You may think, as I did, that you know the Community Sports Foundation. And you may be, as I was, a bit wrong. I thought CSF was largely, if not exclusively, about giving young people a chance to play sports. Nothing wrong with that, of course – but it turns out CSF is about much, […]
Stewart Lewis
Win, lose or draw – for the moment, let’s hold off judgement on Daniel Farke
I could have written this article last week, or the week before. Your expression at this point may be similar to my wife’s. “What??? City play a derby, and it makes no difference to what you think?” Nope. The bottom line is this: I said before the season we should give it 20 games before making […]
The challenge of creating Fortress Carrow Road – and the pros and cons of social media
“Were they at the same game?” It’s a question we might well ask of the EFL specialist paper (!) which reported City coming back “from 2-0 down” at Birmingham. But it’s also a question that springs to mind reading social media and online forums – and indeed, reaction to Gary’s match report here. In a […]
LUTON REPORT: The skirmishes are almost over. Farke is preparing his troops for battle
One of my clients once decided to carry out a worldwide survey of its staff. As consultant to the project, I was to join the third meeting of the Working Party. This sounded interesting, not least because the first two meetings had been in Rio de Janeiro and Singapore. So, what would be the location […]
Plenty to discuss about Norwich City on this forum. But not just here….
Certain thoughts are better left unthunk – Woody Allen I have a really bad idea. If I follow it through, I’m on a hiding to nothing. Yet it’s fair and right. And having thunk it, I can’t unthunk it. It concerns my wife and Norwich City. She’s willingly proofread all of […]
“It’s a pleasure to be here”. Jordan, I hope the pleasure will be ours
I confess: I have a bias here. If there’s one player I’ve coveted for Norwich City longer than I did Dean Windass, it’s Jordan Rhodes. For most of the past decade, I’ve yearned to see him in a City shirt. In our Premier League days we could probably have afforded him, but his lack of […]
Our family: fractious and overwrought at times, but bound by a fierce and shared passion
Family love is messy, clinging, and of an annoying and repetitive pattern – like bad wallpaper P.J. O’Rourke Norwich City forums, even ours, fit the description painfully well. A visiting Martian coming to MFW (as he no doubt would) might be forgiven for missing that we’re drawn together by a powerful, shared passion – in […]
MUSIC WEEK: A journey from ABBA to Wagner, with some Bs along the way
The music I love comes with surrounding stories – tales of excess, groupies, illicit relationships, drugs and early death. Yes, it’s classical music. But first, following in the footsteps of my fellow writers, a bit of nostalgia for the music of my formative years. Given the attractions of nostalgia, I may not get to Mozart […]
Stand by for some more unknown quantities joining Norwich – and for youth having its fling
Well, here we go. The transfer window is open, from now til 9 August. Stuart Webber, we know, has been making his plans for some time and laying whatever groundwork he can. Though we have a spectrum of views about the state of our club, I think we all share a sense that this window […]
Growing old irresponsibly, chess strategy and the challenges facing Norwich City
Much as I’d like to cling on to a different view, the truth has become inescapable. I’m old. (You didn’t think I was going to turn against our club there, did you? I’ll come back to that, but for now….) The players I now watch in the yellow-and-green could be the grandchildren of those I […]
Not a memorable season on the field. But a historic one, with its share of highs and lows
OK, let’s get this first bit over with. The changes at Norwich City a year ago were far more radical than the club had ever made before; more radical than most clubs will ever make. In the wake of that, an up-and-down first season was inevitable. The good and bad of this season – and […]
Why it’s natural to be apprehensive about next season. And perhaps a few reasons to be cheerful
In turbulent times it’s good to find something to smile about. I’ve come across a couple this week. In the “you couldn’t make it up” category, there was Neil Warnock’s lecture to the Wolves manager on behaving with class and dignity. Hmm… The other was a story that happened a while ago, involving Cross Farm […]
Just a matter of time. But time has its mysteries, in life and football
With the recent death of Stephen Hawking, it’s perhaps an appropriate moment to reflect on the nature of time – and its particular, sometimes downright peculiar, part in our football experience. These musings are prompted not just by Professor Hawking’s passing, but also by a rather haunting little book I’ve just read: Matt Haig’s How […]
We all love a tryer – especially if he’s wearing the yellow and green
I’m writing this column from just outside Tampa Bay. No, I didn’t win the half-time competition at Carrow Road. It’s a mini family reunion, happily in the warmth of Florida. (In part, and somewhat scarily, it’s to celebrate my ‘little’ goddaughter’s 30th birthday.) I don’t know about the players, but I can certainly recommend a […]
The Good, the Bard and the Ugly. Or, Hamlet’s dilemma with a football fans’ forum
In case you missed the news, it’s Shakespeare Week. An idea that would have amused the Bard no end, I suspect. In a way, it’s surprising the authorities are so keen for us to study Shakespeare. His most famous plays involve witchcraft and bumping off the royal family (Macbeth), gang warfare and underage sex (Romeo […]
Norwich City, The Pride of Anglia? In one instance, that and much more
A question. What would you do if you were running a charity that was one of the biggest of its kind, admired by all who come across it, making a real difference to the lives of 38,000 people a year? You might reasonably take a breather and pat yourself on the back. Perhaps dream of […]
The vagaries of the Championship, what it takes to succeed, and a big question: is Dan the Man?
A word of advice for any would-be MFW writer. In a nutshell: go for it! It’s fun, and in Gary Gowers we have an editor who’s unfailingly sympathetic, flexible and supportive. Well, almost unfailingly. You need to know that every year there’s one day of complete embarrassment and ritual humiliation for the writers on this […]
In life, and especially football, we seek the quick fix. But sometimes there’s no alternative to re-building
I’ve contributed less than usual to this forum over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, I’ve been occupied by the serious illness – in one case terminal – of my mum and brother. I mention that not for sympathy (it’s a rare blip in a happy and fortunate life), but because it gives you some different perspectives. […]
You may say that I’m a dreamer. And in this case, very likely the only one…
My university tutor was a pioneer in the field of semiotics. If I’d spent less of my time on extra-curricular activities, I’d perhaps be able to tell you exactly what it is. But it’s something to do with the process of signs and meanings. Highly relevant, then, in considering our win over Sheffield Wednesday. Before […]
Tough times. But if we were going to abandon Norwich City, perhaps it should have been last year
Like many City fans, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting about our club. I’ve seen numerous fans signalling their disillusionment, and/or saying they’ve fallen out of love with the club. Some of them are people I know and for whom I have great respect; all of them I understand. A run of bad results […]