When I read Stewart Lewis’ piece about he and his wife Barbara’s discussions on all things NCFC, it struck a few chords and, in many places, gave me a fit of the giggles – as did some of the comments thereafter.
It made me realise that when your partner is also a City supporter, perspectives can be quite different, but my experiences have been slightly different to Stewart’s.
My good lady, Sue, is a Norwich girl through and through, born in Livingstone Street, and has followed City all her life. She taught this “incomer” – I’m not really but that’s another story – what it means to put your parts on, be a big ninny and the history of “Black Anna” and several more of the City pubs and more splendid buildings. And much more besides.
We were both individually at Wembley in 1985, 15 years before we met.
However, she thinks tactics are those overpriced plastic containers of mints on sale at petrol stations. Tiki-taka? Probably a rare bamboo (she’s a keen gardener).
But her philosophy is so refreshing. She wants us to score goals, not concede them and thus win matches. She knows the players of course and reads the game in a totally different way to me. Sue can spot a player who isn’t putting a shift in better than I can. Can’t she Nelson?
Best thing is though, when the game’s over, there’s no sulking from her side – if we lost, we lost. Move on. She’s got pictures to paint, dogs to walk and all the other things she enjoys so much more than football. She’s Norwich and proud but that’s really where it begins and ends. So, I can wallow in my own depression without having to discuss too much in detail.
Sue very rarely accompanies me these days apart from the odd away trip, but she knows exactly the mood I’ll be in when I get home from a match. I’m usually greeted with “I told you so”, “Bet that was good” or occasionally “Why do you keep spending your money on that carp”.
She doesn’t often read my articles let alone proofread them, so poor old editor Gary is my only shield against typos. Something tells me she might read this one though.
She’s certainly had her moments.
Through circumstances, I went to the Boro play-off final on my own. I met lots of folks I knew both around and in the ground of course. I was so knackered that day I had to get a cab back home from the train station. When I crawled through the door I found Geezer the dog resplendent in an NCFC shirt – she had bought a child’s size from a charity shop and as soon as the whistle blew she ran it up on the sewing machine and there it was. A wonderful thing to come home to.
Then there was the abortive play-off final in Cardiff. Possibly the only time we’ve ever gone away on a coach. It was organised by the Hellesdon Bull and we had an overnight stop in the H*l*d*y Inn in Bristol. When the coach driver slung us out in Cardiff at about half eleven in the morning the pubs were already heaving and the bouncers were not letting any more people in. Anywhere. Suddenly she spotted that green and white sign 200 yards away – a H*l*d*y Inn. In we went but their doormen said no chance. Quick as a flash she produced our old room card with finger carefully located over the word “Bristol” and we were in.
Now I would never have thought of that.
The place was full of Bluenoses, but we found a Norwich table to sit at and enjoyed a thoroughly pleasant pre-match libation or six with some top-notch City supporters. Actually, the Brummie fans were great company too for what it’s worth.
And the youth cup matches (Forest and Chelsea home, Chelsea away) we went to were probably the most enjoyable City games we went to together.
To veer slightly back to Stewart’s piece, there is one discussion we do have at home on an occasional but consistent basis. Regular MFW readers will know I am not exactly an active supporter of the Smith regime, but Sue defends Delia to the hilt. We argue about lots of things (don’t we all) but she is quite an admirer. It stops short of vitriolic as it must, but it can get a little heated on occasions.
Sometimes she puts her parts on.
I do like the dog’s shirt, better to write than the Dog’s Bollards. My partner follows a little but the finer points of team selection, tactics (if there are any) she listens to my raving of how they should have played with interest. When she had had enough she asks what was that offside rule again. ? If I value my gonads and want some tea,. I know it is time to shurrup.
But during the world cup I found myself being beat with comments like why is Harry playing so deep, is Ashley Young a reall full back , and why the hell are that going backwards again. So I guess is she listen’s intently or is swotting up. When it is over she goes back to music and singing ( she is a member of a Rock Choir) or reparing her orders to submitt for Body Shop, being fair I ask and listen about the different products in her orders. Anyone want a Citrus Body Yogart ?
Hi Lad
Actually it’s a $hite picture of the dog’s shirt taken that night – she quickly adjusted it so the badge now features on his chest. We haven’t got one for the Jack Russell, which as a little nipper wouldn’t be too conducive to the fitting process.
We had similar conversations during the World Cup but I’ll credit Sue for understanding the offside rule, which she does.
“Why are we going backwards again?” is a common theme I can empathise with. I’ve heard it more than once myself!
I guess we are many in number. I met my wife when stationed at Coltishall in 1964 and she introduced me to NCFC. She has supported them since she was a girl and talks of her scarf she knitted with the cup run team names on. We have only lived in Norfolk for a few of our 50 odd years of marriage so have mostly been remote supporters. I would say she is less critical than I am but soon loses patience with some of the referees we get. Like me she hates the Farke tip tap stuff and really dislikes the canary call moaners.
We tend to like the same sort of players and hope Dolly is on his bike soon. We tolerate the Smiths and think we need to use the home grown talent a bit more. Unlike me she would give Farke more than 8 games to prove he can do the job.
Hi Cyprus
I lived in Coltishall for 15 years and often enjoyed a beer with some of the guys from the base in the Red Lion. Happy days indeed.
Guess it’s fair to say Canary Call is an acquired taste. If I don’t drive I have an hour’s walk home from the ground after a game so I listen to it sometimes while doing so.
More than once as I’ve crossed the Wensum near the Ribs I’ve seriously considered slinging the phone in the river. Luckily common and financial sense has thusfar prevailed.
Thanks for the comment.
Wonderful to see you have someone that keeps you balanced and sane there Martin! And I wish we could all put bad matches and runs behind us like that….
Thanks Michael
Sue’s attitude towards NCFC, cultivated over 50 years, is to expect nothing and if all unexpectedly goes well enjoy to the full.
As to whether she keeps me balanced and sane, that’s quite another story:-)
Martin a good read and pleased that you and many like you have someone to dicuss and digest things about city with.
As I have mentioned before my wife is a Man U supporter and my 3 sons all spurs but the middle son Daz with and has talked all things city with me and gone to many home and away games, he is the one for tactics and I am more for the preformances of the team.
During games the 2 oldest will whatsapp me having a good groan when city conceed and cheer if city are winning and all the family will support them against Ipswich and when in the Premiership fully support them except against there own teams.
I am like you where the Smiths are concerned it is now time to go with a fond farewell and a thankyou for the memories, I just don’t want them leaving to put supportes against each other.
The squad is taking shape Wildshut gone but could be back next summer.
Reading supporters are in cloud cuckoo land want Oliveria and hoping they can mug city by offering £2/4m .
Martin will again be loaned out I just don’t see where there is a club willing to take that gamble
Jarvis the ever lasting conundrum it was mentioned that insurance would cover all cost incurred while he isn’t playing.
My question is injury insurance only has a limited life maybe 12/18months but surely they would have advised the club that he might just never play again at this level again and surely an specialist would have suggested that the length of time this is taking to heal just might have a detrimental effect on his health later in life.
Well with Leicester having purchased Ward from Liverpool it seems city will now have to persevere with Mathews or Mcgovern in goal unless they can sign Krul on a free or loan another potential Gunn for the season.
There has been quite a few moans about Remi in the pre season games, yes he has had a couple of errors but his defence has swapped and changed during games to give game time to them all and Hanley hasn’t played yet.
If another goalie is to come in he will have a similar settling in period to get to know his defenders maybe we should try for Allison at Liverpool this will help him find his feet.
Thanks Alex
As I’ve said many times before on MFW, Spurs are a very “active” second team of mine so it could be worse for you!
Half a dozen doors down from us when we’re in the City neighbour Sean glory-hunted (I mean adopted) Man U at an early age, and then married Debbie who is a proper Mancunian Citizen. Their son supports NCFC.
I wouldn’t want to be in their house on a dark night!
As for the keeper conundrum I simply don’t know. I had hoped Remi would shine but apparently he hasn’t on tour. I have little faith in McGovern. Like most of us I really like to see a player in action before I judge him and I really haven’t seen much of the boy Matthews so I’ll wait and see. I doubt we’d be able to go for Tim Krul tbh (wages).
As for Jarvis I fear that horse bolted a long while ago. A bit like leaving a Mini Metro on your driveway with a “free to take away” sign on it. Six months later it’s still there.
Good comment as ever.
Strange comments about a player you have loaned out twice
We thought there wouldn’t be that many chances for Yanic to be involved. I am a little sad because he is one of the nicest guys I have worked with.
“He is always in a good mood and to be honest he offers something with his pace and he can create situations with his crazy dribbling. We wish him all the best and hope he has a successful team at Bolton.
Suerly if you rate his skill why not utilise them in stead of sending him out on loan
I wouldn’t want to come between a man and his wife, but regarding the Wynn Jones’s I’m definitely in the middle.
(I say Wynne Jones’s, not just Delia, because whilst she is naturally the public face of the club, the one everyone knows, he is the businessman – and I would be very surprised if behind closed doors he is as much a driving force as she is).
On the one hand I very much like that the club has genuine fan owners. The fact is that there is a much better connect between the NCFC owners and fans than in many clubs these days. The work that they did off the field in the early years of ownership is long forgotten now, but ever since then it has been noticeable how few fans slip away when there is a relegation, even to league 1. We have a good stadium, decent facilities, and a friendly atmosphere.
On the other hand the reality is that they haven’t made a particularly good fist of it in terms of league positions. Their first dozen years in particular were pretty poor – 1 season in the PL, 2 top-6 finishes in the second tier, that’s all. It took 7 years to reach the Premier League and within another 5 we were back in League One.
Things have generally been better since then, even though it may not feel like it right now. It’s no coincidence in my view that the most successful years they have seen coincided with McNally’s presence and even though he’s been gone a while I suspect they learned a fair bit in that period. I was doubtful about Ed Balls when he came in as chairman but I suspect his advice and influence have had been generally beneficial – and has been taken on board by Michael and Delia.
Yes, we’ve gone backwards for a couple of years. But I like the new structure. Webber’s approach in the transfer market seems spot on. It’s just a question of whether Farke can get the best out of his squad – if he can’t, I’m pretty sure Webber will look for someone else.
Like everyone else I hope we can play some more attacking football than last year. I prefer patiently holding on to the ball to running into trouble and giving it away cheaply (remember Daryl Russell anyone?) but it does need 2 or 3 in the front third to bust a gut to make things happen, otherwise the midfielders may as well dribble round the centre circle all day. We will know things are improving if they’ve learned to break through the well organised “come-for-a-draw” merchants (such as Burton last year) .
I’ve even decided to forsake golf for a week and get across the country for the first home game. Very much looking forward to it.
NB There didn’t seem to be significantly more tickets available for members and casual fans than last year when I looked at WBA availability, so I assume that again there’s been a pretty high uptake on season tickets..
Excellent thoughts, Keith. And a fine piece from Martin – happy if I in any way inspired it.
Surely there are some more domestic stories out there to be told?
You make some great points there Keith. I fully expect the WBA game to be stacked out. After all most of us haven’t really seen the new guys play yet so the curiosity factor alone should guarantee a sell-out.
I particularly agree with your observations on McNally and Webber.
Thanks for your comment.
Really good post, Keith… very good indeed. And hard to disagree with a single word of it tbh.