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Bradley Johnson


catram

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http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/bradley-johnson-admits-he-d-never-rule-out-norwich-city-return-after-midfielder-s-derby-spell-ends-1-5069002?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it

“Unfortunately I left and Norwich went down that season, and I felt maybe if I’d stayed then we had a chance of staying up. But football is football and you have to carry on.”

“To be in the top 100 is a great achievement for me and when I look at the lads I was with – Russell Martin, Grant Holt, Wes Hoolahan. It’s so good to be a part of that bracket and have the memories I took from Norwich.

“Obviously I’d say it’s the best time of my career and I’ll never forget that, especially the promotion year. I always wanted to play in the Premier League and I fulfilled that dream at Norwich. I said I wanted to get them back there and I stuck by my word, when other players left and I could’ve left."

“Obviously I didn’t get us promoted single-handedly, but I had a great season and helped massively in making it happen.”

“In my first three years I’d never experienced the derby,” he said. “Everyone was telling me it was a great game against Ipswich but we were in the Premier League at the time.

“Then when it happened, I knew what everyone was on about. My first was when we went there and beat them 1-0. We came back to Norwich and a few of us went out after, and it was all anyone was talking about. In my time we never lost to them either so I’ve got a good record.

“It was disappointing how I left and it coming out of the blue. I’d never begrudge anyone running football like a business and I didn’t have any hard feelings about leaving – I was just disappointed because my main aim was to get Norwich promoted and then stay in the Premier League, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

“When we played Norwich at Derby, the reception I got was… unbelievable,” said Johnson. “I know I scored the goal and we won the game, but I don’t think many players can say they’ve played in a stadium and each corner is singing your name.

“When I came down to Carrow Road, the reception I got there was surreal. It didn’t really feel like a game, for me. It felt like I was coming back to say goodbye.

“It was weird to play in because I didn’t get that chance to say goodbye to the fans, but they gave me a great reception and I’m sure they were happy with the result because they beat us and deservedly so. We weren’t good enough that game.

“I still keep in contact with the lads and I’m sure I’ll be coming back a lot, coming to watch their games. And we’re in the same league – so I’ll be playing against them next year.”

“My personal view is I left Norwich on a high. That season was the best of my career – and hopefully I’ve got a few more seasons in me so I can repeat it again, but I enjoyed that season so much and we had a great team. We had players who wanted the best for the club and for the city.

“It’s a great club, I enjoyed it there, I started my family there, my little boy still always wears his Norwich kits and stuff like that.

“Delia Smith made it very family-orientated for us and the wives. It’s not just about the lads who are playing each week, because we go home to our wives and they’ve got to be happy as well. Delia made sure they were happy and took them on outings all the time, and I’m sure they’re still doing that now.

“Football is about opinions. I’m at Derby now and I’ve got two more years left here, hopefully I see them out and then you never know what can happen. If Norwich came in for me I’d never turn them down, anyway.”

“I’ve done a few half-term camps for kids to get them out of their house and playing football. I’ve really enjoyed doing them, and now I’ve done my coaching badges,” added Johnson.

“The older you get, the more you look at what you’re going to do after. Gary could become a manager somewhere, call me up and ask if I fancy joining him somewhere and helping him out. 

“I know playing isn’t going to last forever. That’s why I did my bricklaying and plastering courses at Norwich, because my dad is in the building trade and if anything was to happen, I know I’d could always fall back on that.

“You’ve got to be realistic and know it’s going to come to an end, and have a fallback. I could be a builder, or I could go into coach or managing. I definitely want to stay in football when I finish, and if that’s coaching young kids or in the first-team professional game, I’d do whatever as long as I was staying in football.”

And what about Norfolk, Bradley?

“I wouldn’t rule it out. My family has moved to Bishop Stortford and that’s not far from Norwich, and what I’m looking at now, given I’m 30…if something ever arose for me to come back to Norwich then I would never say no.”

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6 minutes ago, Ashz09 said:

Strange to come out and say that. Not exactly going to get Derby fan's more supportive of him. A lot still have ??? over him.

Might have been told by GR that if someone comes in he's free to go. So could be sewing some seeds ! All total and utterly speculation. Never ITK all ways last to know ?

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I'm sure Wisdom thought the same way about coming back to us - he just had more class (and Brains) to come out publically 

if anyone can start a "just giving" link for the taxi fare to take him to Norfolk i will be more than happy to donate

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6 minutes ago, RiddingsRam said:

Might have been told by GR that if someone comes in he's free to go. So could be sewing some seeds ! All total and utterly speculation. Never ITK all ways last to know ?

Yep, you might be right, possibly another one on GR clear out list?

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20 minutes ago, David said:

...

“It was disappointing how I left and it coming out of the blue. I’d never begrudge anyone running football like a business and I didn’t have any hard feelings about leaving – I was just disappointed because my main aim was to get Norwich promoted and then stay in the Premier League, and I wanted to be a part of that.”...

“I wouldn’t rule it out. My family has moved to Bishop Stortford and that’s not far from Norwich, and what I’m looking at now, given I’m 30…if something ever arose for me to come back to Norwich then I would never say no.”

I presume they wanted the money for you Brad, they certainly got a good deal. Bishops Stortford, is that somewhere near Derby?

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Realistic terms what do you think we would get for him if we did decide to sell him ? It's not that I particularly want him to leave but as a fan I want to see a player who is passionate about 5he club and not always looking what they used to have ! I'm going to start the guesswork at   ............. £3 million !!!! Tin hat securely fastened.

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Just now, RiddingsRam said:

Realistic terms what do you think we would get for him if we did decide to sell him ? It's not that I particularly want him to leave but as a fan I want to see a player who is passionate about 5he club and not always looking what they used to have ! I'm going to start the guesswork at   ............. £3 million !!!! Tin hat securely fastened.

If Anya sold for £4.5m (?) then Johnson is worth that too - of course that's only if we buy him!

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Presume the interview was specifically about Norwich. You do tend to say things like that to past clubs. 

Chose to focus on the bit giving the impression he wants to reach a high standard and see the next 2 years out instead. 

Still, there are Norwich players I'd swap for him, and you do think maybe swapping players who haven't really done it at one club for another in a similar situation at ours could be mutually beneficial.

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5 minutes ago, RiddingsRam said:

Realistic terms what do you think we would get for him if we did decide to sell him ? It's not that I particularly want him to leave but as a fan I want to see a player who is passionate about 5he club and not always looking what they used to have ! I'm going to start the guesswork at   ............. £3 million !!!! Tin hat securely fastened.

£1m if we're lucky.

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why does eveyone want to get rid as soon as someone has fond memories. hes a workhorse and cover alot of ground. yes i voted for him for player of the year . if the others put the same effort in we would have gone up. just saying.

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6 minutes ago, RiddingsRam said:

Realistic terms what do you think we would get for him if we did decide to sell him ? It's not that I particularly want him to leave but as a fan I want to see a player who is passionate about 5he club and not always looking what they used to have ! I'm going to start the guesswork at   ............. £3 million !!!! Tin hat securely fastened.

£4m to get him off the wage bill and free some space up in midfield. A few sides would probably gamble at that, but couldn't see a bidding war.

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