2009 signing remains one of Norwich City's all-time transfer flops - disastrous debut set the tone | OneFootball

The name Michael Theoklitos still brings shivers down the spine of those at Carrow Road

Some transfers are memorable for all the right reasons, some for all the wrong reasons, and Michael Theoklitos fits firmly into the latter for Norwich City.

The Australian shot-stopper is synonymous with one of the club’s most humbling moments of recent history, and even though his stay at Carrow Road was short, it was anything but sweet.

Despite his horror-show in Norfolk coming over 15 years ago, there will still be those with the Canaries at the heart that shudder at the name of a man who they will never want to see again.

Michael Theoklitos’ disastrous Norwich City debut was the beginning of the end

Things were already tumultuous at Norwich City ahead of the 2009/10 campaign, with the East Anglian side suffering the ignominy of relegation to the third tier the season before.

While there was every hope that City would steamroll their way through the division at the first time of asking, a summer of upheaval left a club still trying to get on first-name terms with one another taking to the pitch against Colchester United.

The X-rated decapitation of Bryan Gunn’s side should only be allowed for an audience of 18 plus, such was the enormity of the 7-1 thrashing from the U’s that day, with Theoklitos proving to be a one-man juggling act between the sticks.

Having joined from Melbourne Victory in the summer, the new goalkeeper could hardly have expected to start - and as it turns out, end - his career in such a manner, with his teammates hardly helping him out once things got underway.

A looped back pass from a defender always looked like it was going to end in trouble, and lo and behold, a bamboozled Theo in the home net allows the ball to go over his head on the edge of the penalty area, with Kevin Lisbie only too happy to add the finishing touch.

Minutes later, Clive Platt had doubled the lead as another Lisbie shot was parried into his path, with City on their way to one of the most spectacular implosions in recent memory.

Platt’s second was rifled in as a corner fell loose in the penalty area, fair enough there Mikey no blame attached, a similar story for David Fox’s free-kick midway through the first-half.

This was a side bereft of confidence, ideas and belief, while Colchester were holding them against the wall and going for the jugular.

Lisbie grabbed another before the break, before David Perkins and Scott Vernon added their own part to a story that will be told for generations across the footballing world, although probably not in the Theoklitos household.

Michael Theoklitos failed to turn up for Norwich City match - it was the end of his short Canaries career

After suffering such a humiliation in his first match for his new side, Theoklitos likely didn’t know what day of the week it was, which can be the only explanation for another high profile misdemeanour during his time at Carrow Road.

With a EFL Trophy match against Gillingham on the cards, the Australian failed to show up after being named on the bench at Priestfield, leaving boss Paul Lambert fuming after full-time.

"Nobody is bigger than the club and he has let everybody down. Michael will be disciplined by the club,” the Scot told the BBC.

Needless to say, the shot-stopper was never seen again after that no-show, with City only too happy to terminate his contract in March 2010, and letting him fly back to his homeland with his tail between his legs.

A season that started with such misery eventually ended in triumph for Norwich, with Lambert steering them to promotion after inflicting that heavy defeat with his Colchester side on the opening day.

As for Theoklitos, his English excursion was soon put behind him after moving to Brisbane Roar, as he set the record for the most minutes without conceding a goal in the A-League, with 876 minutes passing without him picking the ball out of his own net.

He even changed his name to Michael Theo