They live a strange existence, Norwich City. But if we are to spot a wider purpose in the latter portion of their biennial cycles, when slappings in the Premier League follow their success in the Championship, then perhaps it comes in what they offer to others.
It would seem that on these trips to the top flight, they best serve as a sort of wet stone, a means of sharpening those from bigger clubs who have lost their edge. For Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi, what compliant opposition for the rediscovering of form on a relaxing Saturday afternoon.