And so the cycle begins once again. No, not the impending nine-month slog of hopes, fears, highs and crushing lows that will be the 2008/2009 season, but the very birth of another City supporting life.
On August 2nd, 2008, at the grand old age of 4, Stan Junior attended his first ever match at Carrow Road.
Dressed head to toe in a rather too large new Aviva sponsored kit and looking a tad like Paul McVeigh, he sat in the Geoffrey Watling Stand with eyes like saucers and so took the first step of a lifelong journey.
Oh, the places you'll go son!
Stan's own journey also started with a 2-2 score-line. On a similarly warm afternoon in spring 1977 City squandered a 2-0 lead to Sunderland, and so true love was born. It's been the love of a fool for the vast majority of the time, but none-the-less it's been a love that Stan never could, or would have wanted to extinguish.
'Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all…' goes the old adage; well, Stan Junior is certainly going to have to get used to the losing bit pretty sharpish, because it won't be long coming!
As Wordsworth (Anthony not William) sprang City's rather jerry-built off-side trap and slotted home beneath David 'The Mouth' Marshall a gut-wrenching feeling that Stan has felt a thousand times before befell him once more.
Stan Junior undoubtedly felt the same feeling for the first time at this moment and slumped back in his seat and looking a bit bemused for a short time?.. He'll learn, the poor little fellow!
So what exactly went on in those 90 minutes that will have indelibly etched itself into Stan Junior's consciousness?
If we remove Splat the Cat from the equation for a moment, his most vivid memory is sure to be the cheer of joy, or was it relief with a bit of disbelief thrown in, that followed Rusty's sublime curler. His little face was a picture.
Luckily for him he wasn't grimacing like his Dad was at a good proportion of the game. Stan couldn't help being struck by a feeling that we needed about another eight weeks of pre-season to get up to speed. In the main we look fit enough, the problem is the players hardly know each other!
Although not quite close enough to hear the orders being barked out by Marshall, Stan couldn't help imagining them being along the lines of 'Hey, thingy-me-jig, get on the near post…' and 'Oi, whats-a-ma-call-it, he's your man!'
'The defence look like they've only just met,' mused Stan before correcting himself. 'Actually, thinking about it they HAVE only just met!'
Each player added does look like they can potentially bring something to the team this season. However, it's getting the individuals to function as a unit that is going to be the true test of Roeder's mettle. Whether Clingan and Fozzy can work together us a unit only time will tell. Ditto Kennedy and Stefanovic.
Answers to other questions will also be revealed in the weeks ahead. Is Pattison's apparent dip in form temporary or permanent? What will Lupoli be like when 100% fit? How much does our new fitness coach weigh and most tellingly what exactly is the name of our new Gambian 'mover'?
Futile attempts at answering such questions are part and parcel of the life of a football fan. Invariably it's those players initially surrounded by most hype that fail to live up to expectations and those that arrive quietly and with little fuss that ultimately shine. What are the odds that Lupoli spends much of the season on the bench whilst Clingan takes the Barry Butler trophy?
With Bertrand returning at left-back, a quality big 'un up front and the new pre-match meal of three steak and kidney pies, two doughnuts and a bottle of Tizer as advocated by the new fitness guru, we'll brush Coventry aside before building an unstoppable momentum that will take us to promotion by March?
Or maybe we'll get thrashed and Peter Grant will be drafted back in as Director of Football by Christmas!
Welcome aboard Stan Junior. Enjoy your journey, it'll be fun ?. Honest!
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