Norwich City: Why it’s worth chasing the Premier League dream

They weren’t very understanding when we complained about yet another unsuccessful attempt to get promoted.

This season has been classy, so why must we advance? Winning a lot in the Championship is preferable to losing

badly every week in the Premier League.

This is by no means an unusual argument. Whether it is the promise of enormous television profits or the

opportunities that come with international exposure, the ambition of promotion is a siren song for every club in the

league.However, the harsh realities of life in the top flight have recently not lived up to the expectations of the

promotion season that preceded it.

An excellent illustration of this is Norwich, a team that is frequently linked to the concept of “yo-yoing.” Since 2019,

we have been promoted twice and then immediately demoted. The belief that the football approach that had helped

us win the Championship would eventually pay off in the Premier League, as well as the exhilaration and

anticipation of fighting against the big boys, came with every promotion.

Every relegation served as a reminder of reality. The gap between the top of the Championship and the lower half of

the Premier League was not closed by our meagre expenditures. Desperate pragmatism replaced attractive football,

and the result was only five victories in the most recent Premier League season.

It’s intriguing to think about what happened to the other clubs that were promoted with us. Sheffield United finished

second in 2019 and had an incredible season the following year, finishing 11 spots and 33 points ahead of us.

They have since been demoted, placed in the playoffs, received automatic promotion, and then been demoted again.

Watford, the runners-up in 2021, were demoted the next season along with us.

For the first time since 1998, all three promoted teams were demoted at the first attempt last season, even though

two other teams received point punishments. This suggests that the gap between promoted teams and the remainder

of the Premier League is wider than ever. It appears likely that this year will see the continuation of the trend.

This negative image has a reverse side. Aston Villa, who had been promoted to the play-offs in 2020 and had 18

fewer points than Norwich, barely managed to hold onto their Premier League standing by one point.

They are currently competing in the Champions League quarterfinals five years later. After winning the 2021 play-

offs, Brentford is currently in a relatively comfortable eleventh place, ahead of Tottenham, Everton, and Manchester

United. Despite having a lesser net worth than at least a dozen Championship owners, its owner has made smart

investments and built a reputation as a team capable of upsetting the “bigger” clubs.

Six of the Premier League’s top ten teams have participated in Championship football in the previous eight years.

While some teams have benefited from absurdly rich owners, others were barely better off when they first joined the

league than many of the teams who won’t be promoted this time. Though it’s obviously more difficult than this, there

are indications that prudent wealth management and investment can pay off. Top-level football is more lucrative

than ever, and the football pyramid itself is becoming more of a steep incline than a slope.

However, what about the mindset that says “we’re better in the Championship”? Of course, winning each week is

fantastic. It can feel familiar, secure, and comfortable, of course.

Comfort does not create a legacy.

Europe is where Aston Villa is. Wolves and Brighton participated in the Europa League. The champions-elect were

defeated by Fulham. These are teams that have toiled in the top division and languished in the lower leagues, yet

they have produced moments that will change who they are. Promotion frequently results in suffering, but the

possibility of a miracle means that the pursuit should never end.

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