Saturday's match at home to Liverpool represented a homecoming. Not just for the 27,000 plus fans who had been starved of live football at Carrow Road, but for Angus Gunn and the Premier League.
All three were back at the stadium in front of the Sky TV cameras and, while the result didn't go Norwich's way, it was still a night to remember.
However, Angus is no stranger to a full house at Carrow Road. As an eight-year-old he was a season ticket holder cheering on Nigel Worthington’s Canaries to a Division One title in 2004 that returned Premier League football to Norfolk for the first time in nine seasons.
Son of Norwich City legend Bryan, Angus would go to games with his sister and mother and recalls that, regardless of the division, it would normally be a packed Carrow Road. The atmosphere was that bit more electric though when the big teams came to town.
“Norfolk is a one club county, and I was born in Norwich so from the age of three I was going to training camps with the football in the community programmes, put on by the club, and from the first moment I can remember, I fell in love with football,” he recalled.
“Carrow Road has been, from when I can remember, a sell out for pretty much every game. I think it will be even more special, with the return of the fans and Premier League football being back as well.
“It (Carrow Road) always seems to have that bit of extra edge on the bigger games and when the bigger teams come to town.”
Saturday was also not be Angus’ first time in a matchday squad at Norwich as well. He joined the club’s academy as a youngster and stayed until the age of 15 before joining the youth set up at Manchester City. It was while on the books at Pep Guardiola’s City that he returned to Norwich, on loan for the 2017/18 season.
He played every league game that campaign – Daniel Farke’s first in charge of the Canaries – and he says that it was a proud moment for him to represent the club he supports.
“From the age that I can remember I was a Norwich City fan,” he said. “I was in the academy from eight until I left when I was 15 and I still followed the club then.
“So, when I came back on loan it was a great moment for me. It was great to be able to play first team football for the club that I support, and I have so many great memories from that season.
“Both Ipswich games were something, as a fan of the club, I will never forget. Being able to go there and win away from home and then scoring a last-minute equaliser, in the 98th minute, to make sure our unbeaten record against them stayed intact, were nice memories.”
It is fitting that Angus picks out the derby victories as the moments he recalls from that season, as it would be what a fan would choose. And that reflection is what makes homegrown players an instant hit with supporters. The fan sees a likeness in the player, a resemblance of themselves and automatically wants that person to do well.
That could be heard in the pre-season friendly against Gillingham. More than 10,000 supporters attended that match and when Angus’ name was read out as a second half substitute – he replaced Tim Krul at the interval – the cheer from the home crowd was just as loud as when the goals from Adam Idah (2), Lukas Rupp and Pierre Lees-Melou hit the back of the net.
“It was definitely a great moment,” smiled Angus. “I think the fact that there has been no fans in the stadiums for over a year now means that it has been a strange year for everyone and it was just nice to feel that appreciation from the supporters.
“To be back in a stadium with fans is great, everyone has missed it and that moment took me back to my last debut for Norwich when we played Brighton in a pre-season friendly. It was a great feeling.”
That first spell at Norwich has also helped Angus settle back in. Not only is the head coach the same, but Ed Wootten is still the first team goalkeeping coach and there are plenty of familiar faces in the dressing room such as Michael McGovern, Grant Hanley and Onel Hernández.
However, how much did keeping in touch with Ed (Wootten) and Daniel (Farke) help in terms of securing a permanent move to Norwich, when his three years at Southampton, came to an end?
“I think from both sides it was a big factor because we knew each other well,” he said. “I had quite a few discussions with Ed (Wootten) and the manager (Daniel Farke) in the summer and there were only positive things from my loan spell here before.
“At that time, there was the option for me to come back the season after the loan, but I got the move to Southampton in the end, but there has always been that mutual respect there. Now that I am back permanently it has been easy for me. It is a nice that I can come back and there are lots of familiar faces.”
Even Tim Krul is someone that Angus knew before joining the club. The two shot stoppers once had the same management company and Angus recalls looking up to the former Newcastle keeper when he was younger.
“I actually went to see one of his games for the Netherlands in Amsterdam when I was younger,” he said. “That is quite a nice thing to look back on now as I am training and playing with him every day.
“He is a person that I have looked up to being a goalkeeper, so it is really nice, and he has welcomed me to the club really well.”
Angus will though, along with Michael McGovern, be competing with Tim Krul for the number one spot at Norwich. And it won’t be easy. The last time Norwich were in the Premier League, Tim picked up the club’s player of the season trophy and, barring injury and illness, last campaign the Dutch shot stopper was one of the first names on Daniel Farke’s teamsheet.
“Going into the Premier League is going to be a tough and I think you need competition for places all around the squad,” said Angus.
“I think that is something that the club has added this summer, which will be important. I am really looking forward to working with not only Michael (McGovern) and Tim (Krul), but the whole squad. I think we have got a close-knit team together this summer and I am positive about where we can end up this season.”
That close-knit community also expands into the stands, with Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones, the majority shareholders of the club, supporters themselves. It is a club where the fans influence, and backing is felt when it is there and missed when it’s not. Norwich City’s last win in front of a packed Carrow Road was a 1-0 victory over Leicester City on February 28, 2020. The final five home games that campaign, along with a cup tie against Manchester United, where played behind closed doors and ended in defeat and relegation.
“One of the biggest things this group has got is work ethic and belief,” said Angus talking about the dressing room spirit.
However, just as Angus is a reflection of what the fans see in themselves, the dressing room is a reflection of the togetherness the club has with its supporters.
“We are under no illusions how hard it is going to be this year, but those are the kind of things that we need to use to get every inch out of ourselves and maximise our potential. If everybody comes together and does that then we have got a great chance."