BlyBlyBabes

Must be something to do with the acoustics of the City Stand - looks something like Colchester''s stands!! OTBC.

If Thorne is so awful why did Worthington sign him? Perhaps given a chance this season he will turn over a new leaf like some others? OTBC.    

David Cotterill''s full name is David Rhys George Best Cotterrill. His father was a Man Utd fan. (Source: BBC Sports website) Oh well!! OTBC

Barry Butler is a Norwich City legend for all time. The defensive lynchpin in our run to an FA Cup semi-final replay in 1958-59 as a Third Division South club. The most romantic cup run of all time when City outfootballed a series of top tier clubs including the Manchester United Busby Babes (with Bobby Charlton) by 3-0. Ken Nethercott/Sandy Kennon; Bryan Thurlow, Ron Ashman; Roy McCrohan, Barry Butler, Matt Crowe: Errol Crossan, Terry Allcock, Terry Bly, Jimmy Hill, Bobby Brennan. Your Dad had a wonderful mate. The Norwich City Player of the Season is still awarded with the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy. Congrats on your wonderful win over Chelsea this week. OTBC  

I leave it to Worthington. His decisions made here will make him or break him......or  Delia if she doesn''t find the money to build on a fine start to the season (whilst playing football the Norwich way!!!!!). My only stipulations are that they should be (a) of premiership level quality, (b) hungry, (c) comfortable with the Norfolk lifestyle  and (c) signable if things work out. OTBC. 

First match - perhaps the most important in Norwich City history! Seen from the River End by a wide eyed 14 year old from Gorleston. Saturday, January 3rd ,1959 Norwich City 4  Southend United 0 (3 goals in the first 12 minutes -and the birth of the modern City tradition of football on the carpet) Before the match City were 18th of 24 teams in the old Third Division (South) - Southend were 3rd! On Saturday - January 10th - the legend began. Manager Archie Macaulay and his team beat Manchester United (Bobby Charlton & all)  3-0 at Carrow Road in the 3rd round of the FA Cup and began the most romantic  cup run in history. City enchanted the whole country by out-footballing top division teams on their way to eventually losing in a semi-final replay. Nethercott; Thurlow Ashman; McCrohan Butler Crowe; Crossan Allcock Hill Bly Brennan The Pink''Un head line that day       BLY BLY BABES For the youngsters, centre forward Terry Bly scored 2 goals and City played United off the pitch .  United in those days were universally referred to as the Busby Babes after legendary manager Matt Busby. Apart from the Cup run, City stormed up the table to finish 4th in that fabulous season. Next year  1959-60 saw promotion to the old 2nd division (equivalent to the modern Championship) Heady days. But I often wonder what would have happened if City had not got it together so wonderfully on that cold January day against Southend. OTBC        

My recollection is that he played right back for Portsmouth last season. Therefore......... OTBC 

Seems that our good start to the season with the 4-5-1 morphing into 4-3-3 has raised more questions than answers about our transfer targets. Yes??? Or what happens if Earnshaw gets injured? Well ....................? OTBC.  

CJF. 34 does not necessarily equal 34. I repeat dear Foghorn that by most accounts Sutton is unmotivated, crocked and just about washed up. People want him as a key player with a central role - I say no to that. If he will sit on the bench, come on when we need to change up things and be on pay as you play, then maybe, just maybe it would be worth a go. Anderton I advocated as a squad player on the bench able to back up Croft and Huckerby - and able to come on for 30 min or so and spell Croft/Huckerby or just change up things. He''s a hell of a player when fit and on song. So no joke, Citizen. Just a little out of the box thinking. OTBC.

Was Mourinho right to curb Joe Cole''s showboating? I say yes. It made him a better player and an England fixture. Notice I said curb not stop. That''s the critical difference. It all depends on the state of the game and where the ''trick'' is executed. OTBC  

Sutton''s not motivated, crocked and had his day. He''s no Sheringham or Shearer. LET''S MOVE ON!!! OTBC

As substitute cover for Huckerby and Croft ?- as he can play both wide right and wide left. Good player with bags of experience (age 34). Could be an interesting signing if he can keep fit. According to the BBC website discussions have been held and he is to make up his mind over the weekend whether to join us or not. I say yes. what say you? OTBC.    

Worthington was quoted on the BBC website after the Leeds match thus: "I''m very pleased to come to Leeds and put on a display like that ". "The only downsides were that we didn''t take our chances - and the penalty. I thought that that was a little bit harsh". "Other than that I couldn''t have asked for any more from my players". It''s results that count - not displays".  Get it yet? You win matches by taking chances and not giving away penalties. Get it? Oh for a performer like Macauley, Saunders, Bond, Brown, Stringer, or Walker. Quit the spin and soap Worthington, or please leave the job. OTBC.  

Corals has us as 7th favourite for promotion at 4-1. They say the bookmakers rarely get it wrong. Ah well. What about that big striker Delia? That should reduce our odds! OTBC  

To me this means that William Hill can''t make up their minds if we will scrape into the play-offs or not. We are 6th favourite at 13-1 to win the Championship, but 7th favourite at 5-1 to get promotion - the difference being Crystal Palace. The only club rated by William Hill in the top 6 not to have been relegated from the Premiership in the last 2 years is Leeds United. Roll on Saturday and let''s see where it''s at! By the way, Earnshaw is 2nd favourite at 15-1 to finish top goalscorer behind Cameron Jerome; Huckerby and McKenzie are-1 and Thorne at 51-1. both at 41 CONCLUSION .................WE SHALL BE SCRAPPING TO GET IN THE TOP SIX WITH LITTLE PROSPECT OF AUTOMATIC PROMOTION. Now, if we had a big striker alongside Earnshaw, then................................................? OTBC

McBride would be ideal for City to play alongside Earnshaw. Big, strong, good with the head, good link-up play. Massively experienced.  Just retired from international football. Desires regular football which he is not guaranteed at Fulham now. Or try for him on a 3 month loan? How about it Delia? I am convinced that he could ignite the team and crowd - just like Huckerby did 3 years ago. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. OTBC.  

........that she thought that Worthington could/would be the next Arsene Wenger. True. True. It was in a newspaper interview (The Observer?) midway through our last Premiership season in     2004-05. This may answer a question that is on the minds of many fans OTBC.

Surely a major consideration here is that failed loan players cost a lot less than failed transfers. I am sure that we would all be over the moon if Worthington got lucky again!!!!!!!!! If he doesn''t, then at least the new manager will have some financial resources to work with. OTBC

But we''re stuck with "Worthless" for the time being! So what do you recommend? Panic buys or good quality loan signings with character & commitment ( a la Crouch, Huckerby and Harper?) OTBC 

The way to get in three quality players is by premiership level loan signings for 3 months - then take from there. Just like Crouch, Huckerby and Harper in 2003-04. Promotion followed. OTBC

What am I talking about? In 2003-04 Worthington proceeded  to strengthen the team via 3 quality 3-month loan signings (Crouch, Huckerby and Harper). In early September 2003, he persuaded the board to finance this arrangement after a steady start to the season. The rest is history - excited fans and our latest promotion. Maybe, maybe this is the agenda this time around?  After all, 3 high quality loan signings (Premiership level players) will probably do us much more good than the obviously poorer quality we appear to be able  to afford as permanent signings. Just a thought! Wishful thinking? Oh well, no harm in dreaming. OTBC.  

[quote user="blahblahblah"] [quote]Thanks CambrigeCanary and, I assume, Apprentice.[/quote] What are you thanking them for ?  Making the point you wanted to make ? If so, what kind of a discussion is that ? Sheesh. [/quote] Sheeeeesh. Does one have to close one''s eyes to say blahblahblah? The simple fact is that 26 of the 28 players available are Worthington signings, and he is running out of excuses. I really hope that good luck shines on us this season, because we''re going to need it to reach the playoffs. OTBC - never mind the danger.  

There are several key indicators, but I think that paramount is the capacity to get a team to consistently produce performances that are superior to the sum of the capabilities of the 11 individual players on the field. This is why the chairman of Reading rates Steve Coppell  so highly. On any particular day he does not necessarily pick the best players available, but those who can do the job that day. You may have a blinder but be out for the next game.  Or you can do it the Archie Macauley way. Find your best 11 players and field them every week through thick and thin. 1958-59 and 1959-60 bear testimony. I truly hope that Worthington can get himself together and produce a season like Archie Macauley, or Ron Saunders, or even (yes) one Nigel Worthington in his promotion season - by consistently achieving performances above the capabilties of the players available. After all he signed 26 of our squad of 28 (Green and Fleming being the exceptions as I recall).    OTBC.

Thanks CambrigeCanary and, I assume, Apprentice. As for TwoSheds - what''s wrong with school teachers? I think that perhaps 26 out of our current squad of 28 (exceptions Green & Fleming) were signed by Worthington. Enough said. OTBC.  

Oh dear!