Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Juggy

Why don't we have any statues?

Recommended Posts

Lately we hear people on here saying that they feel detached from the club, not close to the new players, and somebody recently asked "what is our philosophy?".

I''ve personally always wondered why we don''t embrace our history as a club. With all the redevelopments and ground improvements that we''ve had in recent years, and the open space that we have behind the Barclay and behind the Jarrold, I really don''t understand why we aren''t one of those clubs who has attempted to embrace history by commissioning a couple of statues.

We haven''t exactly had a Thierry Henry or some sort of global megastar, but we have our own club legends to celebrate and getting fans of all ages involved in voting for who should get a statue would be a great way of empowering fans.

It wouldn''t cost a fortune to create three plinths and erect a statue on each every few years after a public vote would it?

I''d probably cast my own votes (if I got three) towards Huckerby, Geoffrey Watling, and perhaps Gunn (in a kit not a suit) or Ken Brown (before my time but a celebrated manager with a trophy to his name).

Are we ashamed of our past at this club? We expect players to play with passion, why not show them that it is possible to leave a legacy and become a club legend here so that our most celebrated players don''t end up calling us a "sh*thouse club" after six years?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
This suggestion does the rounds every so often.

Long story short - there seems to be a hundred different names put forward and no-one can agree.

(I''m talking about people on here can''t agree).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
That would be the point in a proper vote though wouldn''t it?

Could easily narrow down the field by just being able to select from members of the hall of fame and getting fans to tick one box at a home game and put their slip in a big bin at every exit gate.

Would take a while to count but whoever gets the most nominations = gets a statue?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Le Juge"]That would be the point in a proper vote though wouldn''t it?

Could easily narrow down the field by just being able to select from members of the hall of fame and getting fans to tick one box at a home game and put their slip in a big bin at every exit gate.

Would take a while to count but whoever gets the most nominations = gets a statue?[/quote]
1.  Is it fair only fans who go to games vote?
2.  Would everybody be happy if Robert Chase won, if a mass wind up vote was organised?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1. Well actually I do think that it is fair that only fans who make use of the stadium get to cast a vote on something which only those who visit the stadium will see, and 26000 fans is easily a big enough sample for the purposes of a poll - which is to gauge general consensus for a statue not a general election.

2. I''d be willing to lay a fair bit of money against that happening, there would just be no conceivable reason why Norwich supporters would want to wind themselves up, which actually itself a very good reason why you would conduct the poll inside the stadium... because I can think of a certain bunch of miscreants down the road who would have a reason to wind up Norwich fans. You have answered your own question really haven''t you?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I would say in the twenty odd years I''ve watched Norwich no player has really stood out or been successful enough to quite warrant a statue. Holt, Huckerby and Roberts probably come closest but still probably not in the case of all three of them.We could go down the Fulham route and just stick up a statue of Michael Jackson?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know its not exactly a statue but the club already have the hall of fame which is probably what they''ve done instead of statues.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Good suggestions Mrs Miggins. Since Chris Hughton guided the club to their highest League finish in 20 years you would have to think that he''d be deserving.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="lake district canary"]If no person is deemed honourable enough, maybe we should just have a statue of a canary.

[/quote]To scale, and on top of the floodlights.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
"Since Chris Hughton guided the club to their highest League finish in 20 years"

Yes if your idea of history only goes back that far, rather than the 111 years that we''ve been in existence.

Dave Stringer, Mike Walker, Ken Brown, and Paul Lambert are well above Hughton in the pecking order.

1986-7 (Fifth)

1988-9 (Fourth)

1992-3 (Third)

It doesn''t even need to be a ''legend'', it can be an iconic moment.

Would there really be any Norwich fan who wouldn''t enjoy seeing a statue cast of Jeremy Goss in striking this pose?

http://bluestar.archant.net/PinkUn/Wallpaper/Classic/SF_1_GOSS_MUNICH.jpg

Or Woods and Watson holding aloft the 1985 trophy? http://www.sportsignings.com/images/products/products/NOR/11.jpg

Are there really any fans who would object to a Huckerby statue? He is one who was enjoyed and is remembered by people of all age ranges.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Le Juge"]1. Well actually I do think that it is fair that only fans who make use of the stadium get to cast a vote on something which only those who visit the stadium will see, and 26000 fans is easily a big enough sample for the purposes of a poll - which is to gauge general consensus for a statue not a general election.

2. I''d be willing to lay a fair bit of money against that happening, there would just be no conceivable reason why Norwich supporters would want to wind themselves up, which actually itself a very good reason why you would conduct the poll inside the stadium... because I can think of a certain bunch of miscreants down the road who would have a reason to wind up Norwich fans. You have answered your own question really haven''t you?[/quote]
I don''t, for the reason, if the poll is from the hall of fame.  There''s some real old greats in there, that only fans of a certain age remember.  Now some of our senior fans may have attended for years in the past and for a number of reasons may be unable to now.  They imo have just as much of a say as some johnny-come-lately whose memory only stretches back a slack handful of seasons.
As for 2, regardless of you betting on it. It still could happen.
Me, I think having statues are gay any way.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Le Juge"]"Since Chris Hughton guided the club to their highest League finish in 20 years"

Yes if your idea of history only goes back that far, rather than the 111 years that we''ve been in existence.

Dave Stringer, Mike Walker, Ken Brown, and Paul Lambert are well above Hughton in the pecking order.

1986-7 (Fifth)

1988-9 (Fourth)

1992-3 (Third)

It doesn''t even need to be a ''legend'', it can be an iconic moment.

Would there really be any Norwich fan who wouldn''t enjoy seeing a statue cast of Jeremy Goss in striking this pose?

http://bluestar.archant.net/PinkUn/Wallpaper/Classic/SF_1_GOSS_MUNICH.jpg

Or Woods and Watson holding aloft the 1985 trophy? http://www.sportsignings.com/images/products/products/NOR/11.jpg

Are there really any fans who would object to a Huckerby statue? He is one who was enjoyed and is remembered by people of all age ranges.[/quote]
That''s just village of the highest order.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If we were a grubby old town full of farm hands, oiks and chavs we''d probably think it''s wonderful to have a couple of statues for the pigeons to crap on. But we''re a fine City with two cathedrals and a premier league football team. That''ll do for me..

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
The first statue should be of the Messiah out greatest ever manager surrounded praying at his feet should be the club legends of Holty, wes, Russell Martin etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
"If we were a grubby old town full of farm hands, oiks and chavs we''d probably think it''s wonderful to have a couple of statues for the pigeons to *** on. But we''re a fine City with two cathedrals and a premier league football team. That''ll do for me.."

Agreed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I find the idea of individual statues on a plinth a bit old fashioned and boring, plus we really havnt had anyone that special, stand out special, like a Bill Shankly, Bobby Robson or Tom Finney. BUT, I would love to see a group statue representing many generations that could include that Goss suggestion, along with a Martin Peters a Hucks, a Iwan, a Gunny and a Holt all in some sort of action pose....now this would not come cheap because to do a good job would take a very talented sculptor I''m sure, but it would certainly be more impressive than a person on a plinth holding a football.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If we have to ask who the statue should be of, then by definition we don''t need one.

 

 

The person should come first, the statue will follow.

 

 

The fact that when debating it, nobody can agree on who we would honour just underlines the point. If we run with whichever City hero of the recent past scrapes 12% of a popularity contest/ memory test then it really will be a case of copying other clubs for the sake of it. (As many have done.)

 

 

The reason clubs originally put up statues of players or managers is that those men achieved great things in English football with those clubs, well as having huge local meaning. These clubs also gained or improved stature in the national game as a result of their service, and typically are historically have been the most important football clubs.

 

 

While we have our place, we don''t have that depth of significance or influence historically either as a club or individuals associated with it. I can say this and still love Norwich City. Our memorable successes have been greatly prized by us, but fleeting in the context of history and mini in the context of football.

 

 

The only way i think a statue at CR would be fitting is if the subject was both ''obvious'' and had great meaning to the club, and for the reasons above, not a player or manager. For me this means an undisputable behind-scenes figure influential in NCFC''s existence, regardless of whether or not they are household names, such as one or more of our ''founding fathers''.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
http://bluestar.archant.net/PinkUn/Wallpaper/Classic/SF_1_GOSS_MUNICH.jpg

Anyone know who the Bayern player is in that picture? Its not Lothar Matteus is it?

I have a letter written back to me from Jeremy Goss when I was about 9, written on a watercolour of that image. His body shape in that photograph would be perfect for a statue.

Two drawbacks though - he''d require a pole up his ar*e, and after looking at it for too long, it does look a little ''Hail Hitler!''

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Aren''t we being a little narrow in our thinking here?

In keeping with our aim to be a "City of Culture" I think we should consider a sculpture, or installation to portray a memorable moment or time in our history.

I would suggest a perspex cube filled with water vapour to recall the League Cup semi-final which was abandoned due to fog. Maybe the cube could be just a bit hazy for 85 minutes and then suddenly fill with vapour.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="The Great Mass Debater"]http://bluestar.archant.net/PinkUn/Wallpaper/Classic/SF_1_GOSS_MUNICH.jpg

Anyone know who the Bayern player is in that picture? Its not Lothar Matteus is it?

I have a letter written back to me from Jeremy Goss when I was about 9, written on a watercolour of that image. His body shape in that photograph would be perfect for a statue.

Two drawbacks though - he''d require a pole up his ar*e, and after looking at it for too long, it does look a little ''Hail Hitler!''[/quote]

Hahaha! That made me tearful with laughter at my desk. They''d have to kind of "mount him from behind" with a kind of hangman''s pole setup, so as not to penetrate the backside of our hero. Also, yes the raised arm is a slight worry - more of a black power salute?!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think a great statue would be Grant Holt, stood with the microphone as a moustache during Movember after he''d scored against Ipswich. Would include a picture, but dont know how. Could anyone oblige?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[IMG]http://www.pinkun.com/polopoly_fs/jb_11_ncfc_ipswich_2010_1_739584!image/2314814491.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/2314814491.jpg[/IMG]

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Would a 6ft 2" tall statue of Duncan Forbes be "gay", and "chavvy" then?

As for "old fashioned", well the best bits of Norwich are old, and Dubai looks boring to me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Le Juge"]Would a 6ft 2" tall statue of Duncan Forbes be "gay", and "chavvy" then?

As for "old fashioned", well the best bits of Norwich are old, and Dubai looks boring to me.[/quote]
Yes.
Unless you''ve had a Bobby Moore, Stanley Mathews, Tom Finney, play for you, that any team would acknowledge and respect you may be able to get away with it, otherwise  forget it.   

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...