Mike Walker was devastated after his second spell as Norwich manager came to an end on Thursday 30th April 1998
The former Everton boss has left the struggling First Division club, which he had previously taken into Europe, by "mutual consent."
Norwich, who were 16th in the table, ended their relegation fears by recording 5-0 victories in their last two home games, but before that they had gone 14 games without a win. Walker, though, who returned to Carrow Road in June 1996 following his first successful spell at the club, stood by his record. "I am bitterly disappointed to say the least," he told the Norwich Evening News. "They have decided to make a decision which is their prerogative and at the end of the day, that's the way it is. "I think I have worked hard under trying circumstances this year, but the decision has been made. "We all know the problems we have had. This is the way it has ended up. It has ended, but that is football and that is something you have to accept although whoever comes in is going to be a reasonably lucky man."

Norwich vice-chairman Roger Munby claimed Walker had gone now to give the Canaries plenty of time to find a replacement who could take them back to the Premiership. "We chose this timing, the earliest possible time, to give ourselves the best possible chance of setting out with the right recruitment policy," he told ClubCall. "It is an open process. We have given ourselves the maximum possible time. "We want to deliver the right football manager able to deliver our number one objective - the Premiership."

Munby thanked him for what he had done for the Canaries during his two periods at the helm. During Walker's first stint in charge at Norwich he took the club to third in the Premier League in 1993, which was their best ever finish. The following season he led them to victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup before he resigned in January 1994 to take over at Everton. Munby said "Mike has been an unstinting worker on behalf of this club," he said. "His first spell was outstandingly successful and during his second spell we would pay tribute as he worked unstintingly in trying to achieve our number one objective of Premiership status."
Assistant manager John Faulkner took charge of team affairs for their final game against Reading on Sunday which resulted in a 1-0 Norwich victory.

Mike Walker biography

1945: Born Colwyn Bay, November 28.
1959: Joined Reading as junior after showing goalkeeping prowess.
1963: Signed professional forms for Reading, but failed to make first team.
1964: Moved to Shrewsbury, making seven appearances.
1966: Joined York, making 60 appearances and winning four Wales Under-23 caps.
1968: Transferred to Watford, where he played 137 games and won third division title medal in 1969.
1973: After a loan spell at Charlton, where he played just once, joined Colchester. Made 451 appearances, including 310 consecutive from Feb 1977-Jan 1983, figuring in fourth division promotion teams of 1973-74 and 1976-77.
1983: Appointed assistant manager at Colchester after retiring as player.
1986: Becomes Colchester manager.
1987: Sacked by Colchester with club top of fourth division. After dismissal, elected Manager of the Month for October. Appointed reserve team manager at Norwich.
1992: Appointed Norwich manager.
1993: Guided Norwich to highest-ever placing of third in Premier League and a place in Europe for the first time.
1993: Steered Norwich to their greatest triumph, a UEFA Cup win over Bayern Munich in Germany.
1994: Resigned as Norwich boss in January to sign three-and-a-half year contract with Everton, who only escape relegation by beating Wimbledon on the final day of the 1993-94 season. After poor start to 94-95 campaign, sacked in November.
1996: Appointed Norwich boss again in June, two-and-a-half years after his departure from Carrow Road, following the departure of Robert Chase and Gary Megson.
1998: His second spell is ended by mutual consent on April 30 with the club safe from relegation in 16th place in Division One, but in poor form.

In August 1998, he was offered a position with Greek side Ionikos but rejected it, saying he was patient to wait for the right job in Britain to come along. He was also inked with the manager's position at Norwegian side FC Brann of Bergen. Following the resignation of Steve Wignall at Colchester United in January 1999, Mike was made the bookie's favourite to replace him as manager at Layer Road. However a return to the club where he had such early success did not occur as Scarborough manager Mick Wadsworth took this post on 28th January 1999. Mike was later linked with the vacancy at Hartlepool United.
In June 1999, following the resignation of Bobby Gould, Mike was linked with the vacant Welsh national team managers' position although he will face competition from Chester's Kevin Ratcliffe, Wrexham's Bryan Flynn, former England supremo Terry Venables and Manchester United youth team coach David Williams. Mike was also linked with the vacant manager's position at Bristol City but this went to former Gillingham boss Tony Pulis.

In November 1999, TeamTalk linked Mike with the managerial position at Scottish side Dunfermline after he attended a match as guest of their board of directors. Supposedly it was a straight race between him and Terry Fenwick as to whom gets the job. In December, Mike was linked with the vacancy at Fratton Park after Gary Megson, the first choice for the Portsmouth job, rejected it.

Mike was remarkably named by Teamtalk as a potential successor to Bruce Rioch following his resignation on 13th March 2000. This was not to be and on 9th November 2000, Mike returned to management as the new coach of Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia. Apoel sacked him on September 24th 2001 just two games into the new Cypriot season.

In March 2004, the South Wales Press suggested that Mike had put himself forward to replace Bryan Flynn and Kevin Reeves who had been sacked by Swansea. Andy Melville and Dean Saunders were also suggested as possible replacements.