A video of Ben Knapper’s first day will surely be posted on the official channel soon, and we know what to expect. Neil Adams will show him the wall containing the names of all those who have represented the club. Ben will nod approvingly and say something like, “Nice touch”. They’ll walk through the gym […]
To lighten the mood… it’s #NCFC awards season
Never let it be said that the MFW team doesn’t take its readers’ comments on board (or should that be to heart?). The club’s current situation has rightly dominated the discussions within our community, but it has been pointed out that something other than the regular club pile-ons would make a refreshing change. So, let’s […]
Owners who now need the club more than the club needs its owners
Beyond the league and form tables, I have little insight into the other Championship clubs, aside from preconceptions and second-hand opinions. I’m guessing that’s also true of other teams’ fans. Ask a neutral what they make of Norwich and I suspect there would be raised eyebrows at the lowly league position, and some platitudes about […]
The aim of the model is simply to survive and play the infinite game
It’s hard to decide who put on the braver face – Government ministers in the wake of the recent by-elections or David Wagner following yet another home defeat. Either way, the shared sentiment and insistence that “everything is fine”, appeared equally unconvincing and borderline delusional. There is a temptation to draw further parallels between events […]
SPORTING MOMENTS: “Where were you at Storhamar away?”
There are nineteen dedicated sports channels currently included in my cable subscription. Throw in the coverage available on the other channels and it’s possible to spend an entire weekend watching sport. Mrs C can testify to that. Quite the contrast to my childhood, when the launch of the imaginatively titled ‘Channel 4’, brought the total […]
Only two numbers that matter in football?
It was a typical New Year’s catch-up with mates in the pub. Tales of overindulgence, weight gain, and the annual competition to crown the most random Christmas present. My son’s new STATSports tracker vest didn’t claim the dubious accolade, but once we got past the petty sports bra jibes, it did prompt a lengthy discussion […]
It’s now up to us to turn Carrow Road into the place we know it can be
It’s always easier to highlight problems than offer up solutions. Over recent weeks and countless column inches, we have collectively dissected and debated the factors that led to the departures of Smith and Shakespeare. The more difficult challenge is to identify exactly what should happen next. This a challenge I’ve conveniently sidestepped in recent articles. […]
MyFootballWriter’s… A Christmas Carol
As supporters, we see ourselves as more than just paying customers. The relationship with our football club is completely different to any other business we use. But imagine if it wasn’t. [Gary, cue up the transition to the dream sequence, please]. ____ It’s the weekend before Christmas. After a long week, my wife and I […]
If Deano can turn this around fair play, but who genuinely believes that he can?
I’m slightly reluctant to submit yet another article, focusing on our much-maligned Head Coach and add to the hostile narrative theory. But I’ll try to remove any emotive vitriol and hopefully dispel the notion that those of us calling for change are rabid maniacs, who are out for his blood. So I’ll channel the spirit […]
Remember those heady days when Norwich fans weren’t seen as the Club’s enemy?
Gary doesn’t tend to allow his writing team to use the F word but I’m going to anyway. Farke! This isn’t a gushing eulogy on our long-since departed German but for those looking for reasons as to why there is such a disconnect between the club and its supporters, I’d suggest he remains a major […]
How can we unconditionally support an approach that we don’t fully understand?
As the criticism of Dean Smith’s Norwich intensifies, perhaps it’s natural that shots are fired back towards the dissenting voices. There has been a narrative playing out in some quarters that City supporters are unappreciative, expecting too much, and acting like spoilt, petulant children. That accusation is easy to shrug off when it comes from […]
So much more at stake right now than just this club losing its Premier League cash
As fans, we are ‘football junkies’ and our drug of choice possesses potent mood-changing qualities. Win, and all seems well with the world. Lose, and the misery hangs over us long after the final whistle, casting a dark shadow over those unfortunate enough to be in our presence. Positive results on the pitch convince us […]
When apathy overrides anger the slope is a slippery one. What is the point of it all?
You know it’s really bad when anger turns to apathy. When the final whistle that signals another abject home defeat is met with silence from deserted stands, rather than a cacophony of booing. Without condoning the actions of those who recently chose to vent their frustration outside the Directors’ boxes, at least it shows that […]
From praise and accolades to widespread disapproval and ridicule in just five months
A friend of mine recently boasted about completing a job application and when asked for his religion, he’d put down ‘football’. He didn’t get an interview. But in the same way that people choose to label themselves according to their religious beliefs, when we tell people we are Norwich supporters, it becomes less about what […]
When fantasy football turned into the stuff of nightmares…
Back in March of 2019, Dad and I walked through the turnstiles at the Riverside stadium, knowing that victory over Middlesbrough would create a seven-point gap to third-place, with just seven games left. “God, I hope we get promoted”, I said. “I know next year would be a total car-crash and we’d probably lose every […]
Hughton’s demise was a football decision; not to be confused with the issue around lack of opportunity for BAME managers
Brighton became the latest club to part ways with Chris Hughton and in doing so, encountered similar criticism to that faced by his previous employers, Norwich and Newcastle. The national media were joined by many ‘neutrals’ on social media to condemn the decision; the general inference being that those clubs which sit outside of the […]
MFW predicts: The Results – Messrs Lewis and Finbow take the gongs…
For most of us, Mario Vrancic’s late winner at Villa Park simply served to ease any remaining jitters and ensure the title-winning party started five minutes early. However, for those in the MFW team vying for our own accolade – that of Champion Tipster (for our predictions that have featured in every preview piece), the […]
An ode to Daniel and his men – ‘The most special of years’
The summer is over, a new season starting, Hope is diminished, through Madders departing. A rebuild, a project, a club in transition, Signs of improvement, the only ambition. Early defeats, against West Brom and Leeds, Dissenting voices, on the Twitter feeds. And radio phone-ins, a place for the moaners, To point their fingers at Farke and owners. Then to the derby; the same […]
Perspective is everything, but in the white heat of a promotion run-in? Forget it!
I don’t know about you, but the pressure of the promotion race has completely destroyed my sense of perspective. Early on in the season, with minimal expectations, I was fine. But over the last few weeks, I’ve come to view everything through a singular lens; one that is solely focussed on our club getting promoted […]
A salute to the Wigan 5,300, whether ‘regular’ or newbie – heroes all
Last time around, I mentioned my mate Jack, who supports Leeds, and I tried to counter his ongoing assertion that City have been lucky to climb to the top of the table. His other favourite ‘wind-up’ relates to the size of our respective fanbases, and in particular the travelling support. ‘Leeds would have taken more’. […]