Norwich City: Aston Villa decision began to tarnish legacy Ipswich Town move eventually destroyed | OneFootball

Paul Lambert was one of the most successful Norwich City managers of all time, but is now one of the club's most complex and controversial figures.

Few ex-Norwich City managers are likely to stir up opinions among Canaries fans quite like Paul Lambert, despite his unbelievable record at the club.

The Scot saw back-to-back promotions at Carrow Road from 2009 to 2011, a feat only managed by five other clubs, and was later inducted into the Norwich City Hall of Fame.

Lambert would leave Norfolk somewhat unceremoniously, but the relationship was made even more complex when he later joined Ipswich Town in 2018, becoming the first manager to serve on both sides of the East Anglian derby.

Paul Lambert "gave everything" for Norwich

Lambert's first taste of Carrow Road would come from the opposition dugout, when he oversaw Colchester United's 7-1 thrashing of the Canaries on the first day of Norwich's return to third division football. It is perhaps fitting that Lambert would be present for what many consider Norwich's rock bottom.

In a bizarre turn of events, Lambert would join the Canaries just 10 days later saying: "It's a big club and there's no way we should be where we are."

His Norwich side would brush off the rough start to the season and finish as League One champions.

The 2010/11 Championship season would then prove yet another successful season for Paul Lambert, taking the Canaries straight into the Premier League and finishing runners-up.

It was a season that many Norwich fans are nostalgic for, having become the first team in more than 10 years to obtain back-to-back promotions while also completing two famous victories against Ipswich Town and an iconic last minute winner from Simeon Jackson against Derby.

After troublesome times prior to his appointment, he brought unity to the club during his first two seasons at the club and earned huge respect as Norwich manager.

He later said: "We didn’t have a lot of money at that particular time but what we did have was incredible team spirit, incredible character."

Lambert's first season in the big-time was also much of the same and City finished in a respectable 12th on 47 points, scraping together a competitive top flight team with players largely from the Championship and League One.

The club had already fought hard to keep their manager, fighting off Burnley the season before, but Lambert would resign at the end of the 2011/12 season with his eyes set on Aston Villa. His resignation was rejected.

Things quickly turned sour between Lambert and Norwich chiefs, with both suing each other before settling a compensation fee with Villa and an agreement from Norwich to pay his bonuses.

It felt like a betrayal to some Norwich fans, but he said he "gave everything" for Norwich.

"I would like to think I wouldn't get a bad reception when I go back – that would be a very sad thing, but I can't help that," was another exiting line.

Paul Lambert would never hit the same heights

Lambert was never quite able to replicate his successes outside of Norfolk.

He had two relatively middling seasons at Aston Villa, never getting past 15th place and getting sacked after flirting with relegation during his third, something which he would later say he was "delighted" with.

Blackburn would be his next destination, but was never able to ignite major success and left due to disagreements over transfer plans.

After that, it was Wolves and then just a four-month stint at Stoke after failing to keep the Potters in the Premier League.

Lambert would then do the unthinkable to Norwich. He agreed to become Ipswich's manager in 2018, saying: "What a fantastic football club it is, and I'm proud to be the manager here."

He would come to the place where he made his managerial career (Carrow Road) as the pantomime villain, a role he had become quite used to at Aston Villa, but this time the bitterness and resentment felt much more personal.

It finished 3-0 to Norwich, but what most people remember from that game is the image of Lambert being held back by a police officer.

Any good will that was earned by the former Norwich manager disappeared when he was sent to watch the rest of the game from the stands, and he certainly didn't hold back after the game either.

He said: "Do I regret it? No I don't. This club was in League One when I was here. Short memories."

There's still room to appreciate what Lambert did for Norwich, who have been chasing the one thing he managed to do that no other manager of the club has done since; get them promoted to the Premier League and keep them there.

But there's also something quite Shakespearean about his relationship with Norwich, meeting them at their lowest ebb before taking them to their highest heights in recent years, then walking out on the club before years later bringing their biggest rivals to Carrow Road and completely losing his head in front of the fans that had once given him as much respect as he could have wanted.

Lambert left Ipswich in 2021 and has not returned to management since. His time at Norwich and Ipswich was contrasting, but the East Anglian view of him might not be all that different.