Norwich City’s signing of Wes Hoolahan proved to be one of the best bargains in club history.
It was reported by ITV that the playmaker signed for the Canaries in a deal worth just £250,000 when he arrived from Blackpool in 2008.
This turned out to be the best £250,000 the club ever spent, with the Irishman going on to become a key figure for the club for a full decade.
Hoolahan made the switch to Carrow Road with the team in the Championship and departed in 2018 after a 14th-place finish in the second tier, but it was an incredible journey to get to that point.
Remarkably, the 42-year-old has kept going strong since his exit from the Norfolk outfit and was still plying his trade in the lower regions of the English football pyramid earlier this year, having joined Doncaster City in February 2024.
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Wes Hoolahan – Norwich City league goals and appearances (per Fbref.com) |
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Season |
Appearances (Starts) |
Goals (Assists) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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2008-09 |
32 (27 |
2 (3) |
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|
2009-10 |
37 (36) |
11 (13) |
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|
2010-11 |
41 (36) |
10 (9) |
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|
2011-12 |
33 (25) |
4 (7) |
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|
2012-13 |
33 (28) |
3 (3) |
||
|
2013-14 |
16 (10) |
1 (1) |
||
|
2014-15 |
36 (27) |
4 (10) |
||
|
2015-16 |
30 (25) |
4 (8) |
||
|
2016-17 |
33 (30) |
7 (10) |
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|
2017-18 |
29 (14) |
1 (3) |
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Wes Hoolahan’s importance to Norwich City
Hoolahan’s first year at Norwich didn’t quite go to plan, with the team suffering relegation from the Championship with a 22nd-place finish.
The creative midfielder played 32 times, contributing two goals and three assists in a difficult opening 12 months with the club.
However, he cemented himself as a key part of the side in the following season, registering 11 goals and 13 assists as Paul Lambert’s side clinched the League One title at the first attempt.
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Back-to-back promotions were secured with a second-place finish in the Championship in the following term, with Hoolahan again proving a valuable provider of goals and assists, 10 and nine this time.
The Republic of Ireland international went on to feature 112 times in the top flight for the Canaries across four of the next five seasons, with the club reaching a high point of 11th place in the 2012/13 campaign, smoothly and impressively improving his game to adapt to life in the Premier League after competing in League One just two years prior.
He contributed 12 goals and 19 assists in that period, as well as four and 10 in the Championship in 2014/15 to ensure the team went straight back up after their relegation.
Wes Hoolahan will be fondly remembered by Norwich supporters
Hoolahan left behind a legacy at Norwich that supporters will always remember fondly, bringing an electric style of play that had them on their feet in excitement almost every week.
His creativity was key to the team remaining a consistent presence in the top flight over a four-year period, while also providing plenty of goals in his own right.
It’s not often a player of his talent comes along, and he made Norwich his home after stints at Livingston and Blackpool following his move to English football in 2005.
That he has still been competing this year, even at a much lower level, shows his dedication to the game and providing people with entertainment.
Not many can keep going post 40 but he has been rolling back the years in the 11th tier earlier in 2024.
While the timing was right for his departure from Norwich in 2018, there is no doubt that they got their money’s worth from the incredible £250,000 paid to sign him all those years ago.
