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Of Hucks and Dion, D’Urso and Clattenburg. And why I’m so proud to be a Yella’

7th May 2008 By Mick Dennis Leave a Comment

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It was partly our fault that Darren Huckerby did not get a proper send-off ? me and the 3,199 other punters who went to Hillsborough. But most of the blame goes to Dion Dublin…

When DD made his elaborate and prolonged exit in the 67th minute, he thoroughly deserved the chanting and standing ovation from the City contingent in the Leppings Lane End and the appreciative applause from the three other sides of the ground.

But when the old chap came back on the end for an encore, did he need to take the focus away from Hucks so brazenly?

They are friends with a shared history from their two years together at Coventry a decade ago. When Dion went off to be substituted, Huckerby was the last player to wish him well and they had a man-hug.

So you might think that the Norwich No9 would have been a bit more empathetic towards the Norwich No6 at the end of the match when, despite having watched a 4-1 thrashing, the Leppings Lane End rose to give end-of-season thanks to those who had helped secure Championship survival.

We knew as well that we probably would not see Alex Pearce or Ched Evans again, so they deserved a special cheer. Most of us also suspected, I am sure, that Huckerby had played his last game for the Yellows. I, for one, was preparing for a rendition of our special version of “On the first day of Christmas…”.

But, blow me, as Hucks approached the away end, Dion upstaged him. Hucks gave us a few claps from the right hand edge of the penalty box as we looked, but Dion marched to the penalty spot and made a big show of pointing to us and then clapping with his hands above his head.

Well, we had to burst into “Diiii-on!, Diiii-on!. Diiii-on!” of course. So Hucks slumped away, head bowed, unnoticed and unappreciated. It looked to me as if he threw down a cup or a tie-up in frustration just before he reached the tunnel but I couldn't be sure because I was concentrating on Diiii-on, who was still milking the moment.

I have no quibble with not giving Huckerby a new contract. Whenever he set off on one of those runs of his, nobody knew where he was going, least of all him. And, as each season has passed, the likelihood of him getting anywhere receded.

But there can be no question at all that his contribution to Norwich City FC has been far greater than that of Mr Dublin. In fact, you could make out a case that Evans has done more for us.

Dublin is a great bloke, no doubt, and we should celebrate his longevity in the game, but many of his 50 appearances for Norwich have been little more than cameos.

Huckerby, in contrast, has been a central figure in an important chapter in the Norwich City story. He always gave us something to cheer. Often, he was all we had to cheer. So it is a particular shame that we didn't cheer him properly when he left the field for the last time in our colours.

_____________________________________________________

Two more things made me angry at Sheffield Wednesday.

Firstly, can we please stop blaming referees for Norwich flaws and failings? When we hear supporters, players and managers of other clubs bleating on about the injustice of decisions, we know they are certainly biased and probably wrong. Yet we do it ourselves all the time.

Mark Clattenburg was exceptionally well positioned when Jason Shackell slid into Deon Burton and his judgment was that it was a foul. It continued into the box, so it was a penalty, according to Mr C. In those circumstances, where the ref had a clear view and has made and indicated his decision, the assistant referee must not (repeat must not) make a signal of his own.

So the fact that Clattenburg did not go over to consult his assistant was not the issue many fans and all the players seemed to think.

Anyway, the real issue was that, yet again, our entire defence had been undone by a simple ball over the top. If Shacks had been quicker, he would not have needed to commit such a risky challenge from behind. But then if Shacks and the Doc had been quicker, we would not have conceded so many other goals this season.

Similarly, to blame referee Andy D'Urso for the 2-1 defeat at Bristol City at the end of March was just bonkers.

D'Urso wrongly attributed a handball to Lee Croft instead of Bristol's Jamie McCombe and so gave a free-kick the wrong way. But that free-kick was ten yards into the Bristol half and it wasn't D'Urso's fault that when the ball was hoofed into the Norwich area, our defenders couldn't deal with it.

Of course referees make mistakes. So does everyone else on the pitch. Next season we need a defence which makes far fewer mistakes so that if decisions go against us they are less significant.

_____________________________________________________

The second thing which infuriated me at Wednesday was that, because they reduced their ticket prices to a tenner a head, they got the biggest Championship crowd of the campaign.

That ensured that Norwich had only the second best aggregate attendance in the division for the season.

Second best? No, City fans have proved again that they are far and away the most loyal supporters in the division. Nobody can ever sing to us: “Your ground's too big for you…” because we fill it week after week ? without special offers and despite three seasons of disappointment and despair.

The other national newspaper journalists and broadcasters I talk to pay homage to the City support, but are bewildered by it.

I know that Glenn Roeder has been stunned by the numbers who make all those long journeys to away games and talks with enthusiasm about the atmosphere that can be created at Carrow Road if there is any excuse to shout and chant.

One of the reasons home crowds are so high is that the facilities, the attitude of Norwich staff and the whole experience of going to our ground are the best in the country.

I recently interviewed the chap whose family are the “mystery shoppers” used by the Football League, and he said Norwich set the bench-mark to which others are now being encouraged to aspire.

But there is also something about the Norfolk character ? a stoicism that makes folk from that county steadier and more steadfast than the more excitable natives of most other regions in the country.

Whatever the reason, as this terrible, scary season is consigned to history it is the magnificence of the support that leaves me with a smile.


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Filed Under: Column, Mick Dennis

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j2arlow Jez @j2arlow ·
5h

Look, I’m listening to the excellent OnTheBall podcast by @michaeljbailey and I cannot understand why their is a narrative of blame towards us fans.

We pay a lot of money and have every right to have a go at these players. Give us some passion, fight, belief that’s it #ncfc

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tommykerrison Thomas @tommykerrison ·
7h

Wasn’t strange tbf why u left but if it’s that bad spill now not in 10-15years time when you retire #ncfc

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footballzone__ The Football Zone @footballzone__ ·
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WEEKEND REVIEW #CHAMPIONSHIP

https://youtu.be/PokfwLupslk

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Top six favourites to become new Leeds United manager as club sacks Jesse Marsch - https://fanbanter.co.uk/top-six-favourites-to-become-new-leeds-manager-as-club-sacks-jesse-marsch/

#watfordfc #ncfc #twitterclarets #safc #rufc #wafc #bcfc #rovers #utmp #bristolcity #ccfc #pusb #htafc #hcafc #coyh #boro #millwall #qpr #readingfc #twitterblades #scfc

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canariesfc Norwich City @canariesfc ·
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Not a #NCFC window for the ages … instead, one that’s likely to only include ‘outs’ http://dlvr.it/Sj2B30

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