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Hi All to try and help with a few bits that have been raised on this thread. Our family and friends are part of our social bubble, so if all have season tickets (and you have included them on your account under family and friends) then you can sit together, it was made perfectly clear when we were notified that we would get tickets for another match until ALL season ticket holders have had an opportunity. The "herding" was the most congested, however the area was clearly marked with 2 metre markings throughout, and everyone wearing masks until in their seats (same if you left seat to use the facilities), the whole process when we arrived just after 2.00 and it was quite busy took less than 15 minutes from joining the line to taking our seats, that included the temperature check, ID and bag checks, we were quite happy and never felt at risk. And i'm sure it will get slicker as you could tell the stewards were getting used to their new regime. Once inside (there were three of us) we had nobody sitting directly behind us or in in front, and we had 3 seats empty to the side, the largest bubble we could see was 4 but there may have been more, personally i think they got it right, as had the spaced more there would have been even less of an atmosphere. Finally, a lovely touch before kick off when the Preston GK coach came to the front of the stand, tapped his heart and mouthed "great to see you back" (or similar) before bowing a few times, to a spontaneous round of applause from those in the river end half of the South stand, a lovely gesture, showing that football people know without the fans the game is nothing. Our 3 had my 72 year old mother in law (she hasn't missed a game in almost 7 years home and away pre COVID) and she felt totally safe the whole day. Good luck to those in the ballot for the next games, hope you get to see a win. OTBC

In hindsight how they were allowed to sneak through this horrendous transfer window deadline needs looking at. I thought the idea was to make it in future so that it corresponded with the start of the season and whilst I know we are in unprecedented times, that we have ended up with it being a month after the start of the season starts and then the premier clubs are given another two weeks to pick over the carcasses of the EFL clubs is, I think, a disgrace. Its been sold on the basis of helping the EFL clubs but it’s deeply disruptive.

Not true. You are just as likely to catch it if young and fit, just less likely to be adversely affected. Some young people have reported severe lung capacity reduction, long after recovery.

In the normal course of events I am never very lucky when it comes to Lotteries, draws or raffles, but when I made my application for tickets on Thursday I was absolutely confident that I was going to be a winner. Call it confirmation bias if you like but fate does seem to have a habit of playing out in strange ways. In the course of a long supporting lifetime you get to witness a whole raft of odd events. Bunny Larkins torn shorts, Kevin Keelans left hook that laid Tom Robson low and the night the fog came down in the League Cup semi final with just five minutes left are just a few of those unexpected little nuggets that immediately spring to mind. Weird events do happen but being present on a fine September afternoon in an almost empty stadium in the midst of a world wide epidemic is probably the weirdest of all. i have not done much cycling during the lockdown so we took it easy on the way down so as not to overheat. Thankfully I passed the temperature check o.k. and didn't get sent to the Covid Lounge. I was there ninety minutes before kick off but it didn't really seem necessary with only 1K attendance and there were plenty who arrived much later. In any event we had a good seat on the halfway line and gave the boys a big cheer when they came out to run through the warm ups. Buendia, absent again was a disappointment but the team looked strong enough on paper and when we kicked off towards the River End there was a nice blue sky but quite a blustery cool wind. The visitors looked quick and strong in the opening exchanges and probably edged the opening quarter with City seeming to find difficulty getting into any sort of rythym. Skipp caught my eye with some snappy tackling but McDowell took an early knock which saw him limp off mid way through the half. It didn't surprise me when Preston went ahead and although it was a soft penalty, players should know better than clatter into someone from behind when the ball is in the air. Davies went down rather easily but you couldn't really argue when the ref pointed to the spot. After this it didn't really get much better and I was bemoaning our lack of efforts on goal in the opening half hour when City finally exerted a bit of sustained pressure with crosses into the area. It looked like Preston had survived when it was hacked clear on the City right but when the ball was returned Declan Rudd could only fumble Pukki's flying header in off the post. This seemed to wake the home team up as the ball was now being pinged around in fine style and Pukki might well have had a second when a combination of Placheta, who had replaced McDowell, and Cantwell got him through with just Rudd to beat. The City Talisman tried to dink it past the Preston keeper but Rudd just got fingers to it to save the day. After a bout on the back foot Preston came forward again just before the break and picked apart the home defence with worrying ease. Sinclair had time and space to beat Krul but Godfrey did wonders to block it on the line. Unfortunately there were two Preston players waiting for the rebound and Fisher netted with relative ease. After a disappointing half there was much to ponder as we sat in the sun and having forgotten to bring my usual halftime livener I had to don an extra layer as the temperature started to drop. City began the second half with a little more zest and Max Aarons was unlucky when he curled a shot a foot over the bar after a sustained period of pressure. Preston however still looked very lively on the break and the home defence had to be on it's toes to defend a series of dangerous corners. A surging fifty yard run by Skipp almost got Pukki in again and Godfrey was a yard to high with a shot struck from twenty-five yards. Placheta was looking very dangerous with neat footwork and lightening speed down the left but he wasted a glorious chance When Rudd could only beat away a Pukki effort into his path. From six or seven yards the goal appeared to be at his mercy but a snatched effort sailed well over. Idah came on for Hernandez just after the hour markand was unlucky to see a deft header blocked in the six yard box. Again it was Placheta supplying the cross. Time was ticking away quite quickly and the visitors took every opportunity to milk the clock, much to the annoyance of the home crowd. I think those of us in the stands did our best to lift the boys and were generally as noisey as it is possible to be with only a thousand in the ground. It was great to be back but I am sure all would agree that it's not quite the same as having a full house. With only five minutes left more sustained pressure in the box found Placheta with a chance. The first was blocked but the second was volleyed beautifully into the far corner for the equaliser and from there on I was convinced we would get a winner. Preston still had plenty of fight and pushed us back on the break but in the final minute of added time I thought we had done it. A great ball out to the left found Placheta going at speed and his low cross was met perfectly by Pukki on the corner of the six yard box. I was up out of my seat but somehow Rudd got a hand to it and turned it over the bar. So near yet so far. So honours even and it would be churlish to say Preston didn't deserve their point. It is going to be a long season and we always knew it wouldn't be easy so I am relatively content tonight. At the very least I can now claim to have attended both the highest and the lowest ever first team gates at Carrow Road.👍😀

Just a quick reminder that the brilliantly bonkers 'Only Connect' is back tonight.

Remind you of anyone?

Ok. I willingly no one else will. I'd rather sign Denzil from only fools and horses

I'll go for £25 for City promotion and £1 for each appearance by Kenny McLean and £1 for each clean sheet by King Krool. 💛💚 As with last year I'll also have some League 1 action and go for: Binners to stay down - £25. Shambert to leave (for any reason) - £10. Binners to go into administration - £10. Every Binner goal conceded (all competitions) - £1 per goal. Hopefully an expensive season. 🤣 Apples

Versatile- covering all bases at once?!

Just beacause he does dances on Tiktok and enjoys getting odd haircuts? Bit harsh 😉

Well, the photo of the crowd tells a different story to what it was really like - my wife and daughter said the same things as what some are saying on here about social distancing. In practice, inside the stadium, because of the large concourse under the South Stand it was easy to keep well separated and everybody adhered to the face mask regulations. And with no vending points open in the concourse there was no queuing or crowding within the stadium. In fact, at half time the gates at the rear of the South Stand were opened up so that people could stand outside. There were two vending outlets outside for food and drink and both had well distanced queues. Pitch side, as somebody else has said there was a row separation both in front and behind and at least two seats separation between 'support bubbles'. Looking around, it appeared that the the 'support bubbles', in the main, contained pairs of fans rather than larger groups. There were also loads of stewards to help and advise and my impression of maybe a bit of crowding at the end of the game was the usual few people who just wanted to get up and go whatever the instructions were! And I can assure you, there were plenty of announcements about what you should be doing at the final whistle. The club also had it well organised with having vendors constantly wandering around the stand (like an American baseball match) with food and drinks on offer - everything with contactless payment. All in all, I thought the club organised it very well and at no time did I feel unsafe. The general feeling I got from everyone was that we were all so grateful and felt so privileged to be there. If the experiment is repeated (and that probably looks less and less likely) I would highly recommend applying for a ticket and I am more than happy to not get another shot at it until all my fellow ST holders have had a similar chance. On a final note, I would say that the club would find it very difficult to operate a similar experiment around the rest of the ground, not because of the seating arrangements but because of the narrowness of the concourses and stairwells. The South Stand is the obvious 'test bed' and I would have thought that maybe 25% capacity of it would be feasible and safe - very odd to see City fans in the away section though!

Could you please explain just what point you're trying to make here. No one on this site claims anything different. Indeed the points many of us are making concerning the need to avoid a hard customs border between the UK and Ireland depend precisely on this being the case. So what the hell is it that your trying to say?

Basically all the stuff we've been warning the brexiters about over the last few years, which was categorically put down as project fear, is now project reality and they are whinging about it like it has only come up at the last minute.

The officials are robots and have to abide by the 'rules' and their masters. Until someone with some balls gets a grip of this (can't see it anytime soon) and changes the thinking/rules/application of, then fans all around the World will face this every week. It was our turn on Saturday. The powers that be are weak, ruled by money and lack integrity for the overall good of the game. I used to love football, but this is one example of why I am increasingly non plussed , about the modern game.

We had one, he is now playing for Cambridge

Personally, I think this a great move. Not for our football, but it has reignited the Scapegoat of the Season competition, with Rupp getting a lot of abuse purely for being an option at left back. An unexpected boost for him when McLean was head and shoulders above the rest of the field. I’d still say Kenny is leading the pack at the moment though.

We’ve reached that point in the season that tettey comes back and plays every remaining game

Why? Deal with that next season. If we are in the premier there is no way in the world Kenny Mclean should be starting for us yet he’s in? Skipp won’t even be at the club. That excuse is nonsense.

I’ll check with my Mum, she’s just had exactly the same wrap done on her Kia Picanto

If Buendia is fit he must start....by not doing so jeopardises points

Because we have a brainless idiot as PM. I stopped short of saying he is in charge because he plainly is not in control of anything.

A Gregg Broughton's spot right? Same as Jamal? So Mr Broughton could have earned us £50m+ this month...and to think we pushed him out? He's currently at FK Bodo Glimt in Norway.

I feel sorry for the smaller clubs like Orient who have to pay for the tests themselves. It's unsustainable at their level, especially with no fans providing income. The FA just haven't thought it through

Yesterday's penalty provided a good example of a player "winning" a penalty though mischievous play. Penalties should be awarded when a player is fouled as he makes a genuine attempt to play the ball, but is this what happened yesterday? It looked to me that the Preston player lured Skipp into running into the back of him by making a move forward then stopping dead without making any attempt to play the ball. Similar examples abound in the game. For example, James Vardy was a past-master (perhaps still is) at winning penalties by not playing the ball. His trick was to veer away from the trajectory of the ball he was supposedly chasing and into the path of the defender following that trajectory and who now couldn't avoid clattering into him. I remember him doing precisely that at CR (was it Bassong?). Is winning a penalty like this clever gamesmanship, or does it undermine the integrity of the game? To me it is the latter, there is something very distasteful and anti-sporting in attempting to win a penalty, and it should be outlawed rather than rewarded.

Bouncing about a lot and a small uptick is about all you can devine at the moment. I thought it very telling that even Whitty couldn't bring himself to talk about future fatalities in the multi hundreds or thousands per day. We are not going to see a repeat of March / April if recent evidence is anything to go by. I think most sensible people have developed a natural wariness of crowded situations and have adjusted their lifestyles, the vulnerable especially so. It is easy enough to continue with life as long as you remain careful. I have been out all day in the fine Autumn sunshine and had a nice meal in a restaurant garden with widly spaced tables etc. Stay out of pubs, shops and enclosed spaces and any risk is vastly reduced.

Yeh, before the end of the year Ican genuinely see a vaccine (not sure which one) available to NHS, care workers and care home residents. That would surely stem the worst of any kind of second wave ??

Krul Aarons Gibson Godfrey Quintilla Tetty Skip Buendia Cantwell Placheta Pukki With Vrancic back onto the bench

lt appears Boris is now at Stage 5 of his masterplan, from the Daily Mash. 🤣 Boris Johnson's guide to coping when your dream job goes to sh*t HAS the dream job you spent your whole pathetic life angling for turned to sh*t? Here, speaking from experience, the prime minister tells you how to cope. Avoid it Once you get down to it, even a dream job is just a bunch of boring meetings. Yawn. Spice things up a bit by dodging them and watching disasters escalate whilst you relax at your country residence. This is especially entertaining if the meetings are COBRA ones. Pull a sickie This always looks shady, so try to come down with something contagious and incurable so nobody asks any questions. Not only will you get time off but everyone will be super-nice to you when you return. Well, for a couple of weeks at least, until you f**k things up again. Go on lots of holidays If you haven’t signed an employment contract you can really rinse this one for all it’s worth. And if you’re clever you can schedule it for when all the really difficult work’s due. Put your ‘out of office’ on, trek to a remote Scottish cliffside, and don’t answer your phone. Get someone else to do the hard bits When people start realising you’re doing a terrible job, bamboozle them by making stuff up and giving it a cool name, like ‘Moonshot’. Then force an underling to sort out the impossible details of your insane idea, like I have with Matt Hancock. Try to get fired Can’t quit? Don’t worry, just do your job so badly that you’re forced out of it. You might have to go to desperate lengths like breaking the law or something, but it’ll be worth it in the long run when you’re writing your memoirs on Mustique and all this hard work **** is just a distant dream. Apples

Honestly. Get laid.

Sell Cantwell.

well we know Pfizer will have their results by Oct so all points to then. I'd imagine things will move very quickly once that's gained emergency approval (yes I mean if...)

Hanks, I think AN has learnt a lot since he was in charge at Carrow Road. Whenever I went to see City play under him AN never seemed to have a plan B, he now has even a plan C at times. He also doesn’t always leave it too late to bring subs on like he used to do, an example was last season’s home game to Blackburn, we were 2-0 down after 25 mins so AN made 2 substitutions after their second went in and we ended up winning 3-2. One thing that he still tends to do is chose his favourite player to start no matter how bad they are currently playing. All the best

The people that said this was a stupid idea are now saying we told you so. The people who said it was great to get brexit done are now whining that it is mean of the EU. Tiresome. The greatest hits of failing brexit.....

That's my boy!

Whitty and Valence. Spoke plainly - told it as it is and tried to put to bed some wishful thinking. No fairy stories or political point scoring. Clearly a prelude to some significant action.

The point surely here is that for the club to sanction a move, Webber / Farke clearly believe they have enough cover in that position - only time will tell if it's the right move or not. In a perfect world Quintilla stays fit, McCallum has a good season and comes back to us a better player. But since we were clearly not obligated to loan him out, it suggests those with the player knowledge at the club feel they are covered enough and perhaps this is better than having an unhappy, non-playing McCallum around?

I would say Oli Skipp is a far better, all round player. Not taking anything away from Tettey though, as he's definitely my favourite Norweigan from Ghana ever.

This was an experiment. It could well be that dofferent clubs were asked to use different methods so as a comparison could be made. As for close mixing in queues outside, then the simple solution to that is for masks to be worn until you are in your seat. I know that a lot of people think that by wearing masks they are protecting themselves, but the opposite is true - by wearing a mask you are protecting others, thus helping the overall situation. So masks in any situation where peple are close to each other ought to be mandatory. There is a sense in some that "I don't need to wear a mask" or "I'm not going to wear a mask" but that is just pure selfishness.

Is the project at a critical stage here? We allow our better players to leave at the expense of the foundations of the team! Regardless of the money generated, too many changes or the wrong changes will put us back, possibly to an irrecoverable position where even players lose faith in the project. 3 go, the others will want to move on too. At present, Godfrey, Aarons, Cantwell and Buendia are fundamental parts of the team. For every one that leaves it’s a new player that’s got to get used to the system! We already look extremely lightweight in the full-back area. We have no one capable of linking the team like Buendia does. It’s only reasonable to expect that all of Dowell, Skipp, Placheta, Quintilla, Hugill, Gibson, Sorensen, Martin and Mumba will take months to become comfortable in the set up! Even longer the more new players are in the starting XI. Farke has made it clear that the old guard of Trybull, Drmic, Leitner, Vrancic and Steipermann are surplus and that makes sense but we can’t have a complete new team and expect them to gel this season. It’d be like starting again!!!! Because so many of our Champs winning players failed last season, we need these players here if we’re to get promoted.

I read that what ever transfer fees Spanish clubs pay out at present they have a covid tax of the same fee. That explains the loan approach to me. Next up, Webber. He wants to put himself if the shop window for when the big boys come calling. So how he deals with this is going to be really interesting to me. Handy he can speak Spanish...

I successfully cast my Samsung Galaxy Tab A to my Samsung TV both of which are on my WiFi. Technique was to pull down twice from the middle of screen top on the tablet then select 'smart view to link to TV. It worked fine.

It's because despite Skipp having a rough time yesterday he was excellent against Huddersfield and has already shown he has ability but due to his age may be somewhat inconsistent at least in the short-term, whereas McLean has consistently shown his inability to manage more than a 5/6 out of 10 performance for the past 2 season other than on a handful of occasions. Skipp looks like he does his job and will offer good cover to the defence whilst being tidy in possession, whereas McLean simply runs round a lot, points even more and struggles to play an incisive ball more than twice a season. McLean should purely be a backup player, ok for a game or two to cover injuries or suspension, but not to play every week, not in that role and certainly not the first name on the team sheet.

yes.

I can't see Tariq Lamptey staying long at Brighton at this rate, he's blisteringly quick for a right wing back.

This could have been the reason. Maybe they deliberately used a small section of the ground to replicate the situation when 1000 becomes 6000 or 8000, for example.

I can’t agree, he barely touches him. I would not have given it the slightest thought if a similar incident was not given in our favour. This behaviour is so ingrained into the game’s culture now it’s ridiculous. All diving, play-acting and even blatant timewasting should be met with retrospective bans, 1 - 3 games depending on severity. If your cheating gets a player sent off (Xhaka in the FA cup final for example), then it’s a 3 game ban. If it’s less sinister then a 1 game. It’s easy to spot 90% of the time and I’d rather we take this kind of line to stub it out than having pundits say things like ‘there was a hand on his back from the opponent, and although it probably resembled a small moth landing on him, he has a right to go down there’. There is no ‘spirit of the game’ with this anymore, it’s pathetic. Rarely do you see anything like what is acceptable - and even encouraged - in football in other sports. It should be clamped down on with aggression.

I think you have to look at a few of the additional reason why we looked 2nd best in midfield yesterday. Firstly Cantwell didn’t have a great game and is lightweight, stipermann when he drops in as the 3rd midfielder has more physicality about him. Dowell going off too had an impact, we tend to like one winger and one player who tucks in and comes central, for 60 mins we had two wingers and therefore were more open. I personally thought skipp had a poor first half but was much much improved after the break, can see him playing well with Buendia (big if he stays) as they both like short, sharp passing. My biggest concern yesterday was the left back, you don’t realise how much you miss a player until he has gone and we miss Lewis for his pace and engine up and down the wing

I thought about a tenner for every time Farke complains about not having VAR in the Championship, but the CSF probably wouldn't know how to spend that much extra money... I will pledge £5 for every Placheta goal (League and FA Cup) and £2 for every final-pass assist.

Hi Nutty, I’d like to pledge £1 for every goal scored by Pukki, plus £30 for a top 6 finish, with additional £5 for every position above top 6......Or you can cash out January 1st with a £40 donation if it doesn’t look too promising....your call 😂👍

As I am on plane waiting to fly to Germany, £5 for every goal scored by Zimmermann. Also £1 a point.