If you have tears, prepare to shed them

[Cantley 0]

Delia isn''t the only one who''s going to have a little cry if we do go up. Every time we take a step nearer the promised land I feel a lump in my throat, although I still hardly dare let the thought into my head. As John Cleese once said, "Its not the despair, I can stand the despair. It''s the HOPE."
Love of your football team is like a marriage isn''t it. But it''s one in which most of us take the vow as a child. For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; till death us do part. My first match was the FA cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday in 1967, with my dad of course, part of a crowd of over 40,000. It wasn''t love at first sight - that didn''t happen till about 1970, but I''ve been lucky enough to support the club over the most successful years of their history. And now the hopes and fears of all the years come together again over the next few weeks. It''s going to be emotionally problematic, but for the moment I''ll keep my tears on ice.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Well said fool. Beautifully put. I too will be struggling back the tears!

[Carrow89 280]

I shall be joining you in tears

I''ve vowed to get into my old pair of Levis I wore at Brisbane Rd when we got promoted in ''72

I''ll be the one singing "On the ball, City" like Kate Bush

[a1canary 0]

well said fool - put yourself out there! I can''t claim to have been a fan since 67 - i wasn''t around! My Norwich cousins took me into town as an 8 year old in 1985 after the Milk Cup win to watch Micky C, Asa, Dave Wastson and co holding the cup aloft outside city hall. I couldn''t understand how we had managed to get relegated as well!
It will be emotional for us younger fans too though - i had become a huge fan by the time the premiership began and we had our european adventures and it hurt so much to be relegated at a time when the premiership was fast becoming best football league in the world.
After that i spent 6 years at uni in the northwest following the team to away games throughout the region - we were soooo bad! So bad! In that six years i could count on the fingers of two hands the number of times i saw us win. An i have never really thought we would get back there in all that time. Until about a month ago when we all started to believe. Just like you said fool, the HOPE is unbearable! I don''t want to hope any more!

[Kirby_86 0]

I''m a 17 year old lad who''s supported the yellows since he was 9, i''m not affraid to say i''ll be crying too!
I''m an emotional bloke.

OTBC
POA

[Kathy 823]

Your first game was the same as mine Fool. I think it was the tie after we had beaten Man U 2-1 at Old Trafford Bolland and Heath scoring. Unfortunately we lost to Sheff Wed 3-1 but it didnt puit me off either. I was hooked.
I cried when we won the Milk Cup in 85 and I have been getting emotional even after goals just lately. I always hope the TV cameras dont pan in on me blubbering. I dont cry at big defeats ie the Millenium Stadium- thats more of a dull aching hurt but I think I think I may well embarrass myself over the coming weeks. Kleenex at the ready!

[Carrow89 280]

Still have the programme for that game v MAN U.

Keelan
Stringer
Mullett
Lucas
Brown
Allcock
Kenning
Bryceland
Sheffield
Bolland
Anderson

Heath

Dear old Matt Busby makes a few patronising remarks about Norwich in the programme but his assumption seems to be that Man U will once again reach the semis if not further. Man U had a few unknowns - Stiles, Stepney, Best Charlton and Law.

Fond, fond memories.

[Cantley 0]

I don''t know whether you''ve got the NCFC centenary DVD, but it includes the goals from that Old Trafford match. I thought Denis Law''s goal was sensational - a sweeping move, cross from the right, and Law volleying in at the near post with his left foot, at full stretch. There''s one of the ''old'' players who would more than hold his own today. The other striking thing about that match was just how many City fans were there.

[susie b 0]

Must remember to put waterproof mascara on my shopping list at some point in the next two months, otherwise I could end up looking like something from a horror movie! Would be just my luck if a press photographer was lurking nearby as well to smash any credibility I might still have!