Gary dropped me a note this evening to say that the next post here on MFW would be the 3,000th since we first threw ourselves on the mercy of the world-wide web some seven years ago. So, would I like to mark the occasion by ‘penning’ something myself?
Not that any of us ‘pen’ anything these days, but – as ever – he has a decent point. It is something of a milestone.
It has been quite a journey; plenty of headaches and heartaches en route and without the tireless labours of our Kevin on the ad-selling front, we would have disappeared many, many moons ago. For those that still enjoy the odd bit of informed comment writing you occasionally find on here, he is the one to thank. Go buy an ad…
I know exactly who I have to thank for all this… a US academic called Clay Shirky. And I know exactly when MFW was born – my 40th birthday; January 16th, 2006 when I read one piece in Media Guardian.
It is here, for anyone interested.
But these are the lines that put the wheels in motion: “In the same way that there’s a split between the music industry and the recording industry, there’s a split between writers and the newspaper industry.
“The recording industry is in trouble but the music industry is not, because musicians still make music and people still care about music enormously. The people who sell plastic circles with the music on it, on the other hand, are in real trouble.
“So if you base your business model on producing plastic circles, or, by analogy, staining wood with ink, you’re going to be in trouble.
“Do people care about good writing? Of course they do, and it’s the writers who can adapt to the new technologies. The only technological innovation that the newspaper industry is waiting for is a time machine so that it can turn back the clock.”
And that’s all we have ever hoped; that people still care about good writing. Particularly about one of the greatest passions in their lives – their favourite football club.
I can’t now remember the date we actually launched; nor – instantly – put my hands on that very first post.
I can, however, remember the game we covered at the start of that first season away from ‘staining wood with ink’… it would be the fag end of Nigel Worthington’s managerial reign. Bitterness and poison were already think in the air before they lost 1-0 away at Leeds United.
The team that day, for the record, was: P Gallacher, A Drury, J Shackell, G Doherty, J Colin (P Thorne, 82), L Croft (L McKenzie, 56), Y Safri, D Etuhu, C Robinson (P McVeigh, 71), D Huckerby, R Earnshaw.
Colin, Gallacher and Thorne aside, that’s not a bad team. Alas, the sum of its various parts never quite made for a rounded, happy whole and once a certain D Huckerby got injured, the wheels really, really came off the bus.
Post-relegation boil lanced, Worthington’s exit ushered in the arrival of Peter Grant and the rest is, of course, history.
Suffice to say MFW has plumbed some nasty depths over the last seven years before the current highs.
Sure, the Canaries have yet to match the feats of teams of yore in terms of a top six finish and a decent FA Cup run, but the world is a wholly different place to that which gave Mike Walker’s men a ticket to the Olympic Stadium.
Without prompting a raft of furious commentators, I’m not sure a top four finish in the English Premier League is ever going to be a simple ask for a club of Norwich’s size and financial resource – and English football is the poorer as a result. Fighting for seventh spot and safety by February isn’t all that it is cracked up to be.
That said, I think the Canaries are in ruder health – on and off the pitch – than they ever have been in their 111-year history.
Chris Hughton may not have won over every sceptic; for many, he will never match the manager that he succeeded.
But run through the side that edged the game on Saturday against an equally ambitious Southampton side and compare each to the side that lost – by an equally fine margin – at Elland Road that summer and I would suggest only one player would make Hughton’s starting XI.
One D Huckerby.
Drury, Earnshaw and Etuhu I would slip on the bench, but otherwise the Class of 2013-2014 is a class apart from the team that Worthington clung to in those dark and divided days.
I don’t have any real fears for Norwich this season.
I think there’s enough poison in the air elsewhere – most notably in the North-East – for the Canaries to sail through this campaign relatively untroubled.
And in the likes of your Redmonds and your Fers, new heroes are fast emerging; players to, potentially, rival your Huckerbys and your Holts – though I would expect neither to be here over-long if the early signs of being genuine Premier League articles are any guide.
But, again, that’s just another sign of the changing times.
As, indeed, is this. No 3,000th – done and dusted. And not a stained tree to be seen.
Interesting article Rick – also liked the link to Craig Newmark article.
Only point of slight disagreement concerns your 3rd last paragraph – I do think the “Redmonds and Fers” will actually stay as opposed to moving to, say, the Russian Londoner, who in all probability promptly loans them out again!
Congrats on the big 3000 MFW and respect for your contributions to reducing CO2 emissions and thereby the dreaded greenhouse effect.
I’m a fairly recent reader/commenter of your site and so have only seen things during ‘good times’. It would be interesting to know if you got more feedback from Joe Public when the footy times were not so rosy – in my experience, people maybe prefer a good spleen venting to a textual ‘pat-on-the-back’?
As you discuss, there has been a tectonic shift in the worlds of the media and football in the last 7 years – where’s it leading to in another 7?
I predict (1) Ryan Giggs will still be putting in a shift at Old Trafford, (2) England will still not have got vaguely close to a major tournament SF, let alone final, (3) Rochdale will be PL champs, having been taken over by Chinese billionaires, (4) Stephen Fry will be PM, (5) we’ll be uploading MFW articles directly into our brains via graphene wires….as for City….your guess is as good as mine but I hope we don’t get sucked too far down the foreign owner/coach/player road in the vainglorious quest for glory and money.
3000 posts – thats impressive.
I’ve been following this site for a while now – was even one of the people who paid for a subscription for it when you had one.
There are two reasons for that. 2 reasons you have made it to 3000 posts.
1) The quality of the writing – which is a cut above most football blogs. Full of insight and most of all balanced!
2) The dedication and enthusiasm of your writers – clearly a labour of love for you all.
I for one really appreciate you doing it.
All the best for the next 3,000
Just want to say congratulations to all on a fine 3000… long may it continue
Cream rises to the top ! If you (plural) had not kept us riveted over the past 3,000 articles, you would have drifted to other forms of media to display your genuine enthusiasm for NCFC. All of you have slightly different styles, senses of humour, and visions of the future, that it makes every article a joy to read. It is the variety on the one site that makes it work. The daily articles appraising the Club, the players, and the reviews of the games, counter-balanced by Ed’s nostalgic look at times-gone-by, make it the first website I look where City are concerned.
Have I over-gushed ?
Congratulations on this milestone….the first of many !
Agree with all the above. Congratulations, and, as they say, here’s to the next seven years!
Congratulations Rick, a magnificent achievement with constantly good quality. As you suggest it is always in the writing..
Thanks and hears to celebrating 4,5 & 6000th post
JD
When I heard the news of your 3000th, I just had to break away from the G20 meeting and all this chemical weapon stuff to congratulate you on reaching that big number. It’s a little known fact that I’m a Canaries fan – I rely on your site to keep me reliably informed of ‘what’s going down’ at ‘the Road’.
Couldn’t agree more on Hucks – my favourite soccer player.
Oh well, better get back to the negotiations.
You guys rock! OTBC
The launch date was 01.08.2006 in its previous disguise http://www.rickwaghorn.co.uk.
A few short weeks after me & he were deemed surplus to requirements by our friendly local newspaper group. Collectively 40 odd years. Bosh. Gone. No handshake or thanks or carriage clock.
Now we look back and marvel at the strides the local newspaper industry has taken. Wonder in amazement how Evening Newspapers can be on our shelves at 8.00am and reminisce how we read it all before in the morning paper.
Anybody remember the old days when you read today’s news er… today? Actually anybody remember the last time you saw anybody buy an evening newspaper?
So while we experience our back-slapping love in, any of you fine readers who wish to message us with potential advertisers please advise via our Advertise tab. A bottle or two of M&S finest may find its way to you…and yes we have some damn fine contributors.
Thank you all.
I also recall this site from its origins, and like Ben (3), was an early paid subscriber – I had forgotten that. Russell S (2) asks what was the feedback like early on, and the answer to that is quiet. A few columns – Mick Dennis, Kevin Baldwin, who have both been on here since the beginning – have always attracted comments, but I’d say it is only in the last 6-9 months that all posts have started to attract more feedback. What I’ve liked is that the comments, like the articles, have generally stated intelligent and balanced too, even occasionally when opposing fans find their way here too.
I’m impressed by the model though, and congratulate you hugely Rick on keeping it going through these 7 years now, I’ve certainly wondered at times how you have managed and how somehow you’ve found the revenue to keep the site updated all the time. I’ve stayed off twitter myself, I waste enough time as it is, but do like the twitter feed here as a quick way of checking what’s new – and finally well to echo KP’s last, hope the trickle of advertiser’s keep coming – you certainly have a much greater audience now than you did in the beginning!
Congrats and here’s to the continued fortunes of NCFC and MFW!
Russell 2) I think it is fair to say that we are experiencing more comments presently then we did way back from our humble beginnings …Our readership naturally continues to grow our editorial contributors find themselves a platform with a substantial audience & our readers like to interact with valid & sensible comments.
Michael D You are correct Mick D (just a coincidence I’m sure)was way out in front in the early days as befits our celebrity journo but watch out for the new boys! Gary Gowers & Co has taken MFW to a new level in the last year or so. Take a bow fella’s.
So cheers to you readers, contributors & local businesses & did I mention before – any productive leads to keep MFW in the style you have become accustomed to would be appreciated & a token of our thanks would find its way to you.
My thanks to Rick and all the contributors. Informed and thoughtful comment is a rare commodity in football these days and I for one am grateful for your contribution – just imagine the alternative of having to rely on the excitable clamour of Canary Call!
However, I would like to take issue with you over your somewhat dismissive comments about ‘seventh spot’ and ‘safety by Christmas’. They would do for me! Every time !
What I think you are forgetting is the magnitude of what we have achieved over the past few seasons and the determination, effort, heart-ache, frustration, luck, disappointment, passion, good governance and loyalty that will be required to just to maintain our status.
I may well be a glass half empty supporter, but then, I did watch my first game in ’59. It’s been a roller-caster ride and my experience tells me that City’s present position, both on and off the pitch, needs to be savoured.
My thanks to Rick and all the contributors. Informed and thoughtful comment is a rare commodity in football these days and I for one am grateful for your contribution – just imagine the alternative of having to rely on the excitable clamour of Canary Call!
However, I would like to take issue with you over your somewhat dismissive comments about ‘seventh spot’ and ‘safety by Christmas’. They would do for me! Every time !
What I think you are forgetting is the magnitude of what we have achieved over the past few seasons and the determination, effort, heart-ache, frustration, luck, disappointment, passion, good governance and loyalty that will be required to just to maintain our status.
I may well be a glass half empty supporter, but then, I did watch my first game in ’59. It’s been a roller-coaster ride and my experience tells me that City’s present position, both on and off the pitch, needs to be savoured.