kick it off 1,948 Posted December 31, 2015 Thought it might be fun to have a look back at where we were 12 months ago, and it struck me what a different world Norwich City was back then. After a rocky November where we''d lost 3 out of 4, including 4-0 away at Boro, Neil Adams had overseen an improvement with Norwich unbeaten in 4, 3 wins including 5-0 and 6-1 against Huddersfield and Millwall respectively, and a draw away at high flying Derby. Losing the final game of 2014 to finish the year in 7th place, 3 points off the playoffs and 10 off Ipswich who were (hilariously with hindsight) incessantly telling us to #MindTheGap. Neil Adams was still in charge and Mike Phelan was the perceived saviour/messiah by some on here, after his appointment coincided with the upturn in our fortunes through December. Lakey was still posting gems which were just about as inaccurate as they could be [:D] (Don''t take it personally LDC, it''s in jest). Little did he (or anyone else) know we were a few days and a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Preston away from a new manager. Others were banging on about how we should have appointed Lennon as he was the messiah. Whilst others were channelling their inner Nostradamus to get things half right. We certainly got ourselves a "snarling, gritty winner". This year has seen us go an an unbelievable run to haul ourselves up the table and take the automatic promotion race right down to the wire. Beat the scum over 2 legs to end their playoff dreams in the first season they''ve been better than mid-table mediocre for a decade, Come out all guns blazing at Wembley and avenge one of the demons from the season by beating Boro who had done us 4-0 and their place, and cheated their way to a win at ours. We''ve made an OK start in the Prem with a young manager, who is learning and improving all the time, beaten United at Old Trafford, Played Liverpool and not been destroyed, and we''re half way through the season on 20 points. And Ed Balls who started the year as shadow chancellor, is now our chairman. I never thought I''d get to see Norwich play at Wembley. I certainly never expected us to win there, and in such commanding fashion is something I still struggle to comprehend. That was a day out with my Dad that will always be a special memory for me, right up there with when he took me out of school to make the 400 mile round trip to watch us put Bayern Munich out, and chanting "We are top of the league" and meaning the Prem in ''93 at Forest away mid-week after we''d beaten them 3-0 to take top spot back off United. Just for the Wembley game alone it has been a great 2015 for me supporting Norwich, but there have been some wonderful moments through the course of the year aside from that. Doing Bolton and Leeds away in the space of about 4 days, and Hooper''s last minute winner and destroying dirty Leeds at Elland Road (with Tettey''s jig afterward) were brilliant. I don''t make many home games, and I avoid local derbies like the plague after once doing the 400 mile round trip in a day (starting at 6am on a Sunday morning) to watch us get beat by a Danny Haynes handball, I hadn''t been to a Norwich Ipswich game since (although my Dad had gone to the 1-5 game). This year it felt different and got tickets with my Dad, and made a weekend of it, and singing Que Sera at the scummers was a sweet, sweet moment. Started the year with a trip to Norwich too and watched us race into a 3-0 lead by half time and beat Cardiff which was nice, even though we made it hard for ourselves in the second half. I haven''t made any games this season in the league due to the way the fixture list has fallen and my other commitments, but I did go to Rotherham in the cup so am in the elite club who can say they were there for BOTH of Ricky''s Norwich City goals. I''ve got tickets to Stoke and will be going to Villa, WBA, Leicester and probably a home game too (plus maybe another away game) and as I only get to about 5 or 6 per season and I''ve got lucky with my selections, I''ve only seen us lose once in 5 years (and all of them bar two have been wins), so bank on us getting at least 12-18 more points if my run holds up! [:D] Here''s to a bright Norwich City 2016 and wishing all of you a happy new year for you and yours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDMullins 436 Posted December 31, 2015 *Clap *Clap, great post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YankeeCanary 0 Posted December 31, 2015 Written from the heart, KIO, in a manner befitting a true supporter. Well done! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrs miggins 0 Posted December 31, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU0DR4nzbYY(Wembley final) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,509 Posted December 31, 2015 Great stuff KIO. Thank you for taking the time to post it[Y] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
