The 2014-15 season was undoubtedly a memorable one for Norwich City fans.
Despite being relegated from the Premier League during his caretaker tenure the previous season, Norwich appointed Neil Adams as their permanent manager in the summer of 2014. The decision initially appeared to be a smart one, with the club topping the table in early October.
However, a dip in form over the winter months led to Adams’ dismissal in January, with Norwich sitting seventh in the standings. He was replaced by Hamilton Academical boss Alex Neil, a relatively inexperienced manager at just 33 years old. It was a bold move by the club, but it paid off as Neil nearly guided them to automatic promotion, ultimately finishing third.
In hindsight, missing out on the top two might have been a blessing in disguise for Norwich supporters. After securing a thrilling play-off semi-final victory over arch-rivals Ipswich Town, the Canaries earned promotion with a 2-0 win against Middlesbrough at Wembley.
Nearly a decade after Norwich’s success at Wembley, we take a look back at the club’s highest-paid player during the 2014-15 season and where he is now.
Norwich City’s Highest-Paid Player in 2014-15
According to Capology, the club’s top earner that season was defender Sébastien Bassong, who was on an estimated £30,000 per week, amounting to £1.56 million annually.
Bassong joined Norwich from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, reuniting with manager Chris Hughton, whom he had previously worked with at Newcastle United. He made an immediate impact, winning the club’s Player of the Season award in his first campaign.
Despite captaining the side for much of the following season, Bassong quickly fell out of favour when Adams replaced Hughton and was loaned to promotion rivals Watford in October 2014. He made 11 appearances for the Hornets before returning to Norwich in January 2015, where Alex Neil reintegrated him into the squad. Bassong played a vital role in the club’s play-off success, securing a second promotion medal that season, as Watford also earned a spot in the Premier League.
While Bassong was Norwich’s highest earner, several teammates were also on substantial wages, including John Ruddy (£25,000 per week), Gary Hooper (£21,404 per week), and both Jos Hooiveld and Michael Turner (£18,000 per week).
Sébastien Bassong’s Career After Norwich
Bassong spent five years at Norwich, experiencing both the highs of promotion and the lows of relegation, before being released in the summer of 2017.
He remained without a club throughout the 2017-18 season before signing a short-term deal with League One side Peterborough United in October 2018. However, he made just one appearance in the EFL Trophy before moving to Greek side Volos in the summer of 2019, where he featured only three times.
After a brief stint with non-league side Haringey Borough in 2020, Bassong effectively retired from professional football. According to his Instagram, he now works as a transitional coach, consultant, motivational speaker, and pundit.
Bassong is a regular pundit for the BBC, and just last month, he shared his thoughts on the challenges facing his former club Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou.
