JJ

Good post Chops.  All I can say from my end is that I know a good cross section of City fans of various ages, who sit in different parts of the ground, have season tickets or memberships, go regularly or occasionally, but have the best intentions of the club at heart.  Not one of them is happy with the way the club is being run, and not one of them supports the appointment of Gunn (although naturally everyone, including me, wishes him well).  They''re all genuine supporters though and I''d never question how ''real'' they are.  

[quote user="Tim Allman"] First up, I’ll give my best wishes to Gunny for the future. He’s the Capital Canaries President, if you didn’t already know, and he’s going to have a tough job in the next few months. He wasn’t even my second choice to become the next NCFC manager, but we where we are, and we should give him the benefit of the doubt and get behind him. If we don’t Gunny will be doomed from the start. So now he’s in the hot seat he has my full support. But as regards his appointment, to borrow a phrase from our greatest writer, (not Richard Balls), “Something is rotten in the state of Norfolk”, really really wrong. We have been subjected a Gunny PR campaign that has been organised in a way that would make Alistair Campbell proud. We have been treated to a guest appearance at the open day, a full hour on Radio Goreham, where he didn’t know (yeah right), some positive press from the City View Idiots, and plenty of hints from the Fortress Carrow Road Bunker this week. We even have friendlies with “Bryan’s Friends” as a sop to the masses. (At least we’ll find out how many Man Ure fans there are in Norfolk when the Red Filth youth team come to play City) Then we had the mysterious timing of the resignations/departures of Munby & Doncaster. Did they fall on their own swords when asked to approve Gunny’s appointment? Or we were they pushed? Or were they last the last people that Delia could get rid of before she ditched MWJ? (I am assuming here that Michael Foulger, a decent guy, and big contributor to the NCFC coffers is exempt here). And who organised the timing of the appointment? It looks like a crude tactic to draw NCISA’s fire tomorrow night where the local press will have hundreds of supporters at the ready, all ready to become Mr Rent-a-Quote and save the Archant crew the inconvenience of writing a story or (heaven forbid) giving their own opinion on the state of NCFC. And who were the directors that approved Gunny’s appointment? Which one of five pulled a black ball from the Bag? And then we hear (or I did for the first time?) that Crooky and Butterworth are on longer contracts than we imagined and we couldn’t possibly afford to bring in a new Gaffer as he would have wanted his own man and we wouldn’t have the cash to pay them off? Another fine mess. I’d really like to think that a rabbit will be pulled out of (Peter Thorne’s) magic hat and that it will all turn out ok. A rich new investor, or maybe they’ll get lucky with Gunny, but I doubt it. The cracks have been papered over for the time being, but the whole thing is still a complete mess. We are now in the end game of a tired regime. If it all goes wrong with Gunny Delia has nowhere to turn apart from the exit door. See you at the NCISA meeting.   [/quote] Good post Tim - it certainly was a massive fit-up from start to finish.  But whatever happens now, I think Delia and Michael have had their last chance already.  Bit depressing that we''re probably stuck with them for a while yet.  

Good news and its a start.  Now comes the tricky bit...  

A good deal for everyone.  Marshall wasn''t going to play in Lge 1 with his international ambitions, we need the cash, Cardiff need a keeper, everyone''s a winner.  Lets get a solid, experienced number one in now and put Rudd on the bench.  

It was a strange situation at Forest because from what I know, he never won the fans over completely even when they got promoted.  I''ve never been sure why this is.  Any ideas?  

I was a bit lucky this season in that most of the games I was able to get to were the better ones (yes, we did have some good games!).  Apart from the obvious choice at The Valley, the Forest and Coventry home games stick in my mind.  Against Forest we absolutely stunk and was the first time the crowd really turned en masse towards Roeder.  The Coventry game was another miserable display, the last stand for Cureton and the day that the Fozzy/fans relationship imploded.   Even a couple of dodgy ref decisions masked the fact thay they pulled us apart second half, with bloody David Bell pulling the strings!  Think it was the last time Grounds and Cort played at Carrow Road too.    

I''d love to know the full story of Robert Chase''s reign.  Everyone who has worked with him seems to be under a vow of silence and even Gunny gave little away in his book.  

At the end of the day, does it really matter either way?  Plenty of people have renewed and there will still be plenty of tickets for those that haven''t.  I wish people''s loyalties wouldn''t keep getting questioned because they have/haven''t renewed - its not that simple.  

And of those 18, a chunk of those are kids who won''t necessarily start, and the likes of Clingan who will probably leave anyway.  That''s a LOT of gaps to fill.  

[quote user="colneycanary"] This is exactly why Gunn, Butterworth and Crook should NOT be given the job to try and get us promoted next season. It''s quite shocking really when your assistant manager is already saying promotion next season would be a big ask and other teams would raise their game against us because were are one of the biggest teams in league 1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/norwich/8042618.stm [/quote] The sad thing is, he''s probably right.  

[quote user="Sir Fotheringham Waddock-hunt"] I’m losing track here. Who is probably going and who is staying? Any views? Are the loanees definitely off? Is it safe to assume that their parent clubs don’t want them kicked to bits in L1 and will place them with Championship sides? Tally so far: Croft – probably Derby? Clingan – possibly Fulham? Bertrand – back to Chelsea? Shackell - Any chance of him coming back? Lee - ? Cureton – retire? Does anyone know/care where Fotheringham is now? [/quote] Put it this way.  Of the 37 players on the Pink Un''s Stat list, if you take off all those who have already left, the loanees who are due to leave, and those out of contract, that leaves 18 players still on our books.  

[quote user="Chunky Norwich"] I''ve no idea how they''re going to market it though. Probably as a brave struggle by the heroic Gunn to stave off relegation. [/quote] Don''t worry - they''ll find a way. They managed to bring one out in 1995, despite relegation, two managers, and ''Chase Out'' protests.  On the back it talks about the season being "action packed", so I suppose they''re not wrong!  

Sorry to be even more pedantic, but Shackell was at centre-back in that Cardiff game a few years ago (Malky was suspended).  However he did play at LB against Ipswich that season, but had a mare at Palace soon after and Worthy never tried it again. But yes, playing him at LB against Charlton was madness.  When I saw Leijer on the pitch at kick-off, I assumed Shacks was injured, and was bewildered to see him on the left side.  As somebody said, I think all the staff, not just Gunn, have to take the rap for that.  

Good post Superflash and I don''t think there''s any harm in retaining any of the players you have mentioned.  My thoughts are that if Martin and Spillane haven''t learnt from their time at Luton then they never will.  Lee is an absolute must because we''ll need players like him (and several more dotted round the side - God knows who).  Rudd should get some bench time and the odd game in the cups (potentially sell Marshall and Nelson and get an experienced old hand in).  Perhaps too soon to throw the other lads in straight away, but some bench time and cup games are a start.  Macdonald looks hugely promising. Possibly retain Doherty as well, but I''m not keen on most of the others staying.  

The irony is that on many occasions in his column, Aiken has bemoaned his terrible predictions and how often he has got it wrong!  

Mark Fotheringham.  Awful and occasionally ordinary from the first game of the season to his last, and poor long before the fans finally got to him.  Terrible captain, and should have been ditched by Gunny long before he actually was. (and I wasn''t a boo-boy in case you wonder)  

I think some of the comments about Croft have been a bit harsh.  In the 3 years he''s been here, he''s always got on with the job, never bitched about the managers, the fans or the club (when he would have had every right to), and improved his game and fitness. He isn''t the greatest player in the world and I''m not fussed either way if he stays or goes, but I''m sure he would have put a damn sight more effort than most of that shower at Charlton.  

[quote user="Ciderkidd"][quote user="JJ"] Definitely true.  Saw it in the mall yesterday.  Is is just a Man Utd XI so that could mean anything.  Will probably be a reserve team.   [/quote] Did you see any dates concerning the match JJ? [/quote] To be honest, I was only passing by and in a hurry, so the dates didn''t register.  Saw the advert for the Wigan game too.  

[quote user="beachbum"] What next a friendly against a Man U celebrity charity X1 starring Angus Deayton? [/quote] That''s probably what it is...

Definitely true.  Saw it in the mall yesterday.  Is is just a Man Utd XI so that could mean anything.  Will probably be a reserve team.  

Its all relative I guess.  Lakey (despite being a journo) doesn''t strike me as the sort of person who would make up a huge figure for the sake of it.  He has enough contacts to know if something is up.  Doncaster may just be saying £3m for damage limitation. Only time will tell.  Pretty grim whatever it turns out to be.  

[quote user="thebigfeller"] Both on here and on WOTB, the hour and a half or so when it looked like Gunny had been given the job demonstrated perfectly how most on the two boards would feel about it. Given he''s not been appointed - yet - there''s now a window in which we can all make our views known. Get writing, get emailing: let the club know how crazy appointing him would be. The official statement made very plain how deep our financial problems are becoming. Maybe there are talks with buyers and investors going on: they can''t appoint a manager until they know what his budget will be, after all. But if investment isn''t found, it must not be an excuse for just appointing people who "know the club". In fact, chronic lack of money makes an experienced or at least proven manager even more vital. This is, truly, no time for a novice. Jim Gannon has achieved wonders with a club in such strife, they''ve just headed into administration. Ian Holloway came through horrendous financial problems at QPR which threatened their continued existence. Mark Robins has achieved miracles with Rotherham; Steve Tilson''s done superbly on a small budget with Southend. All of these individuals could do the job - and neither Gannon nor Holloway would entail a pay-off to another club. These are the sorts of people we should be looking at - so let the board know! [/quote] Consider it done.  I feel a lot better now!  [:D]  

I still think this is all about people wanting to prove a point to Roeder than actually looking forward.  GR has gone now, Hucks has gone now.  Its history. Great player, but I think we need to get over him now.  

No.  Keep him behind the scenes as an ambassador, or working with Football in the Community.  He hasn''t been a success in player recruitment, goalkeeping coach or as manager.  Not all his fault, but we need a boss who is proven in the lower leagues.

[quote user="No Quarter"]Great news (if true).  Bring on players who want to play in the yellow and green, and a manager with pride in the shirt.  Gunny, and the fans, were BADLY let down by the ridiculous players playing for us.  Mooney has confirmed that today by stating that he''s "done at Norwich" and wants another club.  Gunny will ship these losers out make no mistake.  He will have time to sign his own players, and not have to rush for desperation loans to paper over the cracks.  We are going up, believe me.[/quote] Thanks Melissa!