Remember elite European football in the early 1990s? There were dreadlocked Dutchmen, dubious hair-styled Germans, and three blokes from Wales who all played for Norwich. Owen Morgan can still see them all.
Watching the re-run of Wales’ historic 1991 win over world champions Germany the other day brought back many fond memories from that fantastic night.
Ian Rush’s unforgettable winner, big Neville’s Southall’s stunning saves and the cacophony of whistles in the final few minutes imploring the referee to blow up, were just a few of the more obvious ones.
But seeing Norwich City full-back Dave Phillips lining up against German superstars Lothar Matthaus, Jurgen Klinsmann and Andreas Brehme brought back a slightly more quirky memory
Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, mighty AC Milan and city rivals Inter each enlisted the services of a trio of foreigners from one country to help them compete at the very top of European club football.
The Rossoneri of AC employed three Dutch masters – Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard.
Meanwhile, the Blues at Inter went for German efficiency in the shape of Matthaus, Klinsmann and Brehme.
The policy was particularly successful for AC, who won two European Cups during this period.
But how many people remember that Norwich City adopted a similar policy to come within a whisker of wining the Premier League and scale the dizzy heights of European football during the same period?
Not for them a trio of Germans though, or even Dutchmen, Italians, or Englishmen.
No, the East Anglians decided to go west for their three-pronged inspiration and picked three Welshmen – the aforementioned Phillips, Mark Bowen and Jeremy Goss.
Now, some of you may be scratching your heads and asking ‘who?’
And the more well-informed among you may point out that Phillips was born in West Germany and Goss was born in Cyprus.
But all three – Bowen was a born and bred Neath boy – represented Wales and helped the Canaries to enjoy one of the most successful periods in their history.
Just to add to the Welsh flavour, the team was managed by North Walian Mike Walker.
All three players were regulars in the first team as Norwich took the inaugural Premier League season by storm.
The Norfolk club started the season in spectacular fashion, beating Arsenal 4-2 at Highbury with Phillips playing a hugely influential role by making the first goal and scoring the second.
That win was followed up by August victories over Chelsea at Carrow Road and Manchester City at Maine Road.
Phillips was on target again later in the month when he scored a stunning scissor-kick goal in a win again Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park,
And the man who chose Wales above both West Germany and England at international level, struck again in the next match against Nottingham Forest.
Phillips’ goal sealed a 3-1 win that put Norwich on top of the new Premier League at the end of August.
Despite suffering a 7-1 hammering at the start of October, the Canaries continued to defy all expectations and returned to the top of the league.
At the start of December, that man Phillips popped up again to score the winner against Wimbledon, a result that meant Norwich led the table by an incredible eight points.
They were in contention for the title throughout, but eventually finished a highly creditable third, earning them a place in the following season’s UEFA Cup – the club’s first European campaign.
Although Phillips left Norwich to join Nottingham Forest at the end of that season, he had established himself as a favourite, playing 186 times and scoring 20 goals.
However, the remaining Welshmen – Goss and Bowen – were about to seal their place in Canaries’ folklore during the forthcoming European adventure.
In the first round, they comfortably eased their way past Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem 3-0 on aggregate, Goss claiming one of the goals to set up a mouth-watering tie against German glamour club Bayern Munich.
Jeremy Goss x Mike Walker
Norwich City v Bayern Munich
3rd November 1993, Carrow RoadCan anyone tell me who’s shirt Goss is wearing? #NCFC #otbc pic.twitter.com/CI6gBCeHh7
— Fans’ Favourite (@FansFavouriteUK) October 29, 2019
The three-time European Cup winners had never lost a match against a British club at their iconic Olympic Stadium, and must have been in confident mood as they lined up against their East Anglian visitors for the first leg.
To say what happened next sent shockwaves throughout European football, would be a gross (or even a Goss) understatement!
After 12 minutes, a poor headed clearance fell to curly-haired Jeremy, who hit a stunning right-footed first-time volley past a rooted and bemused keeper from 20 yards.
If that was a dream start, Norwich were playing fantasy football 17 minutes later when 41-times capped Bowen stooped to head in an Ian Crook cross to send the Canaries soaring into a 2-0 lead.
Although Bayern, pulled a goal back through Christian Nerlinger, Norwich won the match 2-1 – making history as the first British club to win at the Olympic Stadium.
Just to prove the result was no flash in the pan, Norwich held Bayern to a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road in the second leg ‑ Goss, who was capped nine times for Wales, scoring again in front of 28,829, to put his side through 3-2 on aggregate.
The draw for the third round paired Norwich with Italian giants Inter, but this time there was to be no fairytale ending as a young Dennis Bergkamp scored a goal in each tie to see the San Siro side through 2-0 on aggregate.
But Norwich City’s Welsh contingent had helped their club reach new heights at home and abroad.
With Wales and Norwich being on opposite coasts, you’d guess this Welsh connection was a bit of a one-off, but despite the East-West gap, the Canaries have a long tradition of Welsh stars.
Swansea-born Chris Llewellyn escaped the net here to star in the Norwich youth side and made 158 first-team appearances scoring 18 goals.
Wales striker Craig Bellamy started his career at Carrow Road, and fellow international strikers Robert Earnshaw and Iwan Roberts have also banged in the goals there.
One of Wales’ best centre forwards of the 60s and 70s, Ron Davies, played three seasons at Carrow Road, averaging more than a goal every other game with 58 strikes in 113 appearances between 1963 and 1965.
Members of Norwich’s official Hall of Fame include Welsh internationals Ollie Burton, who helped the club win the League Cup in 1962, and a certain Don Pickwick.
Now Pickwick deserves a particular mention in City’s history because he turned out for the club against Colchester United on his wedding day in 1951!
Can you imagine trying that these days? “Sorry love, we’ll have to whiz through the service ’cos we’ve got a local derby this afternoon!”
City’s Welsh connection continued through former player and assistant manager Dave Williams, who was the club’s assistant academy manager until retiring in May 2007.
Norwich may not currently have many Welsh connections on the playing side, but there is a strong flavour off the pitch.
Aberystwyth-born Stuart Webber is sporting director and Michael Wynn Jones is joint majority shareholder with wife and celebrity chef Delia Smith.
Who’d have thought Wales would have such a big say in the success of a club that literally sits on the other side of the United Kingdom and shares an unusual connection with Milan giants AC and Inter?