Early Leavers, texters and Hayden in the Barclay!

[Hayden 0]

I don''t get it: You pays your money, you watch your 90 odd minutes (plus 2 or 3 extra these days at the end), give the boys a deserved clap at the end and go home a happy fan..... or do you?

I have been going to Carrow Road now for 10 seasons (started late but hey) and happily watch punters head down to the coffee snack bars after about 35 minutes of the first half?!?
Then the game finishes and as I sit on the end of a row and hence have already got up about 30 bloody times, I then stand to applaud the boys only to get practically carried out of the ground by the "Head down and escape brigade" who act like the stands about to fall down or they have told their missus they were just nipping out for a paper.

This really pisses me off, I mean, the least you can do is applaud the lads and at the cost of a ticket these days I reckon you should watch the whole game. I have calcluated that the ''hardcore'' fan who sits next to me actually only sees 30 minutes of the first half and about 40 minutes of the second. He is always 5 minutes late and then gets at the head of the coffee crowd by going down bang on 35 minutes. He then re-emerges just after the half time whistle has gone triumphantly holding his coffee...well done mate.....we just scored one and nearly had another but how is your Nescafe? He then takes in the thrills and spills of the reserves hoofing balls at the River End Crowd before settling down for the second half.

The action is distracting as he then texts his mate or bird for the next 10 minutes before vocally going mad about his beloved team and an incident he did not even see. Then he starts to get twitchy...the clock is now on 85 minutes....there under starters orders.......he''s off.......sodd clapping the team who have just been playing for him the last hour and a bit......they don''t need his support, he''s off......The cheering and applause is a distant sound as he legs it up Riverside....heh heh....first out the car park for me tonight he chuckles. YOU WENT OUT TO WATCH THE FOOTBALL!!!!!, ENJOY THE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!, WHY RUN AWAY?, DID YOU NOT LIKE IT? DID YOU GO TO THE GAME TO SEE HOW QUICKLY YOU COULD GET HOME AGAIN?????????

This e mail was written in front of a live studio audience

[Tufnell Park Canary 0]

I have to say that I agree entirely with this post, Hayden. Over the course of a season those that leave early miss many goals & incidents. The 85th to 90th minute can be the most exciting period of the game. Some people even leave early when the game is locked at 1-1 and city are pushing for a winner! It must be disheartening for the players to see the stands emptying before the game is over.

You pay to see the whole game so why not watch it - would you leave 5 mins before the end of a film?

[At last? 0]

Agree 100%.

I have travelled away with Norwich and England many times and NEVER leave till the end. My favourite justice moment was at Old Trafford England v Greece as hundreds of moaning fans left early to miss David Beckhams Mulryne-esque freekick that sent us to Japan 2002.

[nobbyg 0]

Hayden - I presume you sit near me in block D of the Barclay then as I am surrounded by people with poor time keeping and bladder control. Most of these seem to be young men who shouldn''t need the incontinence pants they so obviously require.

As for the texters I sometimes ring my sister who lives in London when we score so she can hear what she is missing. As for my dad, who lives too far away to go, he has subscribed to one of those norwich city text alert things and will forward me the message when we score - just in case I missed it right in front of my eyes!! Genius.

[Archie 0]

on the subject of people leaving early, there was a southampton game a few uears back when southampton were losing 2-0 with about five minutes to go,most had left, and the game ended 3-2 to southampton.it really annoys me when people leave before the end for not only is rude to the team but also rude to everyone else,you piss them off by getting in their way etc etc

[Pyro Pete 2,353]

Agreed.

The last 5 minutes can often be more exciting than anything that''s happened in the preceeding 85mins, ask any Man Utd fan at the ''99 European Cup final.

With Worthington''s occasional approach of "let''s sit back and defend a one goal lead on the edge of our 6 yard box for the last 5 minutes", this can be a bit nerve-racking for us City supporters. But we love it really. If I were to leave and we then conceded, I''d feel it was my fault for not forcibly willing the ball to stay out of our net!

But I appreciate if you''ve got a long way to travel and have kids etc, you may have to make sacrifices like leaving early to avoid traffic and so on.

[Web Team - Vince 0]

There was this classic example of early leaving recently - a substitute''s parents left 10 mins before the end to catch the Isle of Wight ferry, thinking he wouldn''t make it to the pitch. But he did and scored three goals in 2 mins 20 secs.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_872897.html

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Quality post Hayden! Love it

[BES 0]

I think it should be banned....At the Ipswich game I had the whole row in front moving, then sitting down then another would get up and we still had 6 minutes left, then I had to get up and let someone pass..its so annoying...as for people with a long way to travel I have a 4hr round trip, and still would never leave early!

[Karl Pilkington 0]

Too true.

Wasn''t it George Best who left the european cup final five minutes before the end as apparently "he could not bear to see them lose"

Wanted to beat the crowd to the bar more like!!

[Away Day Specialist 0]

It was Best, apparently he heard the two stoppage time goals in the taxi on his hasty exit from, the ground. Unlucky - serves him right for leaving early. Good point Hayden (et al.)

[NMTD 0]

A definate contender for post of the week - maybe even an Oscar nomination!

[susie b 0]

I have never left a game early, and am lucky to live within twelve miles of the ground so I arrive about an hour before games as well. The only valid excuse I can think of for leaving early is that the transport you rely on might leave at a certain time and may be the only way of getting home, hence you HAVE to go before the end. Other than that, I''m with you Hayden. (Remember the Wimbledon game earlier on this season. Even though we won, they scored two beauties in the last four or five minutes. A lot certainly can happen in these latter stages of games, and I think it only right and proper to applaud the lads for all their efforts, especially during this season when they have worked so hard to get where they are).

[a1canary 0]

Absolutely NMTD! Gets my nomination. I think we can say that none of us pinkun boarders are part of this pathetic group who leave early, we''re all far too dedicated!

[mistersparkle 0]

i kid u not, someone near me left before 80 minutes last night. it''s unreal, i don''t understand it at all. I wonder how many will disappear early at the final home match of the season if we get promoted.

[Gamera 0]

I totally agree ,but i will say that i have to leave early sometimes to get the train home. It''s very agrevating having to leave but I have no other choice. But to choose a coffee over cheering your team on, possibly making that bit of difference that the crowd can make, thats just idiotic.

[backofthenet 0]

Must admit that I left on 72 minutes last night. It is the first time I have left early but was due to me recieving a phone call from the other half telling me that one of the children were ill and they were asking for me. Despite my unquestionable love for NCFC, certain things such as family do take precedence. (However I don''t know what I would have done if it had been the game when we could clinch promotion - after all the rough years of supporting City, I''d hate to miss out on the party of the century!!)

[First Wizard 0]

Bloody brilliant Hayden, its made my day mate!.

[Tumbleweed 106]

Agree with the points about coffee and lav breaks, it is irritating. Not so sure on early leaving. Last night I did it for the first time for the following reasons:
1. I have a 175 mile journey to Hampshire where I now live
2. I had an 8.30 meeting in London today which meant I had to get home and then get up early to catch a train into London.
3. We were 3-0 up and I was just very happy that we had the points
4. I had done a full shift before driving upto Norwich like a madman to get there in time and was bl***y knackered.

One thing I noticed though was that many who were also leaving were old or had young kids. When 23,000 people leave at one time I can understand why the elderly might want to have a bit more space. Also with kids- the nightmare of losing them in the crush might make it worth leaving early sometimes if we are well ahead.

But even so I would never understand someone going any more than 3 or 4 minutes beforehand or when the result is still open. Any goal is good but a last minute winner? Thats better than, well, you know what.............

[Mouse 0]

Hi people, i guess I''m lucky in a way cause I sit near the wall and so do not have to get up for anyone but the people a couple of rows in front of me like to leave early and it gets on my nerves bacause when they stand up it means I can''t see! It''s really silly, you pay your money to watch 90 minutes of football, plus extra time, not 80 or 85! I understand what your saying Tumbleweed but would you have been dissapointed we had scored again?

[Tumbleweed 106]

Mouse, I would probably have been disappointed to miss a goal, but at 3-0 up and after the first half I was just very happy that we had done the business. The game was effectively over and another goal would not have meant that much.