Former Norwich City boss Alex Neil knows better than anyone how play-off triumph can transform the lives of those involved. 

The Scot led City to glory under the Wembley arch in 2015 after beating Ipswich Town in the semi-finals before a comfortable win over Middlesbrough in the final. 

For Neil, success at City altered his entire life having started the season managing in front of fewer than 2,000 people at Hamilton to ending it as a Premier League boss. 

David Wagner and his squad are hoping for a similar taste of play-off success this season, as Neil reflects on how it has shaped his life subsequently. 

"That six months at Norwich literally changed the trajectory of my life," Neil told the Pink Un. "In terms of personally, on the pitch, off the pitch - the whole thing.

"In six months, I went from the year before being promoted from the Championship in Scotland, and a year later, I was a Premier League manager and was up against Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and guys like this. To try and put that in context and to try and quantify the feelings is bizarre.

"I never really thought about it at the time. It was really strange. It was just a case of when I was at Hamilton; we won promotion in my first season, then we went into the Premier League and flew - beating Celtic, Aberdeen, and Motherwell, our local rivals, twice.

"Then I got the Norwich job, and that went probably as well as it could have gone. The boys really took to what we were doing; we were winning loads of games, and then we found ourselves in the play-off final."

Neil has reflected on the opportunity Norwich offered him back in 2015 when they pursued him to succeed Neil Adams with immense gratitude—an appointment that went well for both parties. 

Eastern Daily Press: Alex Neil became a Premier League boss with Norwich City.Alex Neil became a Premier League boss with Norwich City. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

"That was my real introduction into the Championship and even the Premier League," he said. "They gave me an unbelievable opportunity.

"It was very, very rare to come from the level I came from to a club of that size. David McNally, Delia and Michael deserve huge amounts of credit for it, because it was a really brave and bold move to give such a young and inexperienced coach that type of role.

"I think it worked out really well for both parties. I have nothing but admiration and gratitude that they gave me the opportunity to do that."