Norwich City icon Darren Huckerby has criticized his former club’s “unacceptable” collapse against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night, as the Canaries squandered a two-goal lead after halftime to suffer a 3-2 defeat.
Johannes Hoff Thorup’s men entered the crucial clash with fellow play-off contenders on the back of a four-game unbeaten run and seemed well on course to extend that streak after first-half goals from Borja Sainz and Ante Crnac put them in control.
However, Norwich completely fell apart after the break, allowing Michael Ihiekwe, Josh Windass, and Djeidi Gassama to score and complete a stunning comeback for the Owls.
The result was a significant setback for Norwich, whose hopes of securing a second consecutive top-six finish took a major hit as Sheffield Wednesday overtook them in the league standings.
Now sitting 11th in the table, the Canaries find themselves seven points adrift of sixth-placed Coventry City with only nine games remaining in the regular season.
At this stage of the campaign, every point is crucial, making it all the more frustrating for Norwich fans and players alike to have come away empty-handed despite leading 2-0 at halftime.
Darren Huckerby slams Norwich’s second-half collapse
Carrow Road was left in dismay on Tuesday night, with captain Kenny McLean branding the loss a “shambles” in the immediate aftermath.
Huckerby, a Norwich legend with nearly 200 appearances for the club between 2003 and 2008, also voiced his frustration on social media.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, the former winger labeled the second-half performance as both “unacceptable” and “ridiculous,” insisting the team failed to show up after halftime.
“Well played Sheff Wed, excellent 2nd half and deserved the win BUT that is totally unacceptable from #NCFC,” Huckerby posted.
“2-0 up in complete control and not turning up at all after the break, ridiculous really! 😡 #NCFC.”
Norwich City’s uphill battle for the play-offs
Norwich now face a difficult path to breaking into the top six, needing both a strong finish to their own campaign and favorable results elsewhere.
Their next challenge comes against Bristol City this weekend, but tougher tests lie ahead, with promotion-chasing sides such as West Brom, Sunderland, Burnley, and Middlesbrough still on the fixture list.
Additionally, matches against relegation-threatened Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City on the final day could pose unexpected hurdles.
With their play-off hopes already on shaky ground, this latest defeat only deepens the challenge, making the road ahead even more daunting.
