"Positive"/"Negative" - The new division between posters?

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,017]

For some reason I have been giving this subject some thought over the last couple of days. For the record I am a positive sort of chap, and I do not moan and groan when I am at games and I am not the sort of person who gets up and walks out when his team goes 2-0 down with 10 minutes to play.

It seems to me that you view on all things Norwich City is tempered by how long you have been supporting them, and again for the record I am not suggesting for one minute that somebody is a better supporter because they have been supporting them longer. So to illustrate the point:

I am in my mid forties and I have been supporting Norwich City for the best part of 30 years, in that time I have witnessed highs and lows but overall I would say the highs outweigh the lows (two League Cup finals, two FA Cup Semi Finals, numerous cup runs, two Division 2/Championship titles, European qualification/UEFA Cup matches, founder members of the Premiership/competing with the big teams on the pitch  and the play off final) so I feel that Norwich City are a Championship/Premiership club, by that I mean a club with a modicum of success who will in the main be a top Championship club with the occassional flirtation with the Premier league. Therefore my view is bound to differ from somebody who has been supporting the team for say the last 10 years (Championship title and play off final, to coin a phrase a couple of diamonds in a big dog turd).

From my own point of view I feel that Peter Grant should be given time to sort the current squad out, and I believe he will sort it out provided he is backed by the board in terms of hard cash.

For me the biggest danger for Norwich City Football club is the longer we are not pushing for a place in the Premiership/playing in the Premiership the less likely it becomes that we will ever get back into the Premiership as the financial gulf continues to widen at an alarming rate, allied to this is my fear that the younger supporters who have only witnessed relative mediocrity will accept it as the norm.

[Archie 0]

In terms of the ''big club/small club'' I couldnt agree more - Norwich are a top of the Championship side. That''s not to say that we shouldnt aim higher...

The next month is going to be tricky but thanks to the board''s inability to get rid of Worthington before this season (or the August transfer window) I think that this season is going to be one of change - potentially a wasted one. Lets see what grant can manage over the enxt six months

[EadiesRight Foot 0]

Its seems that the WO''ers and KTF''ers have been replaced by the positive and negative ''camps''.

The last couple of games have been a great insight to this. the Leicester game, Hughes was barracked before Drury had to go off - after that when he was left back - lo and behold, after that he was cheered. Same for Sat, but in reverse. People were clapping him for his effort 1st half, and then second he was getting abuse from the same people who were cheering him in the first half. This for me sums up the feeling around the club at the minute.

We have fallen into the trap of the fickle fan - yes we all want promotion, and sharpish, but I think a reality check for everyone is needed. It isnt going to happen overnight. There have been some positives since Grant took over, beating Brum, Cardiff, and some lows (Scum game, Stoke away), but lets not jump on the guy after 6 weeks in charge.

I fear that this lack of positivity stems from the state of our finances and the effect this has on the playing staff we are able to offloads and bring in, as well as the ones we might have to sell.

[Fat Barman 0]

You''re not alone SOB - our supporting years broadly match up. I don''t expect mediocrity from City but, having sat through several off-colour seasons, I (optimistically?) await the upturn with a little more equanimity than some who are, maybe, seeing a prolonged slump in form for the first time.NCFC results used to drive me to extremes of emotion which lasted for days after a game. Now, although I still hit the same highs (and lows, unfortunately), it takes a big, big result to overshadow little things like two young children for more than about 1/2 an hour after the final whistle (the Poorman Road defeat hangover was banished on the Monday morning!).I''m not sure whether age/time supporting affects optimism though, both Wiz and Cluck have (I believe) the edge on us for years endured in yeller''n''green. Also, one persons pessimism is anothers realism - it''s all subjective and personality/personal experience will colour everybody''s attitudes - if you''ve had hard times, it may be easier to anticipate more of the same.I''ve lost my thread with this cod psychology, so I''ll go lie down for a while - you''re making a good point though...I think. [*-)]p.s. every club needs hot-headed fanatics to provide creative energy and impetus to improve, they just don''t always marry well with the less volatile supporters who provide the counter-balancing stability, which is equally important. As is often the case, the key to this is the balance between the two.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,017]

FB - You are right everybody has the right to express their opinion. As I have said many times before I see myself as an ordinary supporter, always full of hope that things will get better with nagging fears that I hope against all hope never come true. This truly is a pivotal season for Norwich City Football Club, what happens over the next few months could go a long way to determining the direction (upwards/downwards) the club takes, from a personal point of view I am looking to the Board and PG to make the right decisions and guide us in the right direction......

[Cluck 0]

Very good post SOB...and equally logical replies.

There are always going to be different angles on things....but I would call this void in opinion ''realism'' as opposed to ''faith''. Often described as ''negative...my eye is always on the bigger picture, because I know a win or loss here or there isn''t really going to solve anything. The main bugbear remains....and that is adequate finance from the Board to improve an appalling squad. It''s also hugely relevant when it comes to length of support....and the experiences the individual supporter has had as a fan. What I see happening now is completely different to the view of the younger supporter....who as has not yet become ''battle weary'' like me and so he/she is fresh and ''up for it''. This unfortunately is where the old ''generation gap'' comes into play.....and we completely differ on where we are with things. No-one is right or wrong....just different.

This gulf is important for proper debate and hopefully we can all learn from each other....but I still don''t get why some won''t even look at the Delia Smith issue without taking deep offence. Afterall....she is just a tiny part of this whole NCFC set-up....and just as we had survived nicely before she arrived....so we will when she has departed.....maybe even prospering because of it. Unfortunately that very ''tiny part'' I refer to is very influential when it comes to ambition at the club.....and until it is sorted we will just bounce along the bottom.

I wondered what the KTF and WO labels were all about when I first hit this forum....but now I understand.....but surely KTF should mean keeping faith with the ambitions of the whole club.....not just it''s hierarchy......and wasn''t the WO protest really all about the ambition and direction of the whole club....not just getting rid of Worthington. To me it''s just a case of ''as you were'' now....with no change other than Grant taking the brickbats instead of NW.  When are we actually going to get round to the true crux of the issue.....a lame Board short of both ideas and money?  Until this is properly rectified.....nothing is going to happen in order to change this conflict of ideas on here.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,017]

What first got me thinking about this subject was my own initial reactions to the news that Earnie was not available against Sheff Wednesday and the announcement at the game that Hucks had signed a years extension to his contract. The thoughts that crossed my mind were:

There has been no inkling of the news regarding Earnshaw being injured, maybe he is away negotiating a move in Janaury

The club are attempting to soften the blow of the sale of Earnshaw by extending Hucks contract

When I had thought about it for a while I concluded (and believe):

Earnie got injured in the pre match work out at Colney and PG wanted to keep the news from the opposition untill the last possible minute

Hucks wants to stay, he is important to us in terms of acheiving the playoffs or better and it makes good sense to extend his contract

Does the fact that I thought the worse regarding the two bits of news make me a moaner/negative or has age/experience turned me into a cynical old git........Personally I think age/experience has just made me more cynical, or to put it another way I am turning into my Dad!! (something I vowed I would never do when I was a callow youth!!)