How lucky you are........

[Camuldonum 0]

There seem to me to be some on here who are not true supporters of the club they purport to support. 

I am 65 and a supporter of Lincoln City (please laugh) and have been a season ticket holder since 1965.  I cannot travel that far today but I still have a season ticket.

When the club (founded 1884) faced obliteration/bankruptcy I was one of a large number who transferred money from my real bank account to their real bank account as a result of which the...errr....Mighty Imps are still in League Division II.

Perhaps Smudger & Co could try doing the same to enable Mr Grant to have more spending power?   Just put real hands in real pockets and cough up with real money outside the season ticket?

It is entirely possible - despite the excitement of a Lincoln City 606 poster WE''VE SIGNED A PLAYER! - that we could drop to the Conference.

If so, I will be sad but still a supporter.

You have real money in our terms.  How luck you are.....................

[Old Boy 0]

Thanks for the much-needed perspective, oldimpsfan. The posters you refer to will never do as you say and put their money where their mouth is, because their true motivation is simply to be an internet troll - an internet presence which gains prominence purely through being an irritant to the majority of viewers: in my view it''s a psychopathic condition. The only effective treatment for them is to ignore them, but that never happens. But don''t think of them as NCFC supporters, because that misses the point. In fact some of them never actually pay to watch the Canaries, and you''ll notice that none of their posts is about the football.I wish the Imps all the best. I''m sure I''ve read good things on here about a couple of your players - I hope you''ve managed to hang on to them.

[First Jedi 0]

Cheers dude - nice for a bit of perspective for a change.

As I remind myself - whinger have the loudest mouths. People who are content usually shut up. So all the rubbish you read on boards like this is a disproportional view of general thinking. Not all Norwich fans are whinging moaning conspiracy theorist who believe that it''s our god given right to be in the top 6 of the Premier.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="oldimpsfan"]

There seem to me to be some on here who are not true supporters of the club they purport to support. 

I am 65 and a supporter of Lincoln City (please laugh) and have been a season ticket holder since 1965.  I cannot travel that far today but I still have a season ticket.

When the club (founded 1884) faced obliteration/bankruptcy I was one of a large number who transferred money from my real bank account to their real bank account as a result of which the...errr....Mighty Imps are still in League Division II.

Perhaps Smudger & Co could try doing the same to enable Mr Grant to have more spending power?   Just put real hands in real pockets and cough up with real money outside the season ticket?

It is entirely possible - despite the excitement of a Lincoln City 606 poster WE''VE SIGNED A PLAYER! - that we could drop to the Conference.

If so, I will be sad but still a supporter.

You have real money in our terms.  How luck you are.....................

[/quote]

Greetings oldimpsfan.  I''ve always liked Lincoln City, been past the ground but never been to a game.  Darren Huckerby started his career at Lincoln didn''t he, what was he like?  If Lincoln are skint, I''d come and support a Fans United day if you were to organise one, maybe on a Saturday when the top two divisions are out of action due to internationals??

You''re right, we do have money but our board are always pleading poverty.  We also have capacity crowds who expect them to try a bit harder to fulfil our potential on the field of play instead of prioritising fancy restaurants and conference suites.  We also have debts of £20m or so at the last count, which are not due to overspending on the team and have been draining our income by at least £1.5m per season simply to meet interest payments.  A good many City fans are not at all happy but we don''t express ourselves as forcibly as Smudger and Cluck.  

Infighting among Norwich fans is a slightly separate issue.  There are genuine areas of disagreement, but an attitude of division and conflict about anything and everything has unfortunately become part of the culture at Carrow Road.  The origins of this are very recent but quite complex.  My own take on it is that after the Robert Chase trauma of the mid-90s we were far too willing to believe that the new board could do no wrong, and the Delia Smith celebrity factor was used to exploit our vulnerability for all it was worth.  Therefore when this facade began to crack in 2005 the manager (Nigel Worthington) was scapegoated to the most irrational extreme.  The board proved themselves gutless and let it run on and on.  It got very poisonous indeed, culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road.  Like you I''m a longstanding fan and there are some things you just don''t do, no matter how bad the situation is.  An invisible line was crossed and for me supporting Norwich City will never be the same again. 

I don''t love the club any less but the one thing that united the fans is no longer there, so I don''t want to go to CR at the moment.  On a purely financial level, it also feels like throwing good money after bad until something fundamental changes in the boardroom.

 

 

[Le Juge 0]

[quote user="Old Boy"] The only effective treatment for them is to ignore them, but that never happens.
[/quote]Agreed, if more people just paid no attention and carried on regardless the forum would be a happier place when they eventually got bored.

Havig said that, I''ve just posted about it and not ignrored so ironically doing what I said we shouldn''t... ah well.

To the original post, well done mate. I agree with you entirely and wish the imps the best of luck.

[Old Boy 0]

[quote user="mystic megson"]

....we do have money but our board are always pleading poverty....  We also have debts of £20m or so at the last count....

[/quote]

Your post is heartfelt and well written, but self-contradictory, mm (see above). Worthy was indeed "scapegoated to the most irrational extreme", and that was started by posters on this forum. And now it''s the Board''s turn for the treatment, to an equally irrational extent. Yes, there are valid criticisms to be made of the Board, but they need to be weighed against the sizeable improvements to the Club during their tenure. Yes, they need to up their game, and we should make them aware of the fact. But to read some posters on here, you could imagine them knitting at the foot of the guillotine and screaming for blood while Delia, Munby, Doncaster etc. mount the steps.

I''m sorry you don''t feel unable to come to games now, and I hope the situation improves. You have to understand that the football fan metality is generally "instant gratification" to an extreme extent, and doesn''t permit any patience or long-term view. When the team wins, all the gripes dissipate, only to resurface when they lose again. Unfortunately, the internet has made it much easier to express extreme views, but there''s 2 sides to every coin.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="mystic megson"]

....we do have money but our board are always pleading poverty....  We also have debts of £20m or so at the last count....

[/quote]

Your post is heartfelt and well written, but self-contradictory, mm (see above). Worthy was indeed "scapegoated to the most irrational extreme", and that was started by posters on this forum. And now it''s the Board''s turn for the treatment, to an equally irrational extent. Yes, there are valid criticisms to be made of the Board, but they need to be weighed against the sizeable improvements to the Club during their tenure. Yes, they need to up their game, and we should make them aware of the fact. But to read some posters on here, you could imagine them knitting at the foot of the guillotine and screaming for blood while Delia, Munby, Doncaster etc. mount the steps.

I''m sorry you don''t feel unable to come to games now, and I hope the situation improves. You have to understand that the football fan metality is generally "instant gratification" to an extreme extent, and doesn''t permit any patience or long-term view. When the team wins, all the gripes dissipate, only to resurface when they lose again. Unfortunately, the internet has made it much easier to express extreme views, but there''s 2 sides to every coin.

[/quote]

I don''t quite get what you mean by "self-contradictory" OB, or the reason for highlighting the quote, but let it pass.

Your slightly morbid "guillotine" fantasy will never happen.  The excesses of the Worthy Out campaign DID happen.  I think you''re ducking the issue if you''re implying that cheering the opposition is just something that football fans do. 

  

 

 

[Cluck 0]

[quote user="oldimpsfan"]

There seem to me to be some on here who are not true supporters of the club they purport to support. 

I am 65 and a supporter of Lincoln City (please laugh) and have been a season ticket holder since 1965.  I cannot travel that far today but I still have a season ticket.

When the club (founded 1884) faced obliteration/bankruptcy I was one of a large number who transferred money from my real bank account to their real bank account as a result of which the...errr....Mighty Imps are still in League Division II.

Perhaps Smudger & Co could try doing the same to enable Mr Grant to have more spending power?   Just put real hands in real pockets and cough up with real money outside the season ticket?

It is entirely possible - despite the excitement of a Lincoln City 606 poster WE''VE SIGNED A PLAYER! - that we could drop to the Conference.

If so, I will be sad but still a supporter.

You have real money in our terms.  How luck you are.....................

[/quote]

Nice post......but when we think of your club we envisage a fine city...a majestic cathedral and a team representative of it''s County. When others think of Norwich City today....it''s Delia Smith.

Don''t mistake of confusing a "true supporter" for a "true club man/woman". There is a vast difference....and should your stands fill up with trendy modern "spectators" pushing out the true grass roots fans, you may understand the issue. I would swap the mentality of Lincoln City for Norwich City anyday....because it''s real grass roots stuff there truly involving it''s supporters and so is the basis of what is still so good about English football.

 

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="mystic megson"]

....we do have money but our board are always pleading poverty....  We also have debts of £20m or so at the last count....

[/quote]

Your post is heartfelt and well written, but self-contradictory, mm (see above). 

[/quote]

PS. Now I see what you mean . . . We''ve borrowed heavily but it doesn''t alter the fact that we still have a healthy income in comparison with most of our competitors due to higher than average gate receipts and player sales.  If we can''t spend as much as we need to make the team competitive, that''s not poverty it''s a misplaced sense of priorities. 

 

[Mello Yello 2,571]

[quote user="oldimpsfan"]

There seem to me to be some on here who are not true supporters of the club they purport to support. 

I am 65 and a supporter of Lincoln City (please laugh) and have been a season ticket holder since 1965.  I cannot travel that far today but I still have a season ticket.

When the club (founded 1884) faced obliteration/bankruptcy I was one of a large number who transferred money from my real bank account to their real bank account as a result of which the...errr....Mighty Imps are still in League Division II.

Perhaps Smudger & Co could try doing the same to enable Mr Grant to have more spending power?   Just put real hands in real pockets and cough up with real money outside the season ticket?

It is entirely possible - despite the excitement of a Lincoln City 606 poster WE''VE SIGNED A PLAYER! - that we could drop to the Conference.

If so, I will be sad but still a supporter.

You have real money in our terms.  How luck you are.....................

[/quote]

Ah, Gilbert Blades.............BLADES OUT! Been there, was there, done that.....

David Felgate.......nice perm.

[Old Boy 0]

You assert both that we have plenty of money, and a £20m debt - that was the self-contradiction. If the Board pleads poverty (which I haven''t actually heard them do lately, but maybe you have) it''s because of the need to service that debt. What issue do you think I''m ducking? I saw how the Worthy Out campaigners went about their work, and I argued in many, many threads for a sense of proportion, and to give the man his due respect both for what he had achieved and as a human being, while still accepting that he was flawed as a manager. And don''t forget that certain players (e.g. Gary Holt) have had similar treatment.  I didn''t boo NCFC players, or cheer opposition goals, but, as you point out, some fans did. Therefore my assessment of the average football fan mentality is as I described - seeking instant gratification. I don''t condone it or share it, but there it is.Who exactly are you blaming for your disenchantment with the Club - the Board or the fans? I''m not clear about that.

[megson 0]

[quote user="mystic megson"][quote user="oldimpsfan"]

There seem to me to be some on here who are not true supporters of the club they purport to support. 

I am 65 and a supporter of Lincoln City (please laugh) and have been a season ticket holder since 1965.  I cannot travel that far today but I still have a season ticket.

When the club (founded 1884) faced obliteration/bankruptcy I was one of a large number who transferred money from my real bank account to their real bank account as a result of which the...errr....Mighty Imps are still in League Division II.

Perhaps Smudger & Co could try doing the same to enable Mr Grant to have more spending power?   Just put real hands in real pockets and cough up with real money outside the season ticket?

It is entirely possible - despite the excitement of a Lincoln City 606 poster WE''VE SIGNED A PLAYER! - that we could drop to the Conference.

If so, I will be sad but still a supporter.

You have real money in our terms.  How luck you are.....................

[/quote]

Infighting among Norwich fans is a slightly separate issue.  There are genuine areas of disagreement, but an attitude of division and conflict about anything and everything has unfortunately become part of the culture at Carrow Road.  The origins of this are very recent but quite complex.  My own take on it is that after the Robert Chase trauma of the mid-90s we were far too willing to believe that the new board could do no wrong, and the Delia Smith celebrity factor was used to exploit our vulnerability for all it was worth.  Therefore when this facade began to crack in 2005 the manager (Nigel Worthington) was scapegoated to the most irrational extreme.  The board proved themselves gutless and let it run on and on.  It got very poisonous indeed, culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road.  Like you I''m a longstanding fan and there are some things you just don''t do, no matter how bad the situation is.  An invisible line was crossed and for me supporting Norwich City will never be the same again. 

[/quote]

Damn good summary.

I''m not sure about being exploited by the celebrity factor (but then I''m hardly likely to admit it am i?!) but replacing Chase had become such a ''Holy Grail'' that whoever came is was going to seem so much better in comparison.

NW was scapegoated, tis a shame so few can remember the good times, and what a breath of fresh air he was after the debacle of Hamilton. He came in, wielded hisaxe, bought well (and cheaply!) and managed to gel a group of players to get to Cardiff and lay the platform for a return to the premisership.

Its been interesting thinking about this, bought up the older failings such as the sacking of Walker, the Hamilton fiasco and the ill advised criticism of the fans when he eventually walked. I do still believe the appointment of Rioch was a good one, and maintain but for the injury to Bellamy we would of made the top 6 that season. We may not have gone up, but again a foundation would of been laaid.

Having said that NW was out of his depth in the prem and the board did a decent job of backing him. Not great but they made funds available, and continued to. Without wishing to argue the sums (lets face it its been done and we''ll be here all day) they got that side right, but I have to agree with your comments on his sacking.

As I was so fond of saying at the time they let a hard decision become easy. Once that happens its too late.

On a side note, I doubt i''ll ever be as upset to see a manager i wanted replacing being replaced as I was when listening to him talk via phone to the sky sports news presenters that day. What ever else NW did he was a damn fine bloke.

Carra isn''t hte best of places to be some days and I fear that will continue. Its a shame if it does because PG could do with the kind of support NW (note, i''m too lazy to write full names when initials will do) had to start with. For me he''s done a very similar exercise to what NW did after Hamilton and a concerted attempt to back him to the hilt, at least till Nov would do nothing but benefit all of us.

Not going to happen though for the reasons you give above, which saddens me.

Nice to be taken back and reminded of things forgotten from time time, helps maintain the balanced view that the net might not always see.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="Old Boy"]You assert both that we have plenty of money, and a £20m debt - that was the self-contradiction. If the Board pleads poverty (which I haven''t actually heard them do lately, but maybe you have) it''s because of the need to service that debt.
What issue do you think I''m ducking? I saw how the Worthy Out campaigners went about their work, and I argued in many, many threads for a sense of proportion, and to give the man his due respect both for what he had achieved and as a human being, while still accepting that he was flawed as a manager. And don''t forget that certain players (e.g. Gary Holt) have had similar treatment.  I didn''t boo NCFC players, or cheer opposition goals, but, as you point out, some fans did. Therefore my assessment of the average football fan mentality is as I described - seeking instant gratification. I don''t condone it or share it, but there it is.

Who exactly are you blaming for your disenchantment with the Club - the Board or the fans? I''m not clear about that.

[/quote]

I''m not blaming anyone OB.  I feel sad and angry about what''s happened, but the decision to stay away is my responsibility.  

We''ve crossed threads re. the poverty issue, see above.  To return to where this thread started, Lincoln City are poverty-stricken because of their lack of income.  We are not.

I didn''t mention booing which is as you say a common if regrettable fact of life at every club in the land.  Cheering the opposition is on an entirely different level.  I know of no other club where it has ever happened.  It''s like soldiers in battle deserting their comrades and joining the other side.  You can''t get any lower.

 

[Indy_Bones 444]

[quote user="Cluck "]Nice post......but when we think of your club we envisage a fine city...a majestic cathedral and a team representative of it''s County. When others think of Norwich City today....it''s Delia Smith.[/quote]

I''m sorry, but that just isn''t the case.

Speaking as a fan from the North, who travels from the North to games and having virtually no other Norwich fans in my local area, I can categorically refute the statement that people simply think of Delia when NCFC comes into the conversation.

The vast majority of the fans I speak to from other clubs are far more interested in players, thoughts for the season, big results, even the Munich game! Not to mention the very regular praise that is made towards Huckerby.

With the utmost respect Cluck, the vision you have painted of Lincoln is the exact view you seem to hate people portraying about us.

We also have a excellent Cathedral - in fact we have two!, we also have a fine city with some excellent heritage, great surroundings and a club that is often very representative of the fine and friendly people in the area. So why is great for Lincoln to have this image despite their league position, but it''s not for us when we have all this, and a far superior league position?

[Camuldonum 0]

All I''m saying is get behind your team.  We supporters can do little, except support.  We can''t choose the players even if we had the money to do so.

Our rants and raves won''t affect what happens on the pitch which, at the end of the day, is all that matters.  I look to see a good game, good footballing skills (yes, even from the other side), otherwise what''s the point of paying?

We''ve lost players from last year but things have perked up recently with a young lad from Leicester on loan who apparently is a good goalscorer and we''ve signed someone from the main Norwegian league of whom good things are said.

One of our better players is a local lad Lee Frecklington (Norwich were said to be sniffing about) who is very young but a skilled kid and we''ll lose him of course but that''s life in the lower divisions.   You bring ''em on and other people take them away!  We''ve got a good keeper in Marriott (Mazza) who is our longest serving player (1999 - 317 appearances) and has a loyalty probably similar to your Mr Huckerby.  Certainly some League I and a couple of Championship clubs have tried to tempt him away but he seems happy where he is.

Every good wish to Norwich City for a successful season.  I actually knew Kevin Keelan (it''s a long story) and at the time I rated him as one of the finest and most agile keepers I have personally seen although, for me, Bert Trautmann was the classiest all rounder (his cross-catching ability was incredible).

Is anyone here old enough to remember the West Ham joke about their keeper Mervyn Day?

Why is Mervyn Day like Dracula?

Both of them are afraid of crosses!

Trautmann, who I believe is still alive at great age, absolutely commanded his area.  I had the pleasure of seeing him play a number of times and when he bellowed "My ball" you could have heard it outside the ground, probably.

 

 

 

 

 

[Camuldonum 0]

Darren was a very good player from the off (1993) but unfortunately the manager didn''t rate him and so he spent most of his time on the subs bench.  I think this probably says more about the Manager than it does about your Mr Huckerby.  The fans definitely rated him but once again we have to put up with what the Manager decides.  That''s life!

He was always a determined, chasing player that I can say.

I don''t think we have much debt now but we don''t have any real capital either.  The problem in the lower leagues is that if you "spot" someone or they come through the Academy and they are really good they will be nicked by League I or Championship and so you are back to square one.

However, the.....errr...Mighty Imps are still going!  Home to Shrewsbury, bring it on (yeah, I know).

This is certainly a funny old game.  I spent two seasons as the goalkeeper for Worcester City (Southern League) getting on for half a century ago now and retain some of my press clippings from "Berrow''s Worcester Journal".

Separated by only three weeks apart are:

"City pulled off  a shock 1-0 win against unbeaten table toppers Yeovil Town thanks to magnificent goalkeeping and two penalty saves by..........

"Worcester City plunged out of the first round of the Southern League Cup in a 5-0 trouncing.  Poor goalkeeping and slack marking gifted Weymouth a 3-0 lead in the first twelve minutes."

Have a good season everyone.

 

 

 

 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

[quote user="mystic megson"][quote

Infighting among Norwich fans is a slightly separate issue.  There are genuine areas of disagreement, but an attitude of division and conflict about anything and everything has unfortunately become part of the culture at Carrow Road.  The origins of this are very recent but quite complex.  My own take on it is that after the Robert Chase trauma of the mid-90s we were far too willing to believe that the new board could do no wrong, and the Delia Smith celebrity factor was used to exploit our vulnerability for all it was worth.  Therefore when this facade began to crack in 2005 the manager (Nigel Worthington) was scapegoated to the most irrational extreme.  The board proved themselves gutless and let it run on and on.  It got very poisonous indeed, culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road.  Like you I''m a longstanding fan and there are some things you just don''t do, no matter how bad the situation is.  An invisible line was crossed and for me supporting Norwich City will never be the same again. 

I don''t love the club any less but the one thing that united the fans is no longer there, so I don''t want to go to CR at the moment.  On a purely financial level, it also feels like throwing good money after bad until something fundamental changes in the boardroom.

 

 

[/quote]

It''s entirely possible that the wholesale changes in the 10 months since Grant became manager could be the new beginning needed to re-unite the fans. It''s even more possible that if these new beginnings develope into a period of success on the pitch the fans would be united again. Of course a complete change in the board could also unite the fans although I rather suspect it could have the opposite affect.

Mystic, you are a cynic when it comes to the people who run the club we both love. I am the opposite, whatever that maybe, in that I believe most of what the board say and view the club through the thickest green and yellow welding goggles imaginable. I am not criticising you and I''m sure you don''t critcise me. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle ground between our two outlooks.

However, there is a bond between us because we are both City fans but with different views. Neither of us crossed the line and cheered opposition goals and neither of us ever would. It''s sad but true that there is a rift between some fans from that time that will probably never completely heal. It''s not a good thought to open a new season with though.

 

[Cluck 0]

[quote user="Indy_Bones"]

[quote user="Cluck "]Nice post......but when we think of your club we envisage a fine city...a majestic cathedral and a team representative of it''s County. When others think of Norwich City today....it''s Delia Smith.[/quote]

I''m sorry, but that just isn''t the case.

Speaking as a fan from the North, who travels from the North to games and having virtually no other Norwich fans in my local area, I can categorically refute the statement that people simply think of Delia when NCFC comes into the conversation.

The vast majority of the fans I speak to from other clubs are far more interested in players, thoughts for the season, big results, even the Munich game! Not to mention the very regular praise that is made towards Huckerby.

With the utmost respect Cluck, the vision you have painted of Lincoln is the exact view you seem to hate people portraying about us.

We also have a excellent Cathedral - in fact we have two!, we also have a fine city with some excellent heritage, great surroundings and a club that is often very representative of the fine and friendly people in the area. So why is great for Lincoln to have this image despite their league position, but it''s not for us when we have all this, and a far superior league position?

[/quote]

You''re miles out on this one as many a time on here I have extolled the virtues of this great City and the buildings within it. I also big-up the county of Norfolk at every opportunity because it is where I was born and feel most comfortable in...and I defend the Norfolk accent which everyone seems to find such an embarrassment. So no points scored there IB.

That said.....I have spent quite alot of time outside of the county walls on my business travels and have mixed with fans from many other clubs. It is a fact that Delia Smith is the first comment that usually passes their lips....followed by the classic p*ss taking rendition of  "let''s be avin you". Maybe in the "younger set" this may not be so obvious....but take it from me our poncey candyfloss image has even reached as far as Scandinavia. We have become viewed as little more than a joke because of Smith''s giggly interviews and interferrence....and whether it is the media''s fault or not it has done us a great deal of harm.

I know Lincoln and I love it......but I love my home City more. NCFC used to be truly representative of this fine place...but sadly it has been hijacked by a tv cook and turned into little more than a kitchen extension. This is why I would rather have the dignity Lincoln City have maintained despite their struggles as opposed to the phoney celebrity circus Smith has created.

It will ends in tears before long....and they certainly won''t be mine.......

[Temp the Revelator 0]

[quote user="Indy_Bones"]

[quote user="Cluck "]Nice post......but when we think of your club we envisage a fine city...a majestic cathedral and a team representative of it''s County. When others think of Norwich City today....it''s Delia Smith.[/quote]

I''m sorry, but that just isn''t the case.

Speaking as a fan from the North, who travels from the North to games and having virtually no other Norwich fans in my local area, I can categorically refute the statement that people simply think of Delia when NCFC comes into the conversation.

The vast majority of the fans I speak to from other clubs are far more interested in players, thoughts for the season, big results, even the Munich game! Not to mention the very regular praise that is made towards Huckerby.

With the utmost respect Cluck, the vision you have painted of Lincoln is the exact view you seem to hate people portraying about us.

We also have a excellent Cathedral - in fact we have two!, we also have a fine city with some excellent heritage, great surroundings and a club that is often very representative of the fine and friendly people in the area. So why is great for Lincoln to have this image despite their league position, but it''s not for us when we have all this, and a far superior league position?

[/quote]

You''re wasting your time on this one Indy - I have repeatedly put this view across on here about how we are viewed from the ''outside'', but I''m afraid cluck has made his mind up and any evidence to the contrary will simply be dismissed.  Yes, NCFC and Delia are associated - of course they are, it''s only natural.  To this day, there are still not too many women involved in football at professional level, so it automatically ensures that media coverage is likely to centre on her; not her fault.  Yes, maybe she does court publicity from time to time - she has a career to think about after all!

But; the point still remains that we are far more known for having Huckerby than we are for Delia.  In my experience.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="mystic megson"][quote

Infighting among Norwich fans is a slightly separate issue.  There are genuine areas of disagreement, but an attitude of division and conflict about anything and everything has unfortunately become part of the culture at Carrow Road.  The origins of this are very recent but quite complex.  My own take on it is that after the Robert Chase trauma of the mid-90s we were far too willing to believe that the new board could do no wrong, and the Delia Smith celebrity factor was used to exploit our vulnerability for all it was worth.  Therefore when this facade began to crack in 2005 the manager (Nigel Worthington) was scapegoated to the most irrational extreme.  The board proved themselves gutless and let it run on and on.  It got very poisonous indeed, culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road.  Like you I''m a longstanding fan and there are some things you just don''t do, no matter how bad the situation is.  An invisible line was crossed and for me supporting Norwich City will never be the same again. 

I don''t love the club any less but the one thing that united the fans is no longer there, so I don''t want to go to CR at the moment.  On a purely financial level, it also feels like throwing good money after bad until something fundamental changes in the boardroom.

 

 

[/quote]

It''s entirely possible that the wholesale changes in the 10 months since Grant became manager could be the new beginning needed to re-unite the fans. It''s even more possible that if these new beginnings develope into a period of success on the pitch the fans would be united again. Of course a complete change in the board could also unite the fans although I rather suspect it could have the opposite affect.

Mystic, you are a cynic when it comes to the people who run the club we both love. I am the opposite, whatever that maybe, in that I believe most of what the board say and view the club through the thickest green and yellow welding goggles imaginable. I am not criticising you and I''m sure you don''t critcise me. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle ground between our two outlooks.

However, there is a bond between us because we are both City fans but with different views. Neither of us crossed the line and cheered opposition goals and neither of us ever would.

It''s sad but true that there is a rift between some fans from that time that will probably never completely heal. It''s not a good thought to open a new season with though.

 

[/quote]

Cheers nutty, what a good post. 

Thanks for acknowledging the uncomfortable truth.  I don''t know where we go from here but at least we''ve arrived at a starting point.

 

 

[Mr.Carrow 394]

I think to keen football people Huckerby would be the first name to cross peoples lips. However, Huckerby is a long way from being a household name whilst Delia very obviously is. So i think in general (and in my experience) Cluck is right.

[jetstream 0]

Some very good points made by mystic and nutty nigel here.Just one tiny point, mystic says "culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road." which implies it happened more than once. As far as my memory serves it was only the QPR game at Carrow Road.I disagree with 99% of what Cluck says but just as an aside Robert Green was on the Gabby Logan show this morning and the only question he was asked about his time at Norwich involved the standard of Delia''s catering. (sigh)

[Cluck 0]

[quote user="jetstream"]Some very good points made by mystic and nutty nigel here.

Just one tiny point, mystic says "culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road." which implies it happened more than once. As far as my memory serves it was only the QPR game at Carrow Road.

I disagree with 99% of what Cluck says but just as an aside Robert Green was on the Gabby Logan show this morning and the only question he was asked about his time at Norwich involved the standard of Delia''s catering. (sigh)




[/quote]

I watched News24 (Your News) last weekend where they were based in Norwich........and guess what, the only reference to our football club was Delia Smith and her rant.

If the average punter thinks this way...then any ambitious testosterone fuelled young footballer on the rise is going to stay well clear......It doesn''t make her an ogre....but it does detract greatly from where we should be looking and such embarrassment won''t go away until she finally hangs up her oven mitts.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="jetstream"]Some very good points made by mystic and nutty nigel here.

Just one tiny point, mystic says "culminating in a sizeable minority cheering on away teams when they came to Carrow Road." which implies it happened more than once. As far as my memory serves it was only the QPR game at Carrow Road.



[/quote]

 It happened three times that I''m aware of - QPR was the second one.  The first was a midweek game in February or early March, Brighton I think.  The previous home game had been against Ipswich and the mood started to turn really ugly after that.  The other was Burnley in September, after the "two games" statement.

 

[A Load of Squit 6,260]

 

That said.....I have spent quite alot of time outside of the county walls on my business travels and have mixed with fans from many other clubs. It is a fact that Delia Smith is the first comment that usually passes their lips....followed by the classic p*ss taking rendition of  "let''s be avin you". Maybe in the "younger set" this may not be so obvious....but take it from me our poncey candyfloss image has even reached as far as Scandinavia. We have become viewed as little more than a joke because of Smith''s giggly interviews and interferrence....and whether it is the media''s fault or not it has done us a great deal of harm.

 

No wonder you know so little about football, life and the universe when these are the circles you move in. You''re obviously on this message board to gain a insight to what the worlds about. Keep reading and learning.

 

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

[quote user="A Load of Squit"]

 

That said.....I have spent quite alot of time outside of the county walls on my business travels and have mixed with fans from many other clubs. It is a fact that Delia Smith is the first comment that usually passes their lips....followed by the classic p*ss taking rendition of  "let''s be avin you". Maybe in the "younger set" this may not be so obvious....but take it from me our poncey candyfloss image has even reached as far as Scandinavia. We have become viewed as little more than a joke because of Smith''s giggly interviews and interferrence....and whether it is the media''s fault or not it has done us a great deal of harm.

 

No wonder you know so little about football, life and the universe when these are the circles you move in. You''re obviously on this message board to gain a insight to what the worlds about. Keep reading and learning.

[/quote]

It would appear logical from your avatar and forum name that you associate Delia with A Load of Squit.

That''s not very nice is it?

Perhaps you should apologise.

Talk about circles.........

OTBC

 

[lucky green trainers 0]

i''m not lucky, but my trainers are!!!yeah - lets all put some dosh into city.  hang on - did that with the share issue 4 years ago - got promoted.went prudent thereafter!?!

[Cluck 0]

[quote user="A Load of Squit"]

 

That said.....I have spent quite alot of time outside of the county walls on my business travels and have mixed with fans from many other clubs. It is a fact that Delia Smith is the first comment that usually passes their lips....followed by the classic p*ss taking rendition of  "let''s be avin you". Maybe in the "younger set" this may not be so obvious....but take it from me our poncey candyfloss image has even reached as far as Scandinavia. We have become viewed as little more than a joke because of Smith''s giggly interviews and interferrence....and whether it is the media''s fault or not it has done us a great deal of harm.

 

No wonder you know so little about football, life and the universe when these are the circles you move in. You''re obviously on this message board to gain a insight to what the worlds about. Keep reading and learning.

 

[/quote]

Spot on Load of ****......I thought that maybe by reading your fabulous posts I might indeed learn more about the big wide World that mystifies me....and in particular about this strange game of soccerball. However...all I''ve discovered so far is the contents of your gall bladder....

When are we going to get to the important part? I really am hanging onto your every whinge.........

XX Cluck.

[Camuldonum 0]

Sir, it wouldn''t worry me.  If we could attract a "national figure" to our club I think our fans would be delighted - if that person came with money or influenced other people into providing money we would be even more delighted!

I think your view is rather romanticised.  Lincoln is indeed a lovely city (as is Norwich for which I have much affection) but like you I want the best for my club: I want it to be successful and at the very least, although it''s a modest ambition I agree, I would like to see it get at least as far as League I which is not really asking a lot but which has in the past few seasons been an impossible hill - losing in the playoffs for a record number of times.

You have known success (Premiership) and who knows you may enjoy success again this season.

Down at the bottom of the pile things are very different.  In the 90s the only year we actually made a profit was the year we sold your Mr Huckerby!

I don''t want us to be stuck perpetually in League II but the chasm between the bottom tier and even your Championship is like the Grand Canyon.  You and other clubs are fortunate enough to get loan players out of the Premier League - they may be cast offs from huge squads but none of those show an inclination to drop down to us and change our fortunes.  Most of them, even the cast offs, would run rings round the majority of their opponents in League II I would think.

I obviously do not know the Norwich situation but if "trendy modern spectators" are indeed pushing out the true grass roots fans, the latter obviously need to get their season ticket applications in a lot quicker!   They would have to push very hard at Sincil Bank as our ground capacity is just over 10,000 although we have been there since 1895 and the pitch generally reflects this by about December. (That''s another thing we would like to spend real money on).  The manicured lawns of the Championship are not are for us - it''s lucky that Skegness and Mablethorpe are so handy for the sand. (Remember sand in the goalmouth?  Thought not!)

Because of our financial state (and most clubs in League II) we cannot even dream about the Championship League.

Personally, after all these years, I want to see us get out of the grass roots and further up the stem and if, as you suggest, Delia Smith has affected your club image perhaps you would be kind enough to suggest that she might consider moving on to us (As noted: we both have magnificent Cathedrals).

I am a very loyal supporter of Lincoln but I, and countless other supporters, would like us to actually get out of the grass roots stuff I think.   It''s so hard to go up the ladder from the lower reaches - you spend a MILLION pounds on a goalkeeper (No doubt he is worth every penny from match reports I have read particularly against West Ham XI).  The only way we would have access to that sort of money is if we sold the ground for housing development!

Anyway let us be positive!  We had our last friendly today against Watford (not their full squad but with a fair number of Championship players) and lost 2-1.  We whopped them off the park in the second half and at least deserved a draw.  So much for friendlies.

Next week it is for real: you away to the might of Preston North End (I actually saw Tom Finney play) and we at home to the might of....errr....Shrewsbury Town. 

I still think you are lucky, comparitively at least.

I wonder if Delia does baked Lincolnshire sausages or would consider same?  Or Plum bread?

Either way I wish your club every success in the forthcoming season but in certain areas of Lincolnshire I would counsel you against suggesting that the Imps are the premier club of Lincolnshire.

Depending on which part of Lincolnshire you are in at the time I suspect that  supporters of other teams such as the Ironmen and the Mariners might take issue with you on that.  Lincoln may have the better architecture in some cases but it would be mistake in certain public houses to make reference to the affectionate Cod Heads nickname of the Mariners as but one example.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="oldimpsfan"]

I think your view is rather romanticised.  Lincoln is indeed a lovely city (as is Norwich for which I have much affection) but like you I want the best for my club: I want it to be successful and at the very least, although it''s a modest ambition I agree, I would like to see it get at least as far as League I which is not really asking a lot but which has in the past few seasons been an impossible hill - losing in the playoffs for a record number of times.

You have known success (Premiership) and who knows you may enjoy success again this season.

[/quote]

Here''s hoping you can take that extra step and get an automatic place this season.  If your board is feeding you that stuff about how vast the gap is and how bankruptcy is an ever-present threat, as an excuse to avoid investing just a little bit more, I think a bit of healthy scepticism is called for.  We''ve heard it as well - "We can''t compete with the multimillionaires" and "Look at what''s happened to Leeds" has become a persistent mantra, to scare us into thinking the problem is bigger than it really is, while the Prem season profits and the parachute payments have been squandered on god knows what. 

I think that''s the root of most of the ill-feeling at Norwich - the fact that we didn''t use the extra money to have another charge at the top flight.  We didn''t even try and a golden opportunity has gone, possibly for ever.  Now we''re being warned how difficult it will be to compete this season against the clubs with parachute money!  Parachute payments are not due to rise dramatically until next season when the Sky and Setanta money both kick in. 

Norwich has the potential to be a yoyo club, nothing more nothing less.  Under the present board we drifted aimlessly in mid-table for five or six years until Nigel Worthington came along and now it looks like more of the same.  Being able to predict the outcome of the season before it''s even started may make it easier for the board to plan their expenditure, but we expect a bit more.

Best of all possible luck next season oldimpsfan.  I hope you''ll be in League 1 in 2008/9 and playing at Carrow Road (but only in the Cup . . .)