Stewart Lewis

Somebody once divided the lead male characters in literature into “Sincere Man” and “Authentic Man”. “Sincere Man” is sensitive, responsible, respectful – the kind of man you’d be happy for your daughter to bring home. “Authentic Man” is rather different – a force of nature in whom sensitivity and politeness come a distant second to […]

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones” Julius Caesar, Act III Scene II. Actually, Mark Antony did come to praise Caesar, and to turn the crowd against his critics and […]

Football people – not least we fans – are notoriously poor at learning from history. But there’s one mistake I’m determined not to repeat. At this point of previous Championship seasons, with City still having a prize to play for, I decided it would help to predict the final outcome if I listed our and […]

It’s not my norm to begin articles – or anything else – with a Biblical quotation. This time, however, it seems apt. We now have the fixtures. We have the new branding. Closer to our capabilities on the field, we know of two additions: Isaac Hayden and a new set-piece coach. Beyond that, it’s all […]

I’m not here to rubbish the pessimists about Norwich City’s prospects. How could I be? The facts are stark: six played, six lost.  Yes, we had the toughest starting fixtures imaginable – but we’ve also been beaten, convincingly, at home by Watford. Whatever the strengths of our squad, they haven’t thus far played with a […]

A Champions League final in August? That’s just weird. City playing pre-season games? Well, not so much.  A month later than usual, it’s true. And without fans, even the diehards who turn out for such fixtures. Even so, much of it has a distinctively familiar feel. New players, new kit, substitutions and goals galore, very little to read into […]

Let’s not pretend. We’re Norwich City fans and we’re hurting. It hurts that we got relegated. It hurts that we had ten games when football resumed, and lost the lot.  It hurts that the verve and belief, which had helped us win admirers and overachieve for much of the past eighteen months, has gone.   It […]

This season is over, bar the shouting. Or perhaps more accurately, the whimpering. The “little miracle” Farke was seeking at the restart has grown to loaves-and-fishes proportions, and beyond. The really disappointing thing – the main reason for sour feelings among fans, and some unprecedented questioning of Farke’s position – is the appearance of our […]

On Tuesday night, Norwich City’s Executive Committee – Ben Kensell, Zoe Ward and Stuart Webber – gave us 90 minutes of online reporting and Q&A. Fan groups logged in from across the globe (and Peterborough).  As well as learning that Zoe had cut Stuart’s hair – it’s OK, they’re partners – we were given a […]

Today’s piece is a divergence from my norm. It may not show, but I do usually try to write something vaguely coherent and joined-up. No pretence of that today. Rather, it’s a random set of thoughts around a common issue: the Restart, or not, of football. Each thought leads to a question-conclusion. Among much that’s […]

Are you sitting comfortably? Yes? Let me try to change that. Or at least, to paint a familiar picture in some more vivid colours. In a discussion on another forum about pay cuts and furloughing staff, I gently ventured the view that some Premier Clubs were in a different position from others.  I was promptly […]

Malcolm Robertson’s recent reminiscences here about his favourite City players over the years set many of us thinking.  Fortunately, there are plenty to go around, special players in one way or another who we’ve watched in the Canary colours (albeit in a variety of shirts). Some are genuinely outstanding talents. Others have a special place […]

I’m going to make a leap here. I’m taking as read that most of us like Stuart Webber and Daniel Farke, and want them to be motivated to stay and keep working for Norwich City. No need to re-hash the detailed reasons why. Suffice to remind ourselves that they inherited a huge challenge: a team […]

I’ve been pondering a mystery. No – not why I’m still overweight and unfit. Little mystery about that, I’m afraid. The mystery is this. City are bottom of the table, with 3 wins out of 22, and relegation is all-but-certain. I’m disappointed, of course – but why am I not angry? I know some readers […]

This is my first article for a while. Some of you will know the reason: I was looking after my wife through illness, an illness that eventually took her life in September. Fortunately, the quality of writing on this site means I haven’t been missed (except, apparently, by the editor’s dad!). So it’s above all […]

It’s easy to read too much into pre-season games.  Perhaps especially this time: in football even more than in geography, it’s a long way from Luton to Liverpool. And yet – for those us getting a first look at the 2019-20 Canaries, it’s not unreasonable to look for some pointers.  The equivalent visit to Luton […]

Being of a similar vintage to Martin Penney, I share many of the TV memories he so vividly conjured up a few days ago. And a few different ones. In very young days I certainly watched Andy Pandy and the Flowerpot Men. I’ll resist the temptation to compare their dialogue to certain current-day politicians…. Strong […]

Yes, I did say BF. Before Farke. There are still practitioners of the traditional approach, notably Tony Pulis at Middlesbrough. All season he fielded experienced players, several of whom individually cost more than our entire team. And true to his principles, they conceded 16 fewer goals than we did. They also sucked the life out […]

I’m going to need some help today. Not because of celebratory after-effects – understandable as that might be – but because my words simply aren’t good enough to describe the achievements of this Norwich City team and the feelings they’ve inspired in us. I’ll need to borrow some words from others. Starting with Canaries Trust […]

As I write, we’re not promoted – but we’re very close. In the end, the reason we’re close is a difference between ourselves and Leeds. Nothing to do with fluent football; all to do with character. In the cauldron of promotion and facing dogged opponents, we’ve dug deep and kept our unbeaten run intact. Despite […]