As part of a series of features looking at ex-Canaries, Steve Whitlam tracks the progress of Norwich City's FA Youth Cup winners from 1983 following the Club's triumph in that competition last season.

Dave Stringer led his young charges to cup glory with victory over Everton. But just what did happen to City’s class of 1982-83?

Best know of the eight players who went on to play for the first team, midfielder Jeremy Goss made 188 appearances for City, scoring 14 goals including one in each leg of Norwich’s UEFA Cup second round victory over Bayern Munich in 1993.

Capped nine times for Wales, Goss played briefly for Hearts after leaving Norwich in 1996. He has worked in a number of roles for the Canaries and is now a charity fundraiser.

Tony Spearing made 82 appearances at left-back for Norwich before he joined Leicester City in July 1988 for £100,000. He moved to Plymouth in 1991 and to Peterborough in 1993 where he spent five seasons. Since March 2008, he has been Head of European recruitment for West Bromwich Albion.

Winger Louie Donowa made 80 appearances for the Canaries, scoring 15 goals and winning a Milk Cup winners’ medal in 1985. He had spells in Spain (Deportivo La Coruna), Holland (Willem II), Scotland (Ayr) and Finland (Inter Turku) and played for eight English sides.

Striker Paul Clayton scored the winning goal in the FA Youth Cup Final Replay at Goodison Park - his 32nd of the season. He went on to make 15 appearances for City, before joining Darlington in 1988. He moved to Crewe Alexandra in 1989 before dropping into non-league football and working in the NHS. His sons Max and Harry have both since played for Crewe.

Jon Rigby made 10 appearances for City before joining Finnish side Kuopian Palloseura in 1986. He later played for Aldershot and Cambridge United before retiring through injury. He scored prolifically for non-league Wroxham.

Wroxham also utilised the talents of Daryl Godbold, Mark Crowe and Mark Metcalf. Godbold made two substitute appearances for Norwich in the winter of 1983-84. He played seven times for Colchester before playing in the Norfolk non-league scene. England youth international Metcalf made one substitute appearance for Norwich in November 1982 before a broken leg ended his aspirations. Crowe played just 16 minutes for Norwich’s first team, against Brighton in December 1982. He did make over 50 appearances for both Torquay and Cambridge before returning to Norfolk and non-league football.

Left sided midfielder Neil Riley later played for Lowestoft before a knee injury ended his career. He currently works as a European meat trader. Wounded goalkeeper Andrew Pearce saved an extra-time penalty in the second leg from Mark Farrington who would go on to make 18 appearances for Norwich.

Brendan McIntyre spent time in his homeland with Hearts, Partick Thistle, Queen of the South, Stranraer and Falkirk. He is now coach at New Zealand side Lower Hutt City. Scottish schoolboy international Austin O’Connor was reported to be working for the Scottish Prison Service.

The Norwich team was managed by Dave Stringer with former City chief scout Ronnie Brooks as his right-hand man. Stringer, who played 499 times for City, managed the Canaries’ first team from 1987 to 1992 and was later Assistant Director of the Academy. Brookes passed away in January 2010.

Flown from the Nest is a regular feature in the Club’s official matchday programme. If you would like to purchase any programmes from the current 2013-14 season then please click HERE.

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