Panic

Just read this interesting article on the potential of Norwich/Ipswich meeting in the play offs. Spot on, as I can''t think of anything worse either! http://sportandvideogames.com/norwich-v-ipswich-in-the-play-offs

The supporters should be the only ones ever listened to. They are the only people who have paid to get into the stadium. Everyone else is being paid by them.

I was going to say that your website was good Andy, and I was going to ask if you needed any contributions haha. I''ll DM you my email.

A little story: Our rivalry is somewhat unique in British football, because the two clubs are (relatively speaking) geographically far from each other. I often speak to Arsenal fans and West Ham supporters and although they are fully aware that the rivalry is as intense as their respective debies (and they don''t believe the media when they patronize it and dub it the ''Old Farm''), they still don''t understand why it really exists. And I simply explain to them, it isn''t just to claim a city or some area of London, where a Spurs fan, for example, will see an Arsenal fan everyday of the week; it is county v. county, the fight for a whole geographical area, one community v. the other. We argue not just over football, but over which place has better buildings, which county is nicer to live in and even what our different proximities to London means to (or should mean to) our local identities. Despite being born in Norwich, I have lived most of my life in Suffolk - very close to Ipswich (although, thankfully, not actually in it). I have always supported City; thanks to my dad and grandad who between them have seen pretty much the entire history of the club right from the days when we played at The Nest. The first match I can remember was a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace in 1996 when I was five; I have been told since (although I''ve never actually verified if it was true) that a huge fight broke out on the pitch and Andy Marshall was sent off. During school I received a lot of grief from the Ipswich supporting majority - mostly harmless and fun (which has always added to the enjoyment of a rivalry), but some of it over stepped the mark and did go beyond what people stupidly class these days as ''harmless banter''. Despite this, I never hid away from being a Norwich fan and this included going to school the day after the play-off defeat with the green and yellow streak still in my hair (and receiving a ticking off from my teachers as a result), wearing a Norwich shirt under my uniform when we had to go to Portman Road with the school for some reason (I can''t really remember why) and turning up to a school PE lesson where we had some of Ipswich''s coaches, and I think a former player, train us in a full City kit - socks and all. I probably haven''t been to as many games as most (in fact I go to more away games these days as I now live in London), but I would always at least try and listen to the match on Radio Norfolk - an interesting feat to attempt when living outside it''s signal zone, and I think I have listened to as many Dutch football matches as a result. Football, despite what Sky or anyone else might lead you to believe, is just a game. But, and don''t get me wrong I know we all hate Ipswich as Norwich fans; as that''s the nature of what a rivalry is, I ''ve always felt that the rivalry meant that little bit more to me as a result of my connections to that other club, and because of the fact that I have an unusual position in our unique rivalry - I am a Norwich fan who''s lived near Ipswich most of his life. Sadly I wasn''t there the night we beat them 5-1 (even though I had a good time watching the 4-1 in the Old Red Lion, what a day that was!), and I wasn''t even listening to it on the radio as I was at a party I think; but after learning that Pacheco had whacked in that 5th goal via Twitter I felt a wonderful sense of ''it has all been worth it'',right from those dark days when we were languishing near the foot of Division One and they had beaten Inter Milan. To me it seemed like ''we''d done it''. Achieved something I never thought we would. Something I had always dreamed of us doing. We had given them lot an absolute hammering.

Oh and here''s a link to a WSC article about it. http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/3144/29/

Reading today''s Media Guardian, I came across Giovanni di Stefano and had a read of his Wikipedia page. I then discovered the quite remarkable story of him attempting to buy the club. I can''t remember anything about this (I mean, I was only ten at the time so you''re going to have to forgive me); but I haven''t heard anything about it since. Can anyone shed some more light on this extraordinary story?

According to ''baggies.com'' there are several reasons: A corruption of ''Magee'' - a popular full back in the 20''s. Unlikely, since Baggies was in use in the 1900''s The name of protective trousers factory workers used in the area From supporters who took bags (baggies) round to local pubs to save the club from extinction in 1905 When the club was nearly bankrupt in the 1900''s, a number of the larger players left to have not only their shoes, but their kit filled by smaller players. ''Spotting their voluminous drawers, a wag in the crowd is supposed to have shouted ''up the Baggies''.. the rest is history Former club secretary Eph Smith gave his explanation in a Throstle Club News as going back to 1904 and a stocky back known as Amos Adams. ''His thickness of hips made his baggy pants look even more huge, and one day when he was not playing well, a fan shouted ''Baggy''. Albion and Adams recovered quickly, the name stuck.''

Don''t get me wrong, I am not a Labour supporter; but you have absolutely not backing to that claim.

Architect of ruin? So a global financial crisis wasn''t to blame at all?

Not at all GP. I voted Lib Dem at the last election and have massively regretted it ever since. If you think there is no political party that represents your point of view then you can exercise your right not to vote, it''s the beauty of living in a democracy (unlike Australia; where you HAVE to vote regardless).

Gingerpele: He''s Labour (of whom traditionally do not have a great base in East Anglia (at least, outside of Norwich)), and was a candidate in the last Labour leadership contest. If you hate him or not is purely one of political opinion. (I consider myself quite left-wing and think he is ok; but even some on the left may have a different opinion to me.)

Lambert said himself that he didn''t care how it happened, just that the three points appeared. Even now, 9th in the Premier League, we are slipping under everyone''s radar. And this is a great position to be in...no pressure against the top teams, and the belief against those around us. We''ll be fine.

Indeed

I do understand how good that early 90s team was, in fact we were very unlucky to hit our peak just before the money started pouring into English football (and the extra Champions League places that went with it). I guess it is difficult to compare one era''s team with another''s.

Well I messed that up. Disregard that last message. Also Hardhouse44, do explain your reasons. I''d like to know what you think!