Norwich City’s Everton transfer raid was a masterstroke - have they ever spent a better £250k? | OneFootball

Norwich City spent just £250,000 to add a modern club legend back in 2010

Norwich City paid just £250,000 to sign John Ruddy from Everton in the summer of 2010 and they’ve arguably never spent such little money so well.

The club confirmed the fee, which was paid following their promotion back to the Championship under Paul Lambert, coming up as League One champions.

The Canaries earned an impressive 95 points on their way back to the second tier, but nobody expected them to immediately compete for promotion to the Premier League.

But Ruddy’s arrival proved a crucial piece of the puzzle, as Lambert’s team finished second in the Championship at the first attempt, ending a six-year absence from the top flight.

The shot-stopper kept 10 clean sheets in 45 appearances, establishing himself as an impressive number one for Norwich on their way back to the big time.

John Ruddy’s impact at Norwich City

Ruddy hadn’t been able to make it at Everton, with Tim Howard cemented as first-choice in David Moyes’ side long-term, leading to a move to Norwich in order to branch out and play regular football.

This deal proved a masterstroke for both club and player, with Ruddy becoming worth far more than the £250,000 paid to sign him.

Norwich enjoyed an impressive first season back in the Championship under Lambert, and Ruddy was key to their promotion.

He conceded 58 from 45 appearances, keeping 10 clean sheets, in a solid first season at Carrow Road.

But his role in establishing the club in the Premier League was even more valuable to the Canaries.

Norwich’s defensive record wasn’t the most impressive in the 2011/12 campaign, even as they finished 12th in the table.

While they conceded 66 times, only the relegated trio of Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Wolves gave away more goals, Ruddy still proved he could perform at this level.

Despite an injury issue curtailing his second Premier League campaign, he doubled his clean sheet tally in 15 appearances compared to the three he kept in 2011/12, including in wins over both Arsenal and eventual champions Manchester United.

John Ruddy’s longevity at Norwich

Ruddy spent seven successful seasons at Norwich, re-establishing himself as first-choice once he returned from injury in May 2013.

The now 38-year-old made a further 65 top-flight appearances for the club across the 2013/14 and 2015/16 campaigns, keeping another 15 clean sheets.

The 12 that he kept in 2013/14 wasn’t enough to prevent relegation from the Premier League, but Ruddy’s performances still stood out amid their 18th-place finish.

And while there’s no doubt he could have remained in the first division while the Canaries dropped to the Championship, he remained with the club and played a pivotal role in their immediate promotion.

Ruddy remained with the Norfolk outfit up until the summer of 2017, playing another year in the Championship after their 2016 relegation.

An eighth-place finish, with eight clean sheets from 26 league appearances, spelled the end of an impressive seven-year stint.