Andy Larkin

I went to Hobart High School with Peter. He was in my brother's class, a couple of years above me and was well known for being the tuba player in our school brass band (under the tutelage of the great Ron 'Trom-bomb' Hinton). AFAIK Peter joined the army (as a musician) and that was the last I saw of him until I spotted him at Carrow Road as the kitman during the pink dressing room era. He lives just up the road from me and has done a lot of good work for the club in the local community. He's an all-round good egg.

Bit of a stretch, that. Not entirely sure that was the point I was making but I'll have to bow to your superior knowledge.

Be interesting to see how people would react if Stuart Webber called in the mounted police to clear the road of protesters from outside the City Stand. I pulled a fella in a wheelchair to safety a split second before half a ton of muscle came thundering past with some loon on its back swinging his baton as if his life depended on it. Yeah, he was a top fella was Bob.

More impressive than his new found command of the English language was that he managed to understand the very strong Limerick accent of the interviewer. I'm from an Irish family and even I struggled with some of that.

Been a very long time since I last posted on here, but I hope you'll all forgive me this intrusion on your day as my cause is a genuine one. My uncle Bernard 'Bunny' Larkin played for City for a couple of seasons (59/60 & 60/61) having transferred from Birmingham City before he moved on to Doncaster and then Watford before dropping down into non-league. He scored on his debut for us (as he managed to do for every club he played for) and was part of the team that won promotion from Division 3. When his career finished he came back to Norwich to live and work and has remained here ever since. He very much considers Norwich (and Norfolk) his home. Sadly, in the last couple of years, Bunny has developed dementia; yet another footballer from that period that has been afflicted. In the last few months his condition has got much worse and he's now in hospital (following another illness) awaiting some form of care package that might allow him to return home. Going home is all he ever talks about. As many of you know, I'm sure, dementia affects not just the sufferer but all those close to them as well. It is incredibly tiring for all concerned. His memory is very, very sketchy right now, but the one thing that will always animate him and getting him making connections in the old grey matter is his football career. He seems to be able to recall fascinating amounts of detail from his time with The Blues and Norwich (as well as Kings Lynn, Wisbech and Attleborough Town, where he introduced the Fashanu Brothers in to the team when he was manager) whereas the name of his brothers and nephews and wife and children can sometimes just disappear in smoke. Getting him to communicate about football is quite a stress reliever for his family and carers as he is less prone to repeat himself and get confused. Every little snippet of normality is of great help to all. So, after that long-winded set up, I'll get to the point. If anyone can remember anything about his time playing at Norwich (or Lynn/Wisbech/Attleborough) his family would be really grateful if you might spare a few minutes to recall them on here. I will then collate them and print them out to read to him over a few days in the hope that it will bring him a bit of happiness whilst he is stuck in the no-mans land of waiting for care help. Even if it is just a good wish, I'm pretty sure he would appreciate it. I do already have a full print out of Ardee's brilliant story of Bunny Larkin's Shorts (possibly the funniest ever post on here https://forum.pinkun.com/index.php?/topic/120594-bunny-larkins-shorts/&tab=comments#comment-1830035) but will gladly take your recollections on that again, those that are old enough to have witnessed it. And finally, a hat tip to 'Duncan's Club' who have been in to visit him with a signed first team shirt. It was a truly lovely gesture from all concerned. Thanks in advance. Andy

[quote user="shefcanary"][quote user="Morgan"]@ShefCanary - I bloody love The Fall! I only just discovered that track recently too! Shame on me but they''ve a big back catalogue! :)[/quote] Well spotted Morgan. Been a fan since the early 80''s and that extract from a classic Fall track seems pretty apt. "He is not appreciated!" PS: My avatar is from an artist who designed many a Fall album cover in the 80''s. Loads of things to explore in their back catalogue and playing a few of their tunes loudly after a NCFC loss helps me get back on the right track.[/quote] Spoilt Victorian Child often runs through my mind when I look on here after a City defeat. But then I am a 50 Year Old Man with the Gut of the Quantifier.

When referring to Mr Shelvey its only right that we call him by his proper name… The Racist Jonjo Shelvey. Despicable individual

[quote user="Mr Jenkins"]I thought we already pretty strong on the left wing[/quote] He won''t bring anything to the left

[quote user="norfolkbroadslim"]Andy, what on earth are you rambling on about? You are the one who stated that "Murray is a good solid player that has done well wherever he has played" . You immediately followed this with "So Cameron Jerome gets injured and we play whom exactly?" What does this imply to you? You are now talking about not having the ability to see into the future when asked whether you thought Murray would be a good replacement for Jerome. So you pose these questions that you''re not really prepared to answer yourself. You have now finished it off with a bit of sarcasm "RVW worked out well didn''t he?" No RVW has not worked out well. And??? You also stated "I dunno what you are all expecting but a dose of realism wouldn''t go amiss...." What is this dose of realism then?[/quote]Sweet Jesus… this needs spelling out does it?I''ve seen Murray play for three seasons now, both in the flesh and in live TV coverage. From what I have seen he is good enough to play the lone striker role. He holds the ball up well and is very good at bringing other players into the game… noticeably wingers that play off him. This has worked well for Palace with Zaha and Bollasie (sp?) in particular.We have a very capable pair of wingers in both Brady and Redmond. Brady will undoubtedly move into his preferred position once Olssen is back and playing. Ergo, we will be able to utilise both wing players in a similar fashion. As happens with Palace… and other teams utilising this type of system, your target man then gets himself into the box and tries to get on the end of a cross or ball played low across the area. Jerome does it. Murray does it. Holt did it. As did Iwan Roberts.We appear to be playing a system where Jerome or Grabban plays alone up front. We have looked better in this league with Jerome spearheading the attack than Grabban. Personally I think that of our centre forwards, only Jerome can play this role well. Its not really Grabban''s game nor is it Hooper''s. I strongly doubt RVW will prominently feature for us again… and besides, he looks far too lightweight to play that role also.So Jerome gets injured… and who do you play? If you had Murray, he could slot straight into the same system could he not? As for his pace, he didn''t seem to have any trouble getting past our centre backs did he? Besides, we don''t appear to be playing the ball through the centre where Jerome''s speed can be used do we?  Alternatively you start with Grabban or Hooper… and have to change the tactics. Do you think we look better with Grabban up front or Jerome?As for the RVW commenrt, forget sarcasm. It was a rhetorical question. When we signed him this board went into meltdown with absurd and unrealsitic anticipation of us finishing in Europa league places. The big name and costly centre forward that would bag 20 goals a season.As a rhetorical question it didn''t need answering., It didn''t work out well. Simple fact. We would have been better keeping Holt for another season for all the use RVW was.Realism: the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly:Apply the above definition to the amazing levels of vitriol spouted on here and other outlets over a rumour from a sports outlet that continually stirs the ''transfer rumour'' pot for commercial gain and the request seems wholly appropriate does it not? Unless, of course, you know our intimate trasnfer dealings and can fill in all of the gaps. Now then… what about the opprobrium dished out over Holt and Jerome when they signed… the point that you haven''t yet got round to picking me up on? Was it warranted? Did it work out to be correct? Can you see that the same outcome could apply to Murray? Or Walters? Or whomever we might sign that doesn''t tick the boxes for the big name, big money tantrum throwers?That, you see, is the bit about not being able to see into the future.But please, feel free to dismiss it as simply the rantings of another ''little ol'' Norwicher''.

Dearie me Mr Slim, you''ve assumed an awful lot there haven''t you? I''m every bit as keen as you for my club to bowl every team aside and romp on to become Premier League champions. Cast your mind back to the opprobrium that greeted the signings of Holt and of Jerome himself. Showered with praise weren''t they? If anything illustrates how overheated and over reactive this forum has become those two are perfect examples. As to your questions about the job Murray could do, neither you nor I have the ability to see the future. RVW worked out well didn''t he?

Rumours… EXACTLY! That''s all they are. So yes, a dose of realism is exactly what is needed. And stop with your ''little old Norwich'' snipes… it''s a tired cliché and singularly lacking in any imagination.

Cor blimey… there''s some serious levels of over-reaction going on here today isn''t there? Murray is a good, solid player that has done well wherever he''s played. So Cameron Jerome gets injured and we play whom exactly? None of you rate Grabban, so who do you want up there? Someone who''s played that role well for years or someone that has no knowledge of the PL? We all sing the praises of Alex Neil… how about you trust him as well. Until the season is over no-one knows how it will pan out. I dunno what you are all expecting, but a dose of realism wouldn''t go amiss…

[quote user="morty"]Despite having been here, on this forum, pretty much from day one, even I am stunned at how quickly people have literally $hit their pants so far this season.[/quote]It''s getting ridiculous… the faecal matter flowing across here and that there The Twitters is quite breathtaking in its stupidity.What has really concerned me is the number of people that actually I know, blokes in their 40s and 50s, who are beside themselves with our ''disatstrous'' start to the season, spouting utter nonsense and encouraging the hordes of children to hammer away at their keyboards or keypads.Football is eating itself. Its not just here. The Gooners are doing the same.Pathetic.

[quote user="Thetford Yellow"]After a summer spent patting ourselves on the back for scraping out of the championships and when designing new kits clearly took precedent over player recruitment, is anyone really surprised that we were so effortlessly rolled over by Palace on Saturday? Our defending was comically poor and surely it is now obvious to everyone that our forwards are not up to the job. Does anyone - apart from AN - seriously believe that our current squad is good enough to avoid total humiliation this season? We need 7/8 quality signings and, sadly, we lack the ambition to fund them, the scouting network to find them and a manager this type of player would want to play for.[/quote]Really? You behave like this after one game? I can just imagine how ruined your week must be when you burn your toast on a Monday morning. Get over yourself you stroppy sod. Or go and find a hobby where your needs for instant gratification can be sated.

When I say ''this'' shirt, I mean the actual one not the above.Not that the above is horrible, it''s just not correct application of Brand ID.  And to Graphic Designer''s that''s akin to playing players out of position.

[quote user="The ghost of Michael Theoklitos"][img]http://s12.postimg.org/qfdkdozn1/1516new.png[/img]This is all appears very knowledgeable and correct. I''m going to go out on a limb and say you know what you''re talking about.The question still remains though - the club probably knowing all this in combination with Aviva''s corporate branding issues - why settle on the half-and-half design in the first place?IMO, it''s not a great kit. However, the classic 1992 bird poo kit has now gone full circle to become a classic - which probably has just as much to do with the success we had in it. If we win something significant in this kit, I''ll love it forever![/quote]I''m a Graphic Designer not a fashion designer – but I have done a lot of work with Norwich Union and Aviva over the years. They have a watertight corporate ID and you simply have to work with what they dictate. In the long term it does make sense when it comes to print and advertising (and web pages etc). Its not an absolute exact science but there are such things as guidelines for a good reason… maximum and correct exposure of your brand image. I''ve done a few Corporate ID manuals over the years where I have dictated these type of rules, but there''s no way you can cover every eventuality, like a football shirt for instance… you have to strike a happy medium that will provide the best exposure over all.I really don''t have any issues with this shirt though. I think its rather nice. The logo "block", to me, is very much part and parcel of the ''negative space'' rule applied in any type of design… and there are other places where one "block" breaks into another – the neck and the Errea logo for example. Sports apparel isn''t my area of expertise… just trying to throw some light on why things are done the way they are.I imagine there will be just as many people that love it as those that hate it… which makes it no different to lots of other things that end up in a very public domain.

[quote user="SwindonCanary"][quote user="kick it off"]I don''t like half and halfs at all, but if we''d gone for the image suggested by a previous poster (below), then I could have at least felt they had done a good job of a bad idea. The shirt with the box is a bad job of a bad idea.[img]http://s12.postimg.org/qfdkdozn1/1516new.png[/img][/quote]Now, I DO LIKE THAT ![/quote]You might… but the Brand Manager at Aviva will point you to the "Do''s and Dont''s" of his Corporate Identity Manual. Section 3.1.2: Exclusion Zones. Keylines are not normally used in Blue Chip logo design. With a half and half design you have one colour too light to carry a white logo and another too dark to show the blue. Therefore you introduce the exclusion zone, where no colour is allowed to intrude on the logo safe area so that it achieves prominence across the print and TV media etc etc.Aviva are paying the big wedge to have their logo appear in the Premier League therefore they get to carry the day. Since the big wedge has been in football it has always been thus… unless you get sufficient numbers up to protest outside the Director''s Entrance at Carrow Road ala Toon and St James Park / MikeAshleyDrome.Personally, I think it looks fine.

Four tickets gong spare for ''Jamie''s Game'' on Sunday.A mate was given them but can''t go, so he gave them to me… and I''ve no interest in going.Reply on here or with a DM.Pick up in Norwich or I can meet you at Carrow Rd before the game on Saturday

[quote user="CanaryOne"][quote user="Andy Larkin"][quote user="CanaryOne"][quote user="Andy Larkin"][quote user="CanaryOne"]we should be a top flight side again by now but now most likely we have to try again next season.[/quote]Would you care to explain why? Other than rank defeatism?You think anyone, other than Boro, is looking forward to facing us? And I reckon Mr Neil might have a solution to that little fly in the ointment should we both make it to Wembley.Seriously, I have to wonder about some of you defeatist ''supporters''![/quote]If only the best team always won the play offs (then that may be Boro as they have beaten us twice) . Did you watch last seasons play off final ? Derby played QPR of the park for almost the whole 90 mins QPR went down to 10 men nicked a last minute goal and got promoted . The play offs are a 1 in 4 lottery .[/quote]All well and good… it doesn''t explain ''why it is now most likely we have to try again next season'' though… does it? [/quote]Its quite simple theres only a 1 in 4 chance in the play offs so its more than likely we will be in this league again next season . Add to that the play offs are basically cup football and we do not excel at that do we .[/quote]Or you could turn your pessimism into optimism and say that we have just as good a chance as the others… and save the negativity until the end of the second leg at our place.

[quote user="CanaryOne"][quote user="Andy Larkin"][quote user="CanaryOne"]we should be a top flight side again by now but now most likely we have to try again next season.[/quote]Would you care to explain why? Other than rank defeatism?You think anyone, other than Boro, is looking forward to facing us? And I reckon Mr Neil might have a solution to that little fly in the ointment should we both make it to Wembley.Seriously, I have to wonder about some of you defeatist ''supporters''![/quote]If only the best team always won the play offs (then that may be Boro as they have beaten us twice) . Did you watch last seasons play off final ? Derby played QPR of the park for almost the whole 90 mins QPR went down to 10 men nicked a last minute goal and got promoted . The play offs are a 1 in 4 lottery .[/quote]All well and good… it doesn''t explain ''why it is now most likely we have to try again next season'' though… does it?

[quote user="CanaryOne"]we should be a top flight side again by now but now most likely we have to try again next season.[/quote]Would you care to explain why? Other than rank defeatism?You think anyone, other than Boro, is looking forward to facing us? And I reckon Mr Neil might have a solution to that little fly in the ointment should we both make it to Wembley.Seriously, I have to wonder about some of you defeatist ''supporters''!

Oooh… look, look over there… something else is happening that is far worse than is happening over here!Ignore the big point and concentrate on the distractions eh lads? Well done. Well done indeed!

[quote user="The Great Drinkell"]This would mean we would have to win to get back into the play offs.- would this create added pressure? we all saw what that did to Bournemouth mid-week[/quote]And we could end up in third place come Sunday evening with the gap to the top two just one point and with a superior goal difference on Boro. Not saying we will, but at the moment it''s every bit as possible as your scenario.All depends on wether your cup is half empty or half full.Go on… allow yourself a bit of optimism.

The obvious ones to me seem to be that we are squeezing the space that we let the opposition play in and are pack-hunting when not in possession of the ball. Against Wolves we were hunting in packs all over the pitch.Bassong looks more assured than Turner or Cuellar at the mo (hope it lasts) and as mentioned Grabban feels like a new signing to replace that crap old striker we had called Grabban.Work ethic up.Fitness looks to be improved.Look like they might be getting to grips with how he wants them to play now. All positives in my book.

[quote user="Andy Larkin"][quote user="Herman "]Yeah Andy was fantastic. Brilliant wind up.[:D][/quote]You''rs too kind… [:$][:D][/quote]YOU"RE ffs… oh for an edit button