I have to venture into the City around once a fortnight for business and I’m sure I’m not alone in that amongst the MFW fraternity – a few of you poor devils will have to go in every day for work, of course.
There’s something to be said for what is more or less retirement I guess, as it means I don’t have to go to Norwich on non-matchdays all that often these days, although I always enjoy it when I do.
Mrs P enjoys a snout around the shops, so we normally park in Anglia Square. I peg it up to London Street while she enjoys the dubious delights of QD, Roys or the Lanes while also dropping into some charity shops looking for things she can upcycle. If she’s got a few bob, she might divert into Jarrolds on occasions
This generally means I have exactly an hour to perform my own necessary transactions. Racing back to the car in mid-October I happened to notice an NCFC training jacket in the window of the new St Martin’s charity outlet with the letters *SW* on it. It was a Monday and the shop was shut. I kind of forgot about it.
This time last week my meeting at Bank Plain was so short and sweet that I had time to venture to the market to hopefully see the Bowles family at On the Stall City to buy one of their misprinted NCFC tops for two whole quid. I wanted it to cut the badge off to sew on to a plain black quilted jacket of mine. But stall #13 was closed.
Somewhat disappointed, I headed back to Anglia Square and lo and behold – the St Martin’s shop was open. I thought I’d go in and ask what happened to the *SW* coat and was told by the very friendly manager that it sold extremely quickly “for an undisclosed fee”. We had a chat and I asked him if he had any City shirt in any condition with the badge intact.
His assistant said “no chance”, adding that she’d never seen a NCFC item in the six weeks she had been working there apart from the mysterious ‘SW’ one – there was no confirmation from her that it was Stuart Webber’s either.
Then quite literally the curtains opened and a colleague who had obviously been earwigging behind them emerged from the plush velvet that shielded the back room and said: “This coat came in last night but the zip’s bust”.
Manager and assistant put their paws on said coat and confirmed the zip was as dysfunctional as me on the train back from Wembley in 2015. The badge was in the shadow style too so of no use to my nefarious purpose. The manager turned to me and said: “a couple of quid?” without any hope in his heart.
I gave him three, thinking it would make a good dog snuggle if nothing else.
Sue took one look and gave me some verbal for buying it but later had a second thought, remembering some mystical science she’d previously picked up online. It involved a pair of pliers and some candle wax.
Three paper McDonalds napkins and a two pence coin removed from the pockets followed by a cool wash in the Bosch followed by a three day hang in the woodshed to dry and the beast will be available for me to wear against Southampton on Saturday, where Mystic Kev and others will see it in all it’s restored glory. And fully zipped up, too – it’ll be cold that day, for sure.
Genuinely out of boredom I looked online and discovered it’s still available to buy from the Canary Store for a considerably larger amount than three whole quid. It’s this season’s issue and is seriously warm with a great hood that actually serves its purpose, which not all official merch, from any club, does of course.
I think I’d better drop a further donation into St Martin’s cos if you get lucky, remember where your luck came from.
This music clip arrives courtesy of probably the finest lyricist of my generation.
That was a gentle little read Mr P, a very pleasant change from some of the noise we are seeing. Especially the one where a outlet already knows who Deano will be buying in January. A player I think many of us would be more than happy with Conor Hourihane, one I hoped Farke would turn to .
Had I had known I have an old shirt that got spoiled and another my lad grew out of, you could have Gladly had for your sewing expertise or that of the good lady.
Sure you can get my email from the records if you would still require,
Hi Lad
That’s really kind of you but I’ll pick up a badge soon enough – if not I will indeed let you know 🙂
As for sewing I’m a dab hand with buttons but you’ve caught me out on the badge sides of things – I CAN do it, but Sue’s literally 10 times quicker than me!
Thanks a lot!
‘They seek him here…’
Love insights like this. Great stuff, Martin.
Also, 10 points to The Kinks for coming up with the word ‘Carnabytian’.
Hi Chris
Ray Davies is superb and the *Carnabytian Army* certainly one of his best!
That world has gone, but his take on the social scene of the time will forever remain with us. I love it when he slips into that faux Etonian accent, as he sometimes did.
Check out *Well Respected Man*!
Cheers
Know the song very well. Visited Carnaby Street in the 1980s in my young teens and bought a pretty comprehensive double compilation album called ‘Spotlight on the Kinks’. On vinyl of course in those days. It had a lot of listens. Favourite song? Tears of a Clown. Very atmospheric.
Another Kinks-related connection, was my mum and dad saw them when they were teenagers when they were young and out and about. Where? Heacham would you believe. That’s in the days when bands used to get out and about playing small venues across the country in addition to record sales for a living.
(PS. Personal opinion but small venues are fantastic. Stadium gigs are a waste of time. Same goes for seeing stand-ups. Unless you see them at a 150-300 person venue, you miss the whole show.)
My favourite is Waterloo Sunset, closely followed by Sunny Afternoon.
Couldn’t agree with you more about the small venues. Growing up in London I was a member at both the Marquee and Dagenham Roundhouse – it was worth it as I went so often to both. I saw some phenomenal bands at those places over the years.
City-wise I still go to the Waterfront & Arts Centre now and again and the Nick Raynes too of course, although the UEA LCR isn’t really that small a venue..
First groupI saw was Flash at Redbridge Tech and the most recent Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats at the Waterfront. With almost exactly 50 years between them.
It’s the bands I saw in between that really count for me though 🙂
I guess that it will be very similar Norwich as before, because there is nothing what is broken. Lack of quality cant be fixed. just like that.
Same way lack of quality resulted end of Finland dream of world cup. Expected goals vs France were counted 0,43-0,48 so 0-0 would have been correct score, that would not have been enough for Finland. Finland started to take more risks during second half and actually about 10 first minutes Finland kept ball and France was forced to defend. Hradecky would have saved Benzemas shot, but Väisänen put his leg on it and it deflected to net. Hradecky commented that he cant complain things like that happening, because so many time defenders have blocked shots on dangerous areas during this qualification. 0-2 was superb quality by Mbabbe, it was easy to predict problems coming when Robert Taylor came to play. Hradecky commented that he slightly slipped, but Mbabbes shot was high quality shot. Finland is difficult to play against, but we are not able to create enough or any scoring chances against top class countries. Its amazing that Deschamps said before first Finland game that their game plan is to make sure that Finland does not get any scoring chances because strikers are so dangerous. They made it 2 times, not a single scoring chance. France didnt had many scoring chance either. Finland plays next time qualification game 1,5 years time. People who watch only qualification and major tournaments, its long break without football. No wonder so many people have today mental hangover.
Hi 1×2
I think many Norwich supporters have taken the Huuhkajat to their hearts, largely because of Teemu Pukki – and a pretty cool jersey as well 🙂
It is a shame to see Finland bow out but with France in your group and also Ukraine it was always going to be a very big ask.
You are right when you say that eighteen months is a long time without football that you are really enthused about to go to or watch on TV.
As for Norwich it will be interesting to see what Dean Smith does. It is his first day with the players today which does not give him much time before Southampton on Saturday but the team selection will be very interesting.
Do we have quality? Yes we do. Do we have enough quality? I am not so sure.
Kiitos
Hi 1X2,
I disagree with you a bit regarding things being broken at NCFC, I believe the team’s confidence and self-belief took a fall when our campaign in the Premier League this season began – and after the first four fixtures it took a while to restore.
We effectively had two groups of players to weld together in what is probably the toughest league in the world of football. We are less broken now courtesy of two fighting draws, and one fighting win. Super-Teemu, and Normann scored good goals against Brentford, there will be more goals to come from our squad.
I believe Smith and Shakespeare will keep NCFC up, and I equally believe our squad has more than enough quality to stay in the Premier League.
Finland had a tough ask last night, you were up against one of the best international teams in the world. – France. You are disappointed, no doubt, but France are a class act, and your team will have gathered a lot of knowledge for the future.
Hi Martin.
A little over 6 weeks and the transfer season will start and as above there is already Villa castoffs already attracting interest.
Will Sheffield United return to sender or will they give him game time but how will that effect both Cantwell and Gilmour at least we can rest peacefully knowing we will not have become the Chelsea B team.
Dean and Shakespeare could start a new trend if the rumours coming out from Bodmoore are true that Villa’s training sessions never started till 12pm allowing players to do school runs and have mornings with there wives instead afternoon bonding in the local or on the golf course.
Come Saturday at 5pm it will be praising of the appointment or WTF have we gone and done from pundits and both the Farke out and Stay brigades.
Many are predicting the next 3 games as a make or break for our season but it’s also going to be a big learning curve for everyone and let’s hope we come out the right side.
Good read and I hope the new attire keeps you warm
Stay Safe and Keep Healthy
OTBC
Hi Alex
Conor Hourihane could be useful as I’ve always quite liked him but Villa have spent a lot on their midfield so he’s probably surplus there.
If we end up in the Championship yet again I’d take him in a flash and now Daniel has departed his age of 30 shouldn’t be a stumbling block so we’ll have to wait and see.
I read about the training times at Bodymoor Heath as well and I’m honestly not too sure if I believe that tale. A 12 noon start is not ideal [most clubs surely begin with a meeting over a light breakfast?] but if it happens it would put an end to DF’s double sessions and that’s for sure and I bet the players would like that!
As much as I’m looking forward to sporting my new coat on Saturday I have no idea how we’re likely to approach the game any more than the jacket does.
Cheers
Well Martin after the relief of not getting Lampard and the disappointment in my heart of not getting Kjetil Knutsen , I feel as though the appointment of Dean Smith could be a bit of a lambert type era again for the club .
Also very pleasing that he was a centre back ! Oh yes he was )
Hi Jim
Yes indeed Dean Smith was a centre back – but so were Bruce & Allardyce 🙂
A bit of the spirit of the Lambert era would do us no harm at all.
Cheers
Look forward to seeing it and you Saturday hope you’re found matching trousers and shoes too 😃😃
Hi Kev
Nah!
Same old jeans and Nikes mate.
See you Saturday.
Hi Martin. Pleased you used St Martins shop to bag a bargain. I am chair of Trustees at St Martins so I will be looking out for your donation.
I hope DS is a lucky manager to add to the new manager bounce and we pick up 3 points against Southampton. Hopefully a good atmosphere on Saturday.
Hi Colin
That must be quite a responsibility but hopefully a satisfying one. Small world!
Whoever fitted out the shop has done a terrific job and the guy in charge when I went in was a really cheery guy with a great sense of humour.
The atmosphere later on today should be off the Richter scale,
Cheers [I won’t forget a donation the next time I’m passing the shop] 🙂