“Where are you from?”
I’ve given many different answers to that question. Not because I’m a compulsive liar or a spook with multiple identities (I wouldn’t have made a good spy, especially once the other side worked out how ticklish I am).
No, it’s because the answer varies according to where I am and who I’m talking to. In some situations the only sensible answer seems to be “England” or “the UK”. Much of the time, happily, “Norfolk” can be a meaningful answer; if there’s room for follow-up, then “Great Yarmouth”.
If I’m in more knowledgeable company, “Gorleston” can come into play. And with good Norfolk friends, such as Mr and Mrs Dennis, we can get down to street level (it’s Avondale Road, where my mum still lives).
Until recently, I’d leave it there. I’m proud of my Norfolk roots and feel the strongest affinity for our county, but I’d leave it to others to eulogise about their home areas. Boasting isn’t part of our Norfolk character – and after all, it is very flat.
However, as I get older I’ve become more of an evangelist for Norfolk. I think it’s great, and others should know it. Actually, many do.
Some of these thoughts are prompted by the remarkable news, as I understand it, that Grant Holt is to relocate his family to Norfolk. I’d always respected his attachment to his native Cumbria and oft-stated desire to finish his career at Carlisle.
If true, the news is a surprise but hardly out of step with history. A succession of City players and managers coming from far corners of Britain (and beyond) have found a new home in Norfolk and stayed long beyond their obligation to the club.
This phenomenon gets a number of mentions in the newly-published Tales from the City. A flavour from Iwan’s chapter: “The first thing that hits you when travelling to Norwich is how far from everywhere the place is. After you’ve lived in Norfolk for a while you realise that’s a positive, not a negative”; “I still live in the Fine City of Norwich. Of course.”
I’m working my way through Tales from the City, enjoying every page. It has a wealth of snippets and insights to delight the City fan – not to mention the feature of the future Mrs Dennis that first caught the eye of our Mick.
Up to now I’ve studiously avoided mentioning Newcastle, of course. There’s been plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth over that one, with some justice. I’ll only offer two thoughts:
– If an opposition midfielder scores four goals, most of them without any of your own midfielders in sight, then your overall set-up wasn’t right
– If we’d bought an expensive defender and played him instead of Russell Martin on Sunday, how much difference would it have made? As I see it, little or none.
If Sunday reminded us that our 34-year-old manager is still learning, maybe that’s not a bad thing. I believe Alex Neil has star quality and hope he’s with us for a very long time. But he’s learning his trade at the top level. The good news is that – as our two games against Middlesbrough in the spring showed – he’s a very quick learner.
One side-issue from Sunday. The next day’s papers were full of debate and fury about the referee – not ours, of course, but Craig Joubert and his penalty decision against Scotland in the Rugby World Cup.
It was nowhere near as blatant an error as Anthony Taylor’s miss of the pull on our Jonny Howson as he prepared to head in from two yards at Newcastle. That was bad, but I’m still happy the FA didn’t follow the example of World Rugby and announce that the referee was wrong.
Though no doubt well-intentioned, that doesn’t help anyone and sets a terrible precedent.
Norfolk has some mixed memories for me – the school cross-country run along the Yarmouth sea-wall in winter isn’t the best – but I still get a warm shiver every time I drive past the sign welcoming me back to Nelson’s County.
Other counties have their heroes, of course, but we have a good one in Lord Nelson (technically, Viscount Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe). I don’t know if he had to do the school cross-country, but he did once say something about every man being expected to do his duty – as Norwich fans, a thought worth reflecting on.
If Norwich is a long way from anywhere, Carlisle must almost be “edge of the Earth” territory!
I can’t claim to be a son of Norfolk either, but it’s a great county with welcoming folk and will always be a home from home for me.
Speaks volumes that a Northerner such as Holty is relocating to Nelson country. Most clubs draw back an old boy from time to time but if you add in the likes of Iwan, Hucks, Adams, Holt (Gary) etc. – none of whom hail from the area, it shows the emotional grip that the club and city have.
Martin Peters stayed on after too for a while, even turning out for Gorleston FC for a season.
Ironic that one of the ‘sons’ of the county, Danny Mills, can’t find a decent word to say about his hometown club!
While Alan Partridge is very funny, it has perpetuated that tired old tag of sleepy and backward Norfolk. As for location/transport arguments, it’s not like the only journey is a 3 day one via horse and cart.
‘We’ were voted first in the 20 ‘classiest’ counties in the UK – poor old Suffolk didn’t make it onto the list;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/counties-of-britain/10862875/Britains-20-classiest-counties.html?frame=2925321
I think a lot of Northerners agree with this. When I was up there at the weekend I heard many of them saying in reference to Norwich, ‘Norfolk enchants.’ How right they were.
I all seriousness, though, classiest county in the country? My word. What was I thinking when I left for London?! I certainly do miss the place and have many happy memories, including a very frequent drive along Avondale Road in Gorleston to see my girlfriend, who lived on Upper Cliff Road. I’d happily move back there and I don’t see it being long before I do.
This article started off so well, then flopped like a squid diving off the top board at St Augustine’s on to an asbestos slab. Yes, of course a quality defender would have made a difference…what an odd thing to say. Top teams have them for a reason! That’s just an easy way of saying, ‘let’s stick with the same old poor defenders and hope for the best’ instead of acting on it. And yes, the rugby powers were right to admit the referee was wrong (“terrible precendent”? Huh?). It makes you realise they are simply humans who make mistakes. Football would be far less infuriating if this occured and means the referees themselves have to learn from their mistakes instead of carrying on regardless knowing they will be backed, no matter how dreadful they perform. Your article started well and finished in a rather odd fashion (similar to Cedric Anselin’s career – who also stayed in Norwich after the cessation of his contractual obligations).
Thanks for the comments – including yours, Toad (4).
I’m not arguing against the signing of quality defenders – as we clearly tried hard to achieve in the last window, and will try again in January. But much of the reaction to Sunday has been ‘blame your least favourite defender’ (Martin, Whittaker, Ruddy etc). Of course they didn’t excel, but I saw a set-up which gave them little or no help. It was a collective failure, including the manager.
Russell Martin could be criticised for one of the last two goals, by which time we’d abandoned all attempt to shut off attacks.
Think about the referee situation. Next time there’s a controversial decision, the rugby authorities will be expected to judge (with the benefit of 50 slow-mo replays) whether the ref was right, and if not to hang him out to dry. Do we really think that would be healthy in football?
Cosmo (2) – I really don’t know what we’ve done to so upset Danny Mills. Thank goodness he’s a very rare exception.
Toad(4) – “Your article started well and finished in a rather odd fashion.” – bit like your comment!
Top defenders are like hens’ teeth in the modern game. I’m sure Alex will try to strengthen in January but I don’t see too many better ones itching to get away from their current clubs.
Footy needs more video technology to guide refs on the big decisions but there will always be contentious points – managers (particularly that crushing bore Mourinho) have to bite the bullet and not moan so much – leave it to the fans.
I’m still bloody furious at Jerome’s disallowed goal on day 1.
Ben K(3) – is that what’s known as ‘Northern humour’?
Of course Norfolk has its classy areas but also some which are rougher than a badger’s backside – no names, no pack drill.
Is it blasphemous to say I’ve never been to Gorleston? It’s on the bucket list.
Ash (7) – All I can say is that you haven’t lived…
The best way to improve standards of refereeing (other than technology) is to encourage people to become referees. Public finger-pointing from their own employers would not be helpful. There’s a chronic shortage of refs at grass-roots level, and that’s a real shame. Bad for the game.
I must say how good it was to hear a proper Norfolk accent on MOTD2 when Sutton was invited to comment on the Newcastle game. When was the last time a Norfolk accent was heard on the BBC?