I got to the rebound and turned the ball to Robert Rosario. His shot hit somebody and ricocheted to Mark Bowen who tapped it in. They got two back before half time, and Gunny had a phenomenal game as we came under pressure. My winner came in time added on. It was a volley on the half-turn from the edge of the penalty box. During my time at Norwich under Dave Stringer the two FA Cup semi-finals we reached stood out — but definitely not for good reasons. In , on the day before our semi-final against Everton at Villa Park, I spoke to my dad on the phone after lunch and some of the boys had gone out but I was just relaxing in the hotel.
But then he told me it was bad news. My dad, John, had died, aged My first thought was for my mum. She told me I should stay and play but I wanted to be with her. It was when I was on the plane from Birmingham that I thought I should have stayed and played, just for my dad. I spent the next day at home in Glasgow with my mum and my family.
We knew Norwich had lost, but that was also the day when the Hillsborough disaster happened at the other semi-final, and that put football in perspective. But I do wish I had played for Norwich against Everton for my dad. Three years later, we reached the semi-final again.
I got my ribs broken by Glenn Cockerill of Southampton at our place in a quarter-final replay. It happened in the first five minutes but the doctor gave me an injection and I stayed on and then Matt Le Tissier got sent off for kicking me. We got through to the semi-final and I spent time in an oxygen chamber to help my recovery.
This time our semi-final was at Hillsborough, against Sunderland. I asked the gaffer if I could play in a reserve game on the Tuesday before we travelled for the semi. I needed a half-hour run out. I was desperate to play at Hillsborough, because I had missed the one and I thought I owed the fans, myself and my dad. I did play. It was one of my worst days in football. We were the better team and had chances to win the game. But John Byrne, who had scored in every round, got the only goal.
It was my biggest heartbreak in football. I just sat by a post at the end and cried. The defeat was crushing because, if I am honest, we all choked. And the other reason it was crushing was that semi-finals had a connection in my mind with my dad. I have some much happier memories. The most important goal I scored for Norwich was probably against Wimbledon, in We were struggling and my goal gave us a draw that more or less kept us up.
We finished fourth one season. The manager was such a gentle, loveable person. Dave Williams was first team coach, and very good, but Dave Stringer was the manager, and everyone knew where they stood. In the team, we all knew what we had to do but we had a freedom to express ourselves within the system.
The fullbacks were allowed to join in the attacks, for instance, because they knew full well that someone would cover for them. Everyone knows the goals that Mark Bowen scored over the years from left back for Norwich, which shows the sort of team we were, but he would have someone like Trevor Putney tucking in behind to cover. There were thinkers in the team and all good footballers. Micky Phelan, for example, was great for us and then you think what he went on to achieve as a coach at Manchester United.
It shows the calibre of person we had in the Norwich team. It was a good team spirit, a good bond, a good understanding.
As a manager, Dave would fight your corner, but if you did anything wrong you would know about it. He would certainly tell you. I think if anyone sat down with him for a talk, they would know that he was taking the job personally. I scored that goal against Wimbledon that meant we were safe, and then, before the last game of the season, which was at Leeds, we found out that Dave was stepping down as manager.
I was gutted because I thought he had a lot more to offer. But his decision was to stop, and he is a man who stands by his decisions. Mike Walker took over and he tried to stamp his own authority on it, but I left that summer. I had nearly joined Chelsea the year before but for some reason it fell through but all through my last season in that first spell at Norwich I knew I would be leaving. When I did, it gave Mike the money to go and buy Mark Robbins, who began with two goals at Arsenal and went on to prove what a good player and scorer he was.
I did speak to Terry Venables at Tottenham the night before I signed for Chelsea, and other clubs were interested, but I had a gut feeling that it should be Chelsea. Back in November , Norwich had beaten them away and I had scored a couple of goals. The whole Shed End at Stamford Bridge applauded me and that had stayed in my head.
Ian Porterfield was the Chelsea manager when I joined them, in the summer of , and Don Howe was his assistant manager. Ian Porterfield got the sack and Dave Webb came in. He was as honest as the day is long. Norwich first came in for me to return in the summer. They went to Northern Ireland on a pre-season tour, and I went to see him at his hotel. But another reason I wanted to stay at Chelsea was to mess Glenn about. Then I thought about it some more and decided I would re-join Norwich.
So I said I would re-join Norwich if it would be a permanent move. The brace netted against Liverpool in a victory on February 22nd the FA Cup semi-final against Everton which he missed due to his father's death the previous night being ruled unfit to play in the FA Cup semifinal against Sunderland due to his damaged ribs.
This Canary legend departed the club with first team appearances to his name. However his spell in Berkshire was not productive and on February 18th , it was announced that he was retiring from football due to a back injury.
Upon retirement, Robert teamed up once again with Dale Gordon at Gorleston with Robert helping with the coaching. He made his debut for the Greens against Ely on 13th March in a victory. Making an impression on the East Coast, Fleck was named by Teamtalk as a potential successor as Norwich City manager following Bruce Rioch's resignation on 13th March Following Gordon's departure from Gorleston to head up part of Ipswich's youth academy, Robert became player-manager of the Greens.
He won his first trophy as a manager in his first season in charge when in April he led Gorleston to a victory in the Norfolk Senior Cup final against arch rivals Great Yarmouth Town who fielded former Canaries Greg Downs and Robert George.
This victory was no flash in the pan as Flecky's Gorleston side finished runners-up to Sudbury in the Jewson League. In March , Robert was linked by the Eastern Daily Press with a switch to manage Jewson league rivals Diss Town following the resignation of Alan Biley but this was dismissed as speculation.
By the end of April, he had confirmed that he would take over as Diss manager at the end of the season, proving that there is a grain of truth in media speculation sometimes.. He had been approached by bigger clubs in higher divisions but did not wish to uproot himself or spent considerable time travelling. Everyone here tells you that! So now his football is limited to a playtime kick-abouts with Parkside pupils, and helping a mate who runs the reserve team in the village of Mattishall, near Dereham.
But he must be tempted to show the children a flash of that old Flecky style, a flamboyant touch or audacious shot? Of course not. I'm not one for parties. I said to Jayne, 'Don't do any surprises for me because I shan't go! Now, if Robert is recognised in the street or supermarket, he is as likely to be greeted by a past pupil as a former fan. Few of the children know about his previous life as a professional footballer.
But surely some of the parents must be a little star-struck? This is my ambition, being here. I'm quite happy to do what I'm doing. His goals now are all about helping children who are challenged by everyday life, learn how to read and write, manage their emotions and interact with each other and work towards independence. But there are similarities with his previous life too.
As well as working in the classroom and playground, Parkside staff, take children out to practise life skills. Once a week Robert takes a small group shopping. As we walk through the school at the end of another busy day, he is greeted by name by office staff, teachers, cleaners, fellow teaching assistants.
Robert is obviously a popular member of this team too. The man who once had tens of thousands of Chelsea fans chanting: 'We all live in a Robert Fleck world! This newspaper has been a central part of community life for many years. Our industry faces testing times, which is why we're asking for your support.
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