against Norwich, was named as his successor. City drew 1-1 away at Exeter and then lost away at Brentford. However, in Lambert's first game City won the game 5-2 and then won their first away game of the season away at Hartlepool with City fans starting to see signs of recovery.
September
After showing signs of recovery at the end of August, September proved to be a poor month for City. The month started off with a poor 0-0 draw against Walsall, followed by a 2-1 defeat by MK Dons thanks to a dubious penalty against the Canaries. After this City played second in the league Charlton and the Canaries were looking dead and buried going into half time at 2-0 down and the away side in control. However Wes Hoolahan recalled to the team scored just before half time and Grant Holt grabbed a last minute equaliser. City travelled to Gillingham the week after and were 1-0 down at half time and down to 10 men after goalkeeper Frazer Forster was sent off. However City showed fight and determination and in what some felt was a turning point Norwich grabbed a last minute equalised through Darel Russell. In the final game of September City beat Leyton Orient 4-0 after Chris Martins introduction in the second half inspired the win
October
October proved to be the month when Norwich really started climbing up the table. Days after their 4-0 win over Leyton Orient City followed it by a 5-1 win over Bristol Rovers before grabbing a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Carlisle courtesy of a Wes Hoolahan goal. 3 wins on the trot and 10 goals scored meant Norwich were now in a play off place. Next up for Norwich was top of the league Leeds who already looked to be running away with the league. Some would argue City were the better side in this game and City looked to be heading for a point, however Frazer Forster's miskick meant Leeds won the game with virtually the last kick of the game. However City went on to win their next two games of October beating play off chasing Swindon at Carrow Road 1-0 and then a 3-1 away win at Stockport. This meant five wins out of 6 in October and Norwich were only 4 points off second placed Charlton
November
City only had three league games in November due to cup commitments and they went through the month unbeaten. They grabbed a 2-0 win over struggling Tranmere before drawing 2-2 away at improving Southampton. They followed this up with a 4-1 win over Brighton at home. Grant Holt, Chris Martin and Wes Hoolahan all scored and all three were beginning to rack up the goals for Norwich
December
Norwich again went unbeaten in December and really began to close in on the top 2. They began with a 3-0 away win over Southend. The game was 0-0 at half time but the canaries turned on the style in the second half and they then followed this up with a 2-0 home win over Oldham. Next up was what proved to be one of Citys most exciting game of the season away at Yeovil. Yeovil took the lead through ex-canary Dean Bowditch in what was a dull first half. However City came back with Chris Martin and Gary Doherty giving the Canaries a 2-1 lead. However Yeovil quickly equalised and looked to have won it after a 90th-minute goal, however City didn't give up and a Russell Martin show deflected off Gary Doherty to earn a hard earned point. Norwich followed this up with wins over two fellow promotion chasers firstly beating Huddersfield 3-0 and then beating Millwall 2-0 on boxing day leaving them just 2 points off Charlton.
January
January proved to be a pivotal month for Norwich and they started it with a 1-0 win away at Wycombe. Although the Canaries dominated the game they failed to make the breakthrough. But Korey Smith struck a goal in the last 20 minutes of the game to send Norwich into second place. After this Norwich never looked back and followed this up with a 3-1 win at home to Exeter. Next up was probably one of Norwich's biggest game of the season at Colchester away. After the 7-1 defeat on the opening day of the season and Paul Lambert's departure the game was much anticipated. But it was Norwich who gained the ultimate revenge by winning 5-0 on an extremely waterlogged pitch. A Chris Martin double put City 2-0 up at half time before Gary Doherty, Grant Holt and Oli Johnson made it 5-0 and Wes Hoolahan even missed a penalty! Norwich had now also closed the gap on top of the league Leeds and due to their cup commitments City could go top with a win over Brentford. The task was made more difficult after Grant Holt's sending off but they won 1-0 thanks to a Chris Martin goal. Norwich were above Leeds on goal difference but Leeds had two games in hand. Norwich got a hard-fought 2-1 away win at Walsall with two late goals from Chris Martin and Cody Mcdonald and with Leeds losing it extended City's lead at the top to three points. City ended the month with a 2-1 win over Hartlepool meaning they had won 6 games out of 6 in January.
February
City got off to a bad start in February, losing 2-1 away at Millwall - their first defeat since October. However, they bounced back with a probably undeserved 2-1 win away at Brighton. With City 1-0 down, Lambert had four strikers on the pitch and it paid off as City grabbed two late goals through Holt and Doherty to grab the three points. City, however, again suffered defeat, losing their first home game under Paul Lambert to Southampton, but they had a chance to put it right against struggling Southend. Southend were 1-0 up with just 1 minute remaining, but two Oli Johnson goals won the game for Norwich in dramatic circumstances and they followed this up with a 1-0 win away at Oldham. Even though Norwich lost a few games, their rivals were also inconsistent and they had now built up a 5-point gap on second place Leeds and a 9-point gap on third place Charlton.
March
March was one of Norwich's most important months of the season with 3 games against promotion chasers, including a home game against second place Leeds. City began with an easy 3-0 win over Yeovil at Carrow Road but they now faced Huddersfield away who had yet to lose at the Galpharm Stadium that season. City had a poor first half and were 1-0 down going into the break. However, City produced a stirring comeback in the second half. Grant Holt, who had a hand in all of the goals, grabbed the equaliser before on-loan striker Stephen Elliot scored two to give City a 3-1 win. They followed this up with a 1-1 draw against another promotion chasing team, Swindon, and it was then time for the big game against Leeds. The game itself proved to be dull, but City scored another dramatic late winner with Chris Martin coming off the bench to head in the winner. The win meant that with eight games to go, City were 11 points clear of second and third place, with many feeling they were now champions in waiting.
April
With promotion and the championship looking all but sealed, it was a case of finishing the job off. City faced struggling Tranmere away and it proved to be one of City's more bizarre games of the season. Tranmere were awarded two debatable penalties in the opening 10 minutes, scoring both, with Fraser Forster also sent off for Norwich. Tranmere added a third with a clear handball. City got a goal in the second half but the damage was already done and the game ended 3-1. Norwich faced bottom of the league Stockport three days later. The game ended in a 2-1 win but Norwich were not at their best. A few days later, City again had a home game against MK Dons in a fiery affair. The Dons went 1-0 up in the first half. City were denied a clear-cut penalty in the second half and the Dons were picking up yellow cards for fun. Chris Martin salvaged a point though in the last minute. Promotion was looking as if it could soon be sealed, but City lost 2-1 away at Leyton Orient. However, they had a chance to put this right at Charlton. If results went their way, Norwich could be promoted with a win at the ground they were relegated at last season. City went ahead through a Michael Nelson header in the first half and, after some terrific saves from Fraser Forster, City survived the Charlton onslaught to seal the win. City were finally promoted back to the championship at the first time of asking. Considering the opening day defeat and the 15 point lead Leeds had once held, it was a massive achievement. City only needed 1 point from their remaining three games to seal the title and they beat Gillingham 2-0 to seal the championship with two games left.
May
With promotion and the championship already sealed, it was a case of ending the season on a high for Norwich. They started the month off with a convincing 3-0 win at Bristol Rovers before surprisingly losing the last game of the season 2-0 to Carlisle. However, this did not stop fans from celebrating promotion at the final whistle. Norwich ended the season with a nine-point lead over second-placed Leeds and a ten-point lead over third place Millwall. Norwich also finished the season as the league's highest scorers, with a huge 89 goals scored all season.
Due to being in League One, City started in the FA Cup in the first round for a number of years. They started off with a potential banana skin away at non-league Paulton Rovers. However City made easy work of Paulton winning 7-0, although City would not make it to the third round of the cup, losing 3-1 away at Carlisle
League Cup">2009–10 Football League Cup">League Cup
Norwich once again failed to make any sort of real impact in the Carling Cup, going out in the second round. They managed to pick up a 4-0 away win away at Yeovil with Grant Holt getting a hat-trick in what proved to be Bryan Gunn's final game as manager. Then, in Paul Lambert's second as manager, they lost 4-1 with Lambert putting out a below strength team. Wes Hoolahan grabbed the only goal. The game ended bizarrely with Michael Spillane sent off. Ben Alnwick was forced off injured so City were down to nine men and Cody McDonald was forced to go in goal.
