Nigel Worthington

Biography:

Nigel took over as Acting Manager of the first team at Norwich on 4th December 2000 when Bryan Hamilton resigned from the post.

Norwich had dropped to 20th position in the First Division after a poor run of results, losing five games in a row when Hamilton decided to step down.

After a month in the caretaker role, he was confirmed as Hamilton's full-time successor and was given a two-and-a-half year contract at Carrow Road by Chairman Bob Cooper who said:

"The Board are impressed with the manner in which Nigel, Doug and Steve have taken charge of first-team matters.

"They clearly work well as a team and provide vital continuity. They compliment and balance each other well, and clearly have the respect of the players and the staff, as well as of the entire board."

Worthington had worked as Hamilton's assistant at Carrow Road but is probably still remembered best as the hard-working Sheffield Wednesday left-back having spent ten years as a player at Hillsborough.

After a couple of seasons at Leeds United, he joined Stoke City where he spent a further year before accepting the player/manager post at Blackpool. His playing career ended before Christmas 1997 at Bloomfield Road and Nigel concentrated solely on his role as manager but he left the position in the summer of 1998.

It is hoped that in his second managerial position he can guide the Canaries back to the top flight of English football. He came close to doing exactly that in the 2001/02 season, when Norwich reached the First Division play-off final after snatching sixth place in the table on the last day of the regular season, on goal difference.

Surprisingly beating Wolves in the semi-finals, Worthington's team took the lead against Birmingham City in the final in Cardiff, but were pegged back and eventually lost on penalties.

(info as at 01/10/2003)