Old photos and memories of Norwich

[ricardo 7,395]

1 hour ago, Herman said:

No, I don't think it is rose-tinted. The leagues and cups were fairer. It was still harder for the smaller clubs obviously but there was still a chance and a bit of hope.

It was fairer to the extent that many non first division clubs could afford to pay the maximum wage level.

I recommend "When Footballers Were Skint" by Jon Henderson, if you want to understand how things worked before the abolition of the maximum wage.

[Robert N. LiM 4,463]

36 minutes ago, Peregrine Shorts said:

Rules for players in the 50’s 

This is fantastic. Presumably rule 9 had been removed by the 80s. Either that or Drinkell and Crook managed to get 'special permission'.

[Commonsense 634]

4 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

This is fantastic. Presumably rule 9 had been removed by the 80s. Either that or Drinkell and Crook managed to get 'special permission'.

Not sure how ‘disco Dale’ would have coped with rule 10!

[ricardo 7,395]

8 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

I'm sure you've said this before on here, but when was your first game? And is there anyone on here who's a more long-standing supporter than you?

I am sure Myra Hawtree, Daly and Vos have all been going longer than me, there are probably others also.

I honestly cannot remember a first game. I know I used to creep in and see bits of the second half of games after Russell Allison had opened those big green gates long before I ever paid to get in

I believe the first time I ever went through the turnstiles was with my Uncle Bert and cousin Mike for a pre-season game Probables v Possibles in 1953/54 season

[daly 507]

20 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

I'm sure you've said this before on here, but when was your first game? And is there anyone on here who's a more long-standing supporter than you?

Went to CR with my grandad in 1946/7season think Ron Ashman was captain 

[ricardo 7,395]

1 minute ago, daly said:

Went to CR with my grandad in 1946/7season think Ron Ashman was captain 

You is well old grandad.😀

I'm a mere boy compared with you Vos.

[Robert N. LiM 4,463]

8 minutes ago, daly said:

Went to CR with my grandad in 1946/7season think Ron Ashman was captain 

The whole post-war history of NCFC right there. We're so lucky to have people like you and @ricardo on this forum. Helps to put the current slump in perspective, I guess.

[ricardo 7,395]

11 minutes ago, daly said:

Went to CR with my grandad in 1946/7season think Ron Ashman was captain 

I thought Norman Low was captain in those days.

[ricardo 7,395]

3 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

The whole post-war history of NCFC right there. We're so lucky to have people like you and @ricardo on this forum. Helps to put the current slump in perspective, I guess.

Slumps come and go if you hang on long enough. The trick is not to get discouraged.

[Myra Hawtree 124]

5 hours ago, ricardo said:

it was January 1954 Myra.

Gracious!  70 years ago.  I can remember as if it was yesterday. My dad gave me newspaper to stand on as it was so cold.

Oxford made one save and fell on his head and we thought he’d broken his neck.

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

[daly 507]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

I thought Norman Low was captain in those days.

Yes think you’re right that Norman Low the centre half was captain

[vos 155]

12 minutes ago, daly said:

Yes think you’re right that Norman Low the centre half was captain

Norman Low was captain as from  25/12/46. My first game 13/9/47 - City 1 - Ipswich 5. 

Don Edwards took over in goal next two matches. Came up to the home match with him on the bus from Wroxham. Lost again 1-5 to Bristol Rovers !!!! Don’t think he ever made the first team again. Bought Ken Nethercott.

[daly 507]

2 hours ago, ricardo said:

I am sure Myra Hawtree, Daly and Vos have all been going longer than me, there are probably others also.

I honestly cannot remember a first game. I know I used to creep in and see bits of the second half of games after Russell Allison had opened those big green gates long before I ever paid to get in

I believe the first time I ever went through the turnstiles was with my Uncle Bert and cousin Mike for a pre-season game Probables v Possibles in 1953/54 season

Remember we used to go from one end of the ground to go to the end City were attacking

 

[ricardo 7,395]

9 hours ago, daly said:

Remember we used to go from one end of the ground to go to the end City were attacking

 

Yes, i used to go in the South Stand and change ends at half time to hopefully watch our goals. Gates were often 13 to 18k so it was relatively easy.

[daly 507]

If you knew the guy on the turnstile 10 Woodbines would get in over the turnstile 

Also now when they announce the gate at 26000 and probably only 23000 actually in the ground in those days they constantly announced a much lower gate than was in the ground 

A bung for the top brass without the brown envelope 

[dylanisabaddog 4,965]

21 hours ago, shefcanary said:

The infamous Keith Weller in white tights match! Absolutely skinned everyone of our players he took on that day - and on a frozen pitch!

I went on the club train to that match. It briefly broke down halfway there next to some railway cottages in the middle of nowhere. About 1000 people sat idly looking out of the windows when a middle aged lady walked out of her back door in a dressing gown. She received a huge roar of approval which did not go down well. 

Then Keith Weller beat us wearing his wife's tights. A bizarre day. 

[BurwellCanary 216]

So for the historians - I have a book Glorious Canaries detailing all players from 1902 - 1994. Photos, stats and brief biographies etc.

Written by Mike Davage. 

If anyone would like this I will be happy to send it on

 

 

[Satriales 685]

15 hours ago, Peregrine Shorts said:

Rules for players in the 50’s 

This is amazing. So smoking was more allowable than dancing lol.

[Peregrine Shorts 327]

1 hour ago, Satriales said:

This is amazing. So smoking was more allowable than dancing lol.

doesn't seem like the club were very keen on "motoring in cars" either

[Midlands Yellow 4,026]

1 hour ago, dylanisabaddog said:

I went on the club train to that match. It briefly broke down halfway there next to some railway cottages in the middle of nowhere. About 1000 people sat idly looking out of the windows when a middle aged lady walked out of her back door in a dressing gown. She received a huge roar of approval which did not go down well. 

Then Keith Weller beat us wearing his wife's tights. A bizarre day. 

Attended that match too, got ripped to bits at school on the Monday. 

[dylanisabaddog 4,965]

3 hours ago, Satriales said:

This is amazing. So smoking was more allowable than dancing lol.

I was friends at school with a lad from Yorkshire who supported Leeds. In the 70's his father offered to take him to Leicester to watch them play Ipswich against Leeds in a cup replay. We stopped at a Holiday inn at Leicester to use the facilities and when I went for a pee I encountered Beattie, Hunter and one whose name I can't remember having a fag in the toilets. Much later Hunter became famous for having a cigarette on the pitch at Wembley. 

There have been numerous examples of players that smoke heavily. Ian Crook for example and I remember Colin Suggett and Phil Hoadley. I once gave Suggy a fag outside Old Trafford at 2.20 until Ken Brown came out and moaned at him for being late but not for smoking.  And I recall an Italian player who got sent off in extra time in the World Cup final because he had become irrational due to the lack of nicotine. 

I've also seen photos of the 1959 team coming home on the train with supporters puffing away quite happily. 

 

Edited January 11 by dylanisabaddog

[cambridgeshire canary 6,769]

3 hours ago, Satriales said:

This is amazing. So smoking was more allowable than dancing lol.

Interestingly does not seem to mention drinking. Few pints before a match? No big deal!

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,036]

1 hour ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Interestingly does not seem to mention drinking. Few pints before a match? No big deal!

See my comment re Johnny Gavin, booze and fish and chips were fine in those days...........

[NewNestCarrow 202]

On 10/01/2024 at 09:29, ricardo said:

I saw all of them play except for Tommy Johnstone who had just moved on to Orient when I first went. 

Johnny Gavin was my first Norwich City hero. Still the Clubs all time leading scorer.

If you look to the right you can see the fans in the Enclosure, which was a standing area in front of the main stand.

That photo was not taken at Carrow Rd (the old Main Stand did not have pillars and there was no roofed structure at the River End until 1979). Likely taken at either Newport or Shrewsbury

Edit: And the lineup is from 1953/54 (Ron Hansell didn't make his first-team debut until Nov 1953)

Never trust sellers of cheap repro images on ebay!

Edited January 11 by NewNestCarrow

[ricardo 7,395]

Yes, upon closer inspection that does appear to be correct. There is also a wall alongside the pitch which we never had. Initially I thought the background was the trees on Carrow Hill but there was certainly never a roofed structure at the River End in those days.

If it is 53/54 I may well have seen Johnstone play as I was taken to a few games that year but I have no recollection of it.

Edited January 12 by ricardo

[Herman 9,817]

Something to watch during the game. I presume the Jolly Butchers has long gone?

 

[dylanisabaddog 4,965]

1 hour ago, Herman said:

Something to watch during the game. I presume the Jolly Butchers has long gone?

 

Yes, the Jolly Butchers has gone. Thanks for the link. I've seen photos of Black Anna but that's the first film of her I've ever seen 

[dylanisabaddog 4,965]

Some pictures of the Nest, stolen from Facebook 

[NewNestCarrow 202]

A new challenge for the Oldies.

A few on this photo haven’t been identified, so can anyone help fill any gaps?

Back: Grapes / Sullivan / Boyer / Steele / Machin / Stringer / ? / ? / Goble? / Davies? / Evans / ? / Suggett

Third: Ryan / Peters / Forbes / Jones / BondK / Hansbury / Keelan / ? / ? / Fleeting? / Busby / Powell / ? / Medwin?

Second: Sainty / Brown / Westwood / Burrell? / Fish G / Hanley / South / Watling / ? / ? / ? / BondJ / Prodger?

Front :  ? / Downs? / Lythgoe? / ? / Mendham / ? / Symonds? / ?

Davids, Dunthorne & Proudlove should be on here, while I’m certain that MacDougall & McGuire aren’t.

Suggestions welcomed!