Given the assistance they received from him, the Canaries will view it as a deal.
When Norwich City considers the agreement that brought Adam Drury to Carrow Road from Peterborough United, they will believe they got the finest deal possible.
After spending £500,000 to sign for Norwich in 2001, he left the Posh, where he played for ten years, making hundreds of games and receiving a testimonial.
With his years of dedicated service, the left-back will go down as one of the Canaries’ greatest-ever signings.
The 45-year-old is still serving the community today as the director of football at the Community Sports Foundation in Norwich City.
Considering the many years of service Drury provided to the club, £500,000—while still considered a big fee 20 years ago—will be seen as a little thing to pay.
Drury could have easily buckled under the weight of the significant change, which included moving up a division and paying a hefty fee.
Nor would his former boss at London Road Stadium have dampened expectations when he claimed Norwich was signing the best left-back outside of the premier league.
But Drury seemed unfazed by that. He signed in March 2001 and played his first full season at Carrow Road in 2001–02. He made 35 starts that season.
After his first season, he became extremely well-adjusted and won the Canaries Player of the Season award in 2003. The following year, he helped his team win the old Division 1 title and gain promotion to the Premier League.
During the division-winning season, Drury participated in all ninety minutes of 42 games in the second tier, offering solidity on the left flank and guaranteeing uniformity in the defence.
But it wouldn’t be the only promotion he’d be involved in; in his last few years at Carrow Road, he’d be just as crucial to the team’s success in moving from League One to the Premier League through consecutive promotions.
The former Norwich captain ranked 14th in the club’s all-time appearance statistics with 358 appearances in just over a decade.
But he didn’t hang up his boots at Norwich, as in 2012 he moved to Leeds United, then in the Championship.
The 33-year-old signed a two-year contract, but it would not be a successful move as he only made 12 appearances that season before going on a brief loan to Bradford City.
Drury made the decision to stop his career since he was getting older, had already played his finest years at Carrow Road, and had been released by Leeds at the conclusion of his contract.
Soon, he would be back in Norwich, his spiritual home, playing a variety of roles in the club.
Norwich received service from Drury for a £500,000 investment more than 20 years ago, and they have gotten more than their money’s worth since then. His reputation at Carrow Road is legendary and will always be respected.
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