The omens were not good. I set out for The Carra dressed as an old scarfer (I’m sixty today so I’m entitled to) because it was bloody freezing. The first gloves of the season were deployed. A few doors down a neighbour and big City fan was cleaning his taxi. “Going today?” I asked. “No. […]
Time for those in power in Carrow Road to take a long, hard look at this club’s direction of travel
Whatever happened to the heroes? Whatever happened to the heroes? No more heroes any more No more heroes any more Now I’m not daft enough to go on about Trotsky, Lenin and ice picks and my recreational habits are much more conventional (I would imagine) than those of Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers. But he […]
FOREST PREVIEW: Martin P talks Cloughie, Birtles and the Irish Maradona to an ‘uncrushed saboteur’
When a fervent Nottingham Forest supporter describes life’s delights thus: “Nottingham Forest are magic, as are Fab ice lollies. Muse also make the grade. I’m an editorial assistant, festival goer, uncrushed saboteur and bassist”, you just know he’s going to be interesting to talk to. This guy has also played football with Muse bass player Chris […]
Still work to be done (Part II). Discrimination still a thing at the Carra but the club doing all it can
I recently read a fine article on this site by Robin Sainty relating to racism rearing its ugly head at The Emirates. Robin wrote: Just about the last football club I would expect to appear in the national media in the context of a case of racism is Norwich City, yet, thanks to the efforts […]
We expected blips with our “new approach”, but three knockbacks in a row is a bit more than a “blip”
So it’s into (yet) another international break on the back of that most unwanted of hat-tricks: three Championship reverses on the bounce. Consensus amongst most of us of the yellow and green persuasion is that, for once, this break is welcome, if not only because this depleted squad has been running on vapour ever since […]
TROTTERS PREVIEW: Martin P chats to one of our own – Mr Tim Sheppard – about the Wanderers and all things Bolton
Tim Sheppard should need little introduction to NCFC supporters – particularly those of a certain vintage. Whether this is unique for a club physio I know not, but Tim was not only an inaugural inductee into the NCFC Hall of Fame, he was also given the honour of a Testimonial against the mighty Celtic, when […]
No shame in being beaten by a better team but still concerns there to be addressed
So, just how horrific was our Hallowe’en? The absence of Nelson Oliveira and the late withdrawal of Yanic Wildschut for personal reasons did not help to blow away any cobwebs left over from Derby, that’s for sure. The ghost of Jacob Marley Watkins flicking a header fractionally the wrong side of the post was enough […]
Focus on Wolves – from the inside. Don H talks to Martin P about all things Old Gold and Yellow
Regular visitors to MFW may recognise the name Don Harold, as one of the site’s regular commenters. With Don, in addition to being a massive City supporter, being a resident of Wolverhampton it made perfect sense to turn to him for an ‘inside’ view on the Wolves of the Black Country. I met him in […]
They’ve never felt more singing the (Maddison) blues, when Norwich win and Ipswich lose…
“The game was full of passion and emotion – (winning) was a sweet feeling.” – Daniel Farke. Well there’s no arguing with any of that. The records continue to tumble, we are unbeaten in eight, clean sheets away from home seem almost de rigeur and we are into the top six courtesy of a hard-fought […]
The Lambert years but under a different guise? Who knows but this collection of players do not and will not give up
A long throw from Marco Stiepermann, a flick-on from Cameron Jerome and what looked like a backheel from Nelson Oliveira and we nicked a well-deserved point in the over-run of injury time. The Lambert days are apparently back in a slightly different guise. Shades of Simeon Jackson and Derby. Because – this collection of players […]
What’s in a shirt? From the egg ‘n cress to the blue and white half ‘n half, it’s been… interesting
I read an article about Kate Moss the other day. Okay, I had a quick look at the photographs as well. The prose featured a long list of the fashion designers she had posed as a model for, including Jean-Paul McVeigh. I’m sure they got the spelling wrong in the newspaper. Now I am to […]
A message to Daniel: Beware the curse of Manager of the Month (not that you’ll worry either way)
My knowledge of Norse-Germanic mythology is pretty sketchy to be honest. I am sure Daniel Farke’s would prove far superior. However, unusually for me, I have done a little research and will attempt to read the runes. Andvaranaut was a magic ring named after the shape-shifting dwarf Andvari, and was also known as the EFL Manager of […]
Post-Millwall malcontent has evaporated. City not yet the free-scorers we all desire, but first things first
Have you ever been forced to deliver a “presentation” at work? Or even worse, been forced to sit through one given by somebody else that you don’t rate either professionally or personally? These “events” at my old company were so boring we used to print out “bullsh*t bingo” cards, i.e. if you heard phrases such […]
Message to Mr Wilder: If your objective is to bully others, you may want to think twice before trying it on us again
The Biter Bit: Someone or somebody who has caused harm to other people in the past who has retrospectively been hurt big time by those he wished to harm in the first place. A quote from some famous geezer I can’t trace c 1650. Go Wilder: Track on an old Tenpole Tudor album. Sample excerpt of lyrics: “Go Wilder, scream […]
No cutting edge but, equally, we never looked like conceding. Just one of those
Back in the day there was an arcade game called Breakout. It emerged a couple of years after Space Invaders and the objective was simple: put your, 20p or whatever it was then, in the slot and try to batter down a brick wall with a paddle. If you got through the wall, you could wreak havoc from […]
Those elusive leaders are slowly starting to emerge. Three more against Burton and we really will be up and running.
“It’s important that I’m a leader on the pitch and a strong person for the young lads. I need to bring the fighting spirit out of them.” Timm Klose. Well Timm, you made a fair old fist of that on Saturday and it was terrific to welcome you back. And talking of parts of the […]
We all love ’em – players with mayfly-like ability to light the old place up and burn brightly
Everyone has their favourite chippy – and indeed their favourite footballers. No Ian Crook link intended. My old boy was a typical man of his era in that as much as he “loved” my mother there were (many) times he couldn’t wait to escape from her. Very early one sunny morning he said “come on […]
Old doubts starting to resurface for some? How much P word will it take?
Back in 1973 when most MFW readers and writers were in nappies, there was an ambitious band called Queen, previously known as Smile. They recruited Freddie Mercury (aka Bulsara), changed their name and released a single called Keep Yourself Alive. It bombed. A single from the second album Queen II – possibly the finest example of […]
Evolution takes time, as will the ‘Webberlution’. We have to stick with it
Back in the Dark Ages when I was at school, we had a science teacher called Graeme Penman. He was a Kiwi with a fantastic sense of humour and also the Junior Colts cricket coach. Nets with him were fun, and his lessons were more than bearable even if, like me, you were utter wallaby […]
Zimmers dominating, the artistry of Wessi & Maddison, and a confident Angus. What’s not to like?
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed last night – a well-marshalled defence in which Christoph Zimmermann was outstanding, the artistry of Wessi and James Maddison, a fantastic save by Angus Gunn from the irritant that is Jamie Mackie… …and the best atmosphere I can remember at The Carra in a long time. There was a superb pass […]