The revolution at Norwich City continued today with a further addition to the squad which Bryan Gunn has promised will have a burning passion for the Canary badge.
Michael Nelson, the big, sturdy central defender from Hartlepool, is one man who is idolised by a friend of mine who for years has supported the Pool and been the odd one out watching Soccer Saturday in the pubs of Norwich.
The interesting thing that has become very clear to me this week is how much Nelson is loved by the Pool's loyal supporters.
The question is, why? Well, he has given the club six years service and plenty of committed performances as team captain in the good and bad times; he's also been a true leader of men when the chips were down.
One word that keeps coming back and forth from those Hartlepool fans is 'commitment', and that is something – after the failure of last season – the Canaries need in abundance.
This complete package, coming via special delivery from the North East and with no transfer fee attached could yet prove to be the summer's key addition.
It's clear that Ian Butterworth has tipped Gunn the wink with this one, knowing that Nelson is a 'does what it says on the tin' type of character. This will give supporters hope – which is much needed at Carrow Road at the moment.
The other signing this week of Owain Tudur Jones brings a lot of height into the midfield and experience of League One after playing most of his football for Swansea in the lower tiers.
But with injuries to his name last season, he is a 24-year-old with something to prove. And that can only be a good thing.
So Gunn is up and running, shooting from the hip with his intentions clear going into the new season.
This year should see plenty more contracted players than the loan 'stars' of last season and hopefully the squad will have depth and passion, even if it does not have the big names.
The signs are positive this week, that maybe somewhere from within the club we have learned harsh lessons in terms of player recruitment.
The new management team are making a good fist of giving the club a chance of a rebirth going into the long season ahead.
The new signings ? or, the 'free' amigos as I like to call them – give us hope that things will be changing.
OK, it's a free world, you can argue that these are not exciting, 'edge of the seat' signings like Huckerby and Ashton of years gone by, but they are the right players at the right time.
The fact that Gunn has not really spent a penny so far suggests he is lot more canny then we may have given him credit for.
For the first time in months, I feel almost positive that be it through Butterworth's experience, or Gunn showing basic common sense to what we need on the pitch where it counts, we are laying the foundations for the new Norwich City Football Club.
Now we look towards the board to move forward, dust themselves down and let the club rise from the ashes, sooner rather then later.
On the Ball City.
Toby Newton
You can catch Toby on Future Radio 96.9 FM, Norwich's community radio station.
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