Despite losing striker Chris Sutton to Blackburn Rovers before the start of the season in England's first £5 million transfer, Norwich made a strong start to the season and seemed capable of reproducing their impressive form of the two previous seasons. By Christmas, they stood seventh in the table and looked good bets for a UEFA Cup place.
But then it all went wrong, after an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Bryan Gunn. Their final good result of the season was a 2-1 victory over title challengers Newcastle United on New Year's Eve and after that, the Canaries went into a sudden freefall, won only one of their final 20 league games (a 3-0 home win over Ipswich Town in the East Anglian derby which still kept them in 11th) and plunged into 20th place and relegation after a seven-match losing streak followed by a draw - ending their nine-year tenure in the top flight just two years after they had narrowly missed out on the league title.
Just weeks before the end of the season, manager John Deehan handed in his resignation and vacated the manager's seat to make way for 36-year-old player-coach Gary Megson. Megson in turn quit after failing save Norwich from the drop. The man selected by chairman Robert Chase to revert Norwich's declining fortunes was Martin O'Neill, who had just taken Wycombe Wanderers to the brink of the Division Two play-offs in only their second season in the Football League.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^Akinbiyi was born in Hackney, England, but also qualified to represent Nigeria internationally through his parents and would make his international debut for Nigeria in November 1999.
^Ekoku was born in Cheetham, England, but also qualified to represent Nigeria internationally and made his international debut for Nigeria in 1994.