As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for.
I decided the best way to introduce myself was to tell you about the matches that have made my career as a Norwich City supporter to date, starting with the double promotions of 2010 and 2011, leading all the way up to now. With such a great task at hand I enlisted the help of six fans to tell the stories with me, and today it’s the turn of 2015’s play-off final victory over Middlesbrough. As this was, for many, a family affair, I spoke to my dad Rob about his experiences of the day and the match.
It’s the pinnacle of English football, the grandest stage, even the name used in the playground when a number of children fight it out to see who can bundle the ball into the net first and advance to the next round: ‘Wembley’.
The destination for the play-off final on 25 May 2015, when Norwich City made their first visit to its most recent football stadium, descending in their masses for the first time since 1985.
“I obviously remember the big thing of getting out at Wembley station and walking down Wembley Way, experiencing that for the first time”, Rob said. “There was a really positive atmosphere and we had positive exchanges with the Middlesbrough fans; they were understandably confident”.
An important piece of context to add to the game is that Middlesbrough had beaten Norwich twice in the season already with an aggregate score of 5-0. They knew it was within them to beat this City side. There was a feeling that, although the Canaries had gone into the play-offs a place above Boro in the table, they were still underdogs.
After twelve minutes the deadlock was broken, and it was a famously key goal. Midway through Cameron Jerome dispossessing Daniel Ayala the commentary had started to detail how good Boro were when they scored first.
“After we’d scored, I don’t think I ever felt we were going to lose”, says Rob, “I can’t think of many occasions when I haven’t been frightful at some point”.
Part of Middlesbrough’s inability to come back into the game was Aitor Karanka’s famously negative approach. His side had clearly come to score first and sit behind the ball, but a seemingly (at least partially) injured Patrick Bamford didn’t help their chances of finding an equaliser.
My dad recalls Bamford’s injury almost instantly when I ask him what he remembers about the match itself. He had been a particularly painful thorn in the side of Norwich fans earlier in the season.
“He was a key player for Middlesbrough and Karanka decided to play him, being integral to the system, but he was clearly not fit and really not in any shape or form appropriate to play”.
Three minutes later and the task got even greater for the Teesside club. It’s not hard to imagine how I was feeling when Nathan Redmond smashed the ball into the net at the opposite end of the ground.
I’m sure a number of those reading this have spouses and families, and so are obligated to choose ‘wedding day’ or ‘children being born’ as the greatest moments of your lives. I have no such obligation and have therefore happily listed this as the greatest moment in my life many-a-time.
I remember bragging to my school friends that my team had scored a Barcelona-like goal to take them to the Premier League. I was mercilessly mocked a year later when they were relegated instead of the European place I had predicted.
Anyway, that’s enough of the negativity and the fussing over what followed the promotion, and back to the joyful celebrations.
Sometimes the beauty of football is how it brings people together, as highlighted when my dad described his celebrations for the second goal: “When Norwich scored I had this random guy jumping all over me and then when we scored the second I returned the favour by jumping all over him”.
One of my favourite moments in the day was staring at the black jumper Dad had on under his Norwich shirt, wondering why the hood was covered in yellow and green smudges. The puzzle was solved when I looked over at the mystery man and his long, thick beard, originally painted a bright half yellow and half green, now a mixture of both in the middle.
While the day provided a lot to remember off the pitch (right up to my meal deal on the day – chicken, bacon and lettuce sandwich, Doritos and orange Lucozade, if you’re interested), it was also immaculate on it. Wes Hoolahan provided what Rob describes as a “classic number 10” performance, Sebastien Bassong was solid as ever and even the likes of Steven Whittaker looked like prime Farkeball operatives on the day.
For many of us, especially those who weren’t around in the heydays of Chris Sutton, Bayern Munich and Premier League title challenges, this was the very pinnacle of supporting Norwich City Football Club.
Just the sort of day you want when 40,000 of us pile into London together.
A great day, Samuel, and my fourth trip to Wembley to watch City. The first two ended in disappointment, the third was a great day out (the Sunderland fans were great, even swapping scarves at 50 mph on the A1 on the way home), and the fourth was equally joyous.
For the Boro’ game, we parked on someone’s drive (£6.00, very reasonable) a couple of stations away from Wembley, and had some great banter with the Boro fans on the way to the stadium on the tube. Most of them were quite gracious on the way back, too, though just outside the stadium there was some moron near the coach park wanting to pick a fight with any City supporters walking past. Fortunately, his mates had more sense, and restrained him.
I also had the disappointment in Cardiff, too.
Cardiff was as awful as that particular Wembley was brilliant. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Worthington for bringing on Sutchy just as Birmingham got that corner – you just don’t do that.
I can’t believe Sunderland was 35 years ago!
My personal worst involved Sunderland – that defeat at Hillsborough 🙁
Yes, I was at Hillsborough, too, but I felt worse after the one at Villa Park, although the pain of loosing to Everton went out of the window when we heard what had happened in the other semi.
Luckily I was just about too young for Cardiff, I imagine I would’ve been absolutely heartbroken. I also remember how pleasant the Boro fans were, seemed up for discussions before the match and took defeat graciously afterwards
Hi Samuel – another good one.
My memories are similar to Dad Rob’s but I’ll add a few of my own for what they’re worth.
Our company HQ was on Wembley Park Drive until 1992 so I knew the area like the back of my hand. Off the tube, into the Torch for a few and onto the ground. The first and so far only time I have ever been to the *new* Wembley.
Karanka & Co deciding to turn up late. Arrogance, stupidity, I don’t know what brought that decision forth but it was the wrong one.
Bradders hitting the bar early on and Boro instantly responding likewise. You’ve described the goals perfectly so I won’t add to that but suffice to say I was on the half way line and had a fantastic view of both of them.
Meeting what seemed like half of Coltishall [where I lived then] in the bar at half time and every one of us just knew that we would hold on and win.
As the trains were stopping and starting from Stratford that day I left on the final whistle and ended up on the Metropolitan line with a host of Boro fans but they were very, very decent folks and I happily stood amongst them with another City fan nattering all the way back to I guess Euston.
And slept all the way from about Chelmsford to Thorpe 🙂
Thanks Martin. I’ve been one other time, to watch England- nowhere close to the feeling of watching Norwich play there. I’d forgotten them turning up late but now I remember it being quite a big thing, and some of the players and Alex Neil saying afterwards that they thought Boro’s lack of preparation had a real impact on the eventual result
Hi Samuel
Its interesting for me that you refer to wedding days. The game was 25th May 2015. Exactly 30 years earlier I married Liz, so the match coincided with a big anniversary for us. Discretion is the better part of valor so I opted to drop our 2 sons at the tube then spend the day in London with Liz. To be honest i was so wound up that romance went out the window! I recall standing by the Thames with my arms aloft when I heard the final score. I’m glad our sons experienced such a fantastic day. Some friends thought i was mad to prioritise the 2 loves of my life as I did but I still recall the day with a lot of happiness.
Keep up the good work.
Hi Richard, gutted for you in a way but that is a great story to tell, can imagine some of the looks you got for your full-time celebration!
Thanks Samuel-yes people did stare!!
Milk Cup 1985 (aged 16) European Run, Double promotion but oh what a day as you describe in your piece. Pure and emotionally draining joy. Never mention Cardiff. OTBC.
Milk Cup 1985 (aged 16) European Run, Double promotion but oh what a day as you describe in your piece. Pure and emotionally draining joy. Never mention Cardiff. OTBC.