Friel 0 Posted April 28, 2009 I''ve always had a soft spot for Norwich.I''ll be knocking on 40 next year, and ever since the fashanu wonder-goal against the scousers in 1980, Norwich have been a club i''ve always had time for. Maybe its because - aside from our 3 seasons of massive over-achievement in the late seventies - they have often reminded me of my own club - a medium sized provincial club renowned for playing attractive football on the ground, unlikely to win the league but the odd good season now and then, a wembley appearance or two, and a brief flirtation with Europe. Maybe its because I never felt under threat at Carrow Road wearing my forest shirt, or it was never a siege war when Norwich came to the city ground, just nine times out of ten a bloody good game. Whatever the reason, I remember fondly the generous 6-2 5-0 and 1-0 you allowed us in 90/91, or the good natured banter in the 0-0 at Carrow road the following season ("whats it like to plough a field?" "real fun real fun real fun"), and joining in the "Alan Hansen, what a wanker" chants as you turned us over 3-0 at our place in Cloughie''s sad final season - he was right of course, you were never going to win the league, but a wanker he was, second only to John Aldridge - the Jade Goody of the Hillsborough tragedy, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend.Fast forward to April 27th 2009 9.55pm, and im punching the air as Norwich''s defeat at home to Reading means Forest are safe from relegation - finally some good news in this miserable season of ...well...misery. A satisfying look at the bottom of the Championship confirms our safety, and then it hits me - Norwich are as good as down. This club that reminds me so much of my own is treading the same path we did 4 years ago. Relegation to the third division, sorry, division one , or whatever its called this week.Its with heavy heart that I celebrate our safety, knowing the cost at which it came. Yes I know Norwich aren''t down yet, a win next sunday and a defeat for barnsley will save the canaries, but even the most optimistic must admit the end is looking pretty damn nigh. Division one is no picnic - Leicester aside, teams that go down there rarely bounce straight back, there isnt the gap that exists between prem and CCC, you have to improve to go back up, stagnate or sell players and you''ll end up like Huddersfield.I''ll be praying for a miracle this weekend, but should one fail to materialize, I hope good times return to Carrow Road soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smudger 0 Posted April 28, 2009 Thanks for that FreilAll the best to Nottingham Forest too... always a club I have held in high regard too.We''ll meet again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lambo 0 Posted April 28, 2009 Great post dude, don''t mind Forest at all either, hope to see you do well next season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,735 Posted April 28, 2009 Will Earnshaw still be there next season?, or will he be off to the next club that offer him his 13 pieces of silver? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,509 Posted April 28, 2009 [quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]Will Earnshaw still be there next season?, or will he be off to the next club that offer him his 13 pieces of silver?[/quote]Wish he was still here though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
siforest65 0 Posted April 28, 2009 [quote user="Friel"]I''ve always had a soft spot for Norwich.I''ll be knocking on 40 next year, and ever since the fashanu wonder-goal against the scousers in 1980, Norwich have been a club i''ve always had time for. Maybe its because - aside from our 3 seasons of massive over-achievement in the late seventies - they have often reminded me of my own club - a medium sized provincial club renowned for playing attractive football on the ground, unlikely to win the league but the odd good season now and then, a wembley appearance or two, and a brief flirtation with Europe. Maybe its because I never felt under threat at Carrow Road wearing my forest shirt, or it was never a siege war when Norwich came to the city ground, just nine times out of ten a bloody good game. Whatever the reason, I remember fondly the generous 6-2 5-0 and 1-0 you allowed us in 90/91, or the good natured banter in the 0-0 at Carrow road the following season ("whats it like to plough a field?" "real fun real fun real fun"), and joining in the "Alan Hansen, what a wanker" chants as you turned us over 3-0 at our place in Cloughie''s sad final season - he was right of course, you were never going to win the league, but a wanker he was, second only to John Aldridge - the Jade Goody of the Hillsborough tragedy, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend.Fast forward to April 27th 2009 9.55pm, and im punching the air as Norwich''s defeat at home to Reading means Forest are safe from relegation - finally some good news in this miserable season of ...well...misery. A satisfying look at the bottom of the Championship confirms our safety, and then it hits me - Norwich are as good as down. This club that reminds me so much of my own is treading the same path we did 4 years ago. Relegation to the third division, sorry, division one , or whatever its called this week.Its with heavy heart that I celebrate our safety, knowing the cost at which it came. Yes I know Norwich aren''t down yet, a win next sunday and a defeat for barnsley will save the canaries, but even the most optimistic must admit the end is looking pretty damn nigh. Division one is no picnic - Leicester aside, teams that go down there rarely bounce straight back, there isnt the gap that exists between prem and CCC, you have to improve to go back up, stagnate or sell players and you''ll end up like Huddersfield.I''ll be praying for a miracle this weekend, but should one fail to materialize, I hope good times return to Carrow Road soon.[/quote]I second that.Prefer Norwich to stay up any day over Barnsley (I think most Forest Fans would tbh) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theres only one Ken Foggo 0 Posted April 28, 2009 Thanks lads. If we do pull off the miracle I hope it''s at Barnsley''s expense and not yours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theres only one Ken Foggo 0 Posted April 28, 2009 [quote user="JimRoyle"]Thanks lads. If we do pull off the miracle I hope it''s at Barnsley''s expense and not yours.[/quote]Sorry - you''re already safe of course! Just shows how last night has scrambled my head! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marty 0 Posted April 28, 2009 I live near Notts so pleased for them, but gutted for Norwich, I can''t see us escaping this time, but still there is a glimmer of hope and stranger things have happened. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superflash 0 Posted April 28, 2009 A few good friends of mine are Forest through and through, so I''m pleased for them. to be honest I didn''t really expect Forest to be in a relegation battle as they seemed to start brightly if I remember? But next year they''ll certainly finish higher. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 1,948 Posted April 28, 2009 Yep agreed.My step-mom and her family are all Forest through and through and I''m chuffed for them, Forest are a great club with similar stature to ourselves (although a little more glorious history!).Gutted about our current plight, but I think League1 lets you look outside the box for players rather than rely on expensive Prem kids so hopefully we''ll be looking for a few more Cody Macs now instead of the James Henrys.Relegation is a bitter pill to swallow, I just hope that it will maybe cure us of some of our ills, and we''ll bounce back in the not-to-distant and not disappear into obscurity...Congratulations on staying up Forest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Syteanric 1 Posted April 28, 2009 [quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]Will Earnshaw still be there next season?, or will he be off to the next club that offer him his 13 pieces of silver?[/quote]he''ll meet a manager at an international game who will then magically offer the amount of Earnies release clause.i hope that little Mercenary rots!jas :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shaun Tilly Lace 0 Posted April 28, 2009 Well done for avoiding the drop, mate. Who knows when, or if, NCFC will return to the Championship. Could be a long time if the collection of drongos who sit on our board are allowed to continue their miserable policy of "Prudence With Ambition" for too much longer! Non-League football here we come! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJJJ 0 Posted April 28, 2009 I''m pleased for Forest, seeing as my cousin is from Nottingham, and he''s Forest. Hopefully we''ll meat them again.Thanks to the OP, nice to see that there are other teams'' fans wanting Norwich to stay up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
city-till-i-die 7 Posted April 28, 2009 thnx [Y] my neighbour is a forrest fan and he will be gutted to see naarich go down...he has been to CR a few times this season....he will be heading of to peterborough next season..lol...good luck for next season Share this post Link to post Share on other sites