A beautiful duet of love, adoration and sheer brilliance took a shuddering smack today as Grant Holt handed in a transfer request to Norwich City.

Many Canaries have been left with blank expressions, truly puzzled by what’s behind the super skipper’s request. Though as Elton John and Kiki Dee trundle on in my headphones, it’s time to look back at Mr. Holt’s time at the club, sling about a few pleas for calm and get in as many cheesy references to the referenced duet as I can.

When a fresh faced Grant was presented to journalists alongside Bryan Gunn, it’s fair to say he was our marquee signing of the Summer. He’d had a commendable season in League 1, scoring 20 goals and was handed the task of heading City’s promotion challenge. City got a whipping on the opening day, but the big man flourished under Paul Lambert’s management, smashing home 30 goals as City won the league title. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between the Carrow Road faithful and Grant Holt, the big man’s tireless approach and goalscoring panache earning himself the player of the season trophy. After such a disastrous season prior to such success, it’s fair to say Holty was our clown, when we were down. You were warned.

How would the big man adapt to Championship life? There were doubts, not helped by a slow start to the season – mind you, a thumping header against Scunthorpe still showed what he had in his locker.

Of course, come November he went from strength to strength as he supported a smashing tash, thumping a treble past that lot down the road before hitting top gear as the season progressed. He ruffled feathers as he ventured on, getting firmly under the skin of Neil Warnock along the way.

He ended the season with a sterling 23 goals, a magnificent return especially after a sluggish start to the season. If anything Holt had gotten better from his previous campaign, he looked fitter, sharper and finished the season with two hattricks.

One against Ipswich, did I mention that?

Aside from that there were his typical all action displays, running around like a rhino with a rocket up his bum, yet with the grace of a flamingo on a still lake. He was really entering his prime and after working himself up from the lower leagues, he was finally getting a deserved crack at the top flight.

17 goals, including strikes against Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Everton as ones to stick in the scrapbook, saw Holt complete another memorable season. Inexplicably he wasn’t given a look in by Roy Hodgson, mind you, knowing our Grant he could enter the Euros on his own and win it. It’s a travesty he wasn’t given a chance, he’d have left European defenders not knowing what’s up and what’s down once he’d been through with them.

But what the big man has done this season has been phenomenal. Recent events, well we’re in the dark.

He took the weight off us, when he came knocking on our door, we gave him the key. The key to our hearts, and we’ll remember him forever more.

I’ll stop before I hurt myself.

Whatever happens, Grant Holt has been nothing short of brilliant for this football club. He really has, a fantastic captain, a brilliant goalscorer and a top man in the bargain. I for one hope Norwich City and Grant Holt have several chapters left to run as yet.

So the ball is in your court Holty, we’re singing Elton John’s lines, pick up the mic and sing Kiki Dee’s for us.

Don’t go breakin’ our heart.

In: Cory Varney Thread By: Supermarket Prodigy [408 ] Posted: 397 days ago