Gary Gowers

From minute one to minute ninety-four we were the better side, showed the greater desire, created more chances and even passed the ball better than our North London hosts. There were good performances all across the park but special mention should go to Bradley Johnson who has responded magnificently to the challenge put before him, in the shape of Alexander Tettey…

‘As we all know, the be all and end all of cup competition is to get yourself in the hat for the next round – and this was achieved without risking injury to the likely starting XI at White Hart Lane. Very much of a case of ‘Job done!’ I’d say.

The goal itself was a beauty and I understand even had Paul Merson eulogising on Sky Sports (quite an achievement for us). The one-touch passing and Anthony Pilkington’s perfect cross was a joy to watch, and as Simeon Jackson’s header hit the back of the net the relief around the ‘old place’ was palpable….

Between three and five o’clock I’m afraid to say our heroes in yellow and green fell foul of my wrath. No lack of effort I grant you, but how dare they provide Messrs Redknapp (J), Merson and Co with ammunition to back up their poorly researched and feeble opinions…

With Chris Hughton starting with the same XI for the final two warm-up games it does not take a genius to work out his thinking. In order to best accommodate the skills of Robert Snodgrass he looks to be toying with the idea of playing Holt up top on his own with the Scottish international playing just off him…

Such was the comfort with which they retained possession – even allowing for the relatively modest pre-season tempo – there were most likely occasions when the fourth official must have been tempted to throw on another ball for City to play with…

But here is a lad who could reportedly run the 100m in 11.5 seconds as a 13 year-old – the fastest for that age group in the country at the time. And now we’re not asking him to be lightening over 100m… just 20m will do fine, especially if that means him leaving a lumbering centre-back in his wake…

Either way, there is no denying that these are heady days to be a City fan. (I hesitated to use the word heady as the last time I heard this used by a Norwich supporter was in a Munich bar soon after that 2-1 win, and we all know the story that followed. But there is no better word to describe this current time).

It was clear from his first Press conference as a Norwich City employee that Hughton knew the value of Holt to the club and, in many ways, from that moment the die was cast. The new manager’s determined yet gentle aura impressed many at that first outing and it’s fair to assume that Holt was equally enthused…

A solid, versatile defender who has played for his country over 20 times, he clearly ticks many of the boxes on the Hughton checklist – not least adding some experience to a relatively young back line now minus the know-how of ‘Hall of Famer’, Adam Drury…

On that basis, it’s difficult to read too much into the Premier League’s latest offering other than to conclude that we need to reach the 40-point mark before the final game of the season – only a complete masochist would want to rely on three points at the Etihad on the final day to stay up…

The fact that McNally and co did their business so early and so clinically should now count as a blessing, as they now have the rest of the close-season to prepare for 2012/13 with a degree of comfort and stability….

That he’s now already seen as an integral part of ‘Team Hughton’ speaks volumes for his standing within the game. The bloke clearly knows a good player when he sees one and we’re lucky to have him back….

Unlike our former manager, our current chief executive does indeed appear to have the canny knack of saying just what we want to hear – even more canny when it just so happens to be the right thing at the right time…

Some argue that On The Ball City is something of a dirge, but to all those doubters – be proud that we have a song that resonates so deeply with us, and us alone. Yes, it may be considered a bit of a dirge, but it’s our dirge…