EFL Checkatrade Trophy
The Hive London
Tuesday, October 4 – 8.00pm kick-off
Team News: Barnet have three long-term absentees in Michael Gash, James Pearson and Gavin Hoyte. Right-back Hoyte returned to first-team training last week.
Last Time We Met: Barnet have not played Norwich City since 2007 when the Canaries ran out 5-2 winners in the Carling Cup at Carrow Road.
The home side raced into a five-goal lead by the 31st minute with Jamie Cureton (2), Simon Lappin, Mark Fotheringham and Darel Russell all finding a way past Lee Harrison in the Bees goal.
Barnet fought back in the second half and efforts from Jason Puncheon and Adam Birchall reduced the deficit. But the game finished on a sour note when Bees midfielder Neil Bishop was given a straight red card.
Manager: Alex Neil, 35, is in just his second full season in charge at Carrow Road after joining the Canaries in January 2015. In moving to Norwich he became the second youngest manager in the Football League.
The former Hamilton Academical boss took the Norfolk side into the Premier League at the first time of asking, winning the Championship Play-Off Final against Middlesbrough at Wembley.
However, Norwich’s stay was brief and they were relegated from the top flight by finishing second bottom.
Neil started his managerial career in April 2013 when he became player-manager at Hamilton. The Bellshill-born boss won promotion to the Scottish Premiership in the following season by winning the Play-Off Final.
He followed that up with a win at Celtic – Hamilton’s first triumph at Parkhead in 76 years.
Dangerman: Forward Josh Murphy, 21, netted twice in Norwich’s 6-1 win at Peterborough United in the first round of fixtures and is highly thought of at Carrow Road.
The twin brother of fellow Canaries forward Jacob, Josh spent last season on loan at MK Dons and was a regular for Karl Robinson’s side as they were relegated back to League One. He has previously spent time on loan at Wigan Athletic.
Blessed with electric pace and an eye for goal, the Wembley-born attacker has also scored in the League and Capital One Cup this season for the Norfolk side and has made a total of eight appearances this season.
Connections: Current Bees skipper Michael Nelson spent a season and a half at Carrow Road between 2009 and 2011.
The defender, who joined Barnet on a free transfer last summer, helped Norwich win promotion from League One in 2010 and even scored the goal which sealed promotion to the Championship in a 1-0 win at Charlton Athletic.
In total Nelson made 45 appearances for Norwich, scoring five times.
Before Nelson, the Bees had Norwich winger George Francomb – now at AFC Wimbledon – who spent part of the 2010/11 season on loan at Underhill.
Francomb, now 25, made 15 appearances for the Bees before returning to Carrow Road in January 2011 following the completion of his loan.
Another player to wear both clubs’ colours in recent times is winger Anthony McNamee. Loaned to Barnet from Watford in December 2003, McNamee made four appearances in a month.
He left the Hornets in 2008 and linked up with the Canaries on loan in 2009 before making the switch permanent in January 2010 when the transfer window opened.
The nippy wideman helped City to promotion that season and featured sparingly in the Championship as Paul Lambert’s side clinched back-to-back promotions to reach the Premier League.
In 2011 he left Norwich for MK Dons after 35 appearances for the Norfolk outfit.
That performance saw the French midfielder – who followed Neil south from Hamilton – move out on loan to Dundee United until the end of the current campaign.
Also on target at London Road were Josh Murphy (2) and Johnny Maddison who has moved to Aberdeen on loan for the season since then.
Ticket info: This game is the first in Barnet’s Four For £40 offer where adults in the South Terrace can see four games – Norwich City, Exeter City, Hartlepool United and Peterborough United – for just £10 each when booked together.
Concessions and Under-14s pay just £4 when booking those four matches together. For more information on this promotion, click here.
Supporters can order tickets for tomorrow’s match from our online box office, by ringing 0208 381 3800 (ext. 1700), or arrive early and buy on the day from The Hive ticket office.
Keep up with the game: Full match commentary from every game is available on Bees Player HD, or head over to our Twitter page for match updates throughout the afternoon. We are also on Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram.
