Gunn glad to have shot after Canaries job wait

BRYAN Gunn revealed he had ended a decade of waiting after being named Norwich manager until the end of the season.

The former goalkeeper, who made nearly 500 appearances for the Canaries before his retirement in 1998, was first named caretaker manager after the sacking of Glenn Roeder last Wednesday.

The 45-year-old steered Championship strugglers to a 4-0 defeat of Barnsley last weekend and was yesterday entrusted with the task of continuing that form and ensuring survival for another season.

The Scot has been with the club in one capacity or another since 1986 but admitted that he first put his name forward for the top job when Mike Walker ended his second period in charge in 1998.

He said: “I must admit I’d probably given up hope of ever being Norwich City’s manager but the way it’s come around has been mind blowing and hopefully, given the opportunity now, I’m going to make a success of it.”

Gunn has 10 days between fixtures to prepare his squad for the visit of fellow strugglers Southampton next Tuesday and admitted he had no hesitation in taking on the challenge.

He said: “It’s a very proud moment. This is probably my fourth proudest moment after my three children being born in Norwich as well.”

One of those children, his 17-year-old daughter Melissa, launched a Facebook campaign to have the former Norwich goalkeeper installed as the club’s new manager.

Over 1,500 people joined a group called “Bryan Gunn for manager” on the social networking site.

“He loves this club — and being manager would be the icing on the cake of an extraordinary career at Norwich and would fulfil many of the ambitions which he has always kept close to him,” she wrote on the Facebook page.