He signed for Heart of Midlothian at the age of 15[2] although never played a competitive first team game for the Edinburgh club.

While farmed out at Musselburgh Athletic, he played for Scotland Juniors three times (including twice as captain, the youngest-ever player to do so).

[4] He won a Football League War Cup winners medal in 1940, although he did not appear in the final, and was an ever-present for the Irons during the 1947–48 season.

[2] Corbett played his last League game for West Ham against Cardiff City on 15 April 1950, and appeared only for the reserve team after that.

[2] Norman Corbett was brother of Hammers player David (who was also a right-half) and Willie, who guested for the club during World War II.