Position: Striker
Age: 29
Born: Boras, Sweden (September 24, 1974)
Date signed: December 19, 2003
Signed from: Charlton Athletic, £300,000
Contract: June 2006
City debut: v Ipswich Town A (Dec 21, 2003)
Season 2003/04 Appearances (max 48): 20 Goals: 7
Career appearances: 20 Goals: 7
International honours: Sweden
Former clubs: Elfsborg, Portsmouth, Innsbruck, Crystal Palace, Charlton Atheltic, Derby County (loan)
Minutes played in pre-season (max 630): 324

Another of Worthington’s bargain buys. Arrived at Carrow Road with a modest goal record and a reputation as an uncompromising hard man but quickly adapted to the Norwich City way. Six goals in five games helped propel his new team to promotion.

One of those players who definitely falls into the bracket of a “player’s player”, Svensson won round the last of the sceptics with a fabulous scoring spree through the spring which yielded six goals in five games — a return that found Svensson being lined up for a Euro2004 call-up for Sweden before Celtic legend Henrik Larsson re-thought his international retirement plans.

Big, strong with a Mulryne-like ability to look after the ball, Svensson can also call upon a finish from the very top drawer — be it the thumping header that finished a glorious move away at Burnley or the corner-of-the-box curler that sent City on their way at home to play-off chasing Wigan. Off the pitch, another good apple to add to Nigel Worthington’s top flight barrel.

Last season: The big striker underwent minor knee surgery shortly after his arrival at Carrow Road last December, but that didn’t prevent him from making a major contribution to City’s title triumph. He scored seven goals, including a couple of real beauties, and proved himself to be the ideal pivotal frontman as City built their attacks. All in all he looked a worthy successor to a real Norwich City legend, Iwan Roberts.

Target for this season: More of the same. Svensson proved himself to be a class act in Division One and now he will want to prove he can also produce the goods in the Premiership. He struggled for top-flight goals at Charlton after a promising start, but will fancy his chances of putting the record straight with the Canaries if he gets the right service.

Will be out to prove a point to Charlton as they dumped him from the Premiership last season. Likely to get a starting role as manager Nigel
Worthington favours having a ‘big’ striker in his line-up. Good at holding up the ball and showed last season that he’s capable of scoring good
goals. Also looks to have cut out any disciplinary problems he had during his younger days in England.

OFF DUTY (2004):

Marital status: Married, to Linda.
Children: Hugo 5, Holly 1.
Home: We're renting in Norwich while we look for a place of our own.

Current car: Porsche.
First car: Ford Escort.

How do you relax away from football: We have got two young children and I like to spend as much time with them as possible when I'm off duty. I also like playing golf and am currently teaching Hugo the basics of the game. Obviously a lot of spare time at the moment is being taken up by house-hunting. This is not an area I know too well so we are having a good look round.

Favourite other sport to play: Golf, tennis, and ice-hockey (when I was back in Sweden).
Favourite other sport to watch: I like watching golf, but nothing beats football!
Favourite holiday destination: Barbados.
Favourite television programme: Friends, 24.
Favourite film: You've got me there. I don't think I've really got one.
Favourite restaurant/eating place: I don't think I've been here long enough to answer that one.
Favourite read: Travel books or magazines.
Recommended listening: Any good music. If I had to pick one group it would be the Rolling Stones.

Best thing about living in Norfolk: Everyone seems really friendly and it's nice to have a different pace of life after living in London for several years.
Worst thing about living in Norfolk: I haven't experienced any problems yet. Obviously it's a long way from home, but Gothenburg is less than two hours away on a plane so it's not difficult for Linda and I to see friends and relatives - or for them to come over here and see us.

First result you look out for: Charlton in the Premiership, Crystal Palace in Division One.
What was the first team you played for: A Swedish Division Four side called Sexdrega Aplared. Aplared, near Gothenburg, is my home town.

What would you have done if you hadn't made the grade: A policeman maybe. To be honest I always wanted to be a footballer.
What would you like to do when your playing days are over: I'd like to work in the travel business full-time. I've been involved with Steve Perryman Sport Travel for the some time. The company arranges visits to sporting events like Premiership matches. There's a big market for that sort of thing in Scandinavia and that's something we are aiming to develop in the future.