In Lambert we Trust

It’s been a poor start to the season for the armchair managers and all the Monday morning message board quarterbacks. This season, due to an influx of new players and a different league to play in, we have more than ever suffered with a mass of easy to form instant opinions on NCFC. Just add half a pint of boiling water to a packet of stale post match analysis soup, mix them together and we get the following gems.

After game one our centre backs were a liability, our right back is suspect, the diamond formation isn’t working, and we’ve not got enough pace in the team. Plus who on earth scouted that keeper?

After the second game we were only playing lower league opposition and if we had performed like that in a league match City would have been stuffed. Surman is out for three months and why was Jackson dropped?

After winning at Scunthorpe, our centre backs are now as solid as a rock, but our left back is too old, the diamond formation is the cornerstone of how we should play and our forwards can now score for fun. But we still rely too much on Wes. And that keeper is settling in well. And how about benching Surman for Lappin?

There’s only one opinion that ultimately counts at Norwich City and luckily it’s not mine or any of the other views I have heard or read after our first three matches.

I was at Scunthorpe on Saturday, despite my resolution that this season I would try and save my pennies and visit a few new grounds. Why not travel to pastures new as opposed to an afternoon out at same ‘ole same hole?

But I didn’t take a great deal of persuading after finding out that the choice was either a trip to the athletics at Crystal Palace with the family or a day out at sunny Scunny. As most City fans, myself included are of the ABS variety, “Anywhere but Selhurst”, I arranged to meet at a railway station near the M25 early in the morning for a day out at Glandford Park.

I was last at Glandford Park just before Christmas 2007 in a state that could best be described as less than sober. That day I saw an epic central defensive performance from the Doc, a good piece of play from Jimmy Smith that led to our winning goal, a shot that hit the target from our Jamie and an all too rare away win. It really was one of those days.

Back to this season and after a cardboard lunch at a cardboard pub that served hooligan juiced in plastic glasses we decamped to the ground. I was pleasantly surprised to be charged a full 40% less for a cup of coffee than I would have been charged at Carrow Road. The staff seemed to be coping admirably with the un-rounded price for the simple reason that the refreshment kiosk was adequately staffed and all the boiling water taps worked. It was a refreshing change from the previous Friday.

I watched the warm up in excellent company observing our keeper, who played a blinder during the 90 minutes, struggling to keep hold of a shot in the twenty minutes we watched him. I saw Grant Holt attempt some headers, none of which remotely troubled anyone. Of his two headed chances during the game he scored from both, but unfortunately one was disallowed. We also saw the players fire almost all of their warm up shots high over the bar into the watching crowd, but come the match our goal attempts were mostly on target.

As regards the game we played decently in the first half as did Scunthorpe. I was impressed again with Chris Dagnall who I last saw in the flesh playing for Rochdale; he looked lively that evening as well.

In the second half City were different class, dominated Scunthorpe and could have won by more than the odd goal. The game reminded me a little of our trip to Wycombe where City were much the better side, but we scored late on just after a scare at the other end.

I’ve no idea what Paul Lambert did or said at half time but I’m sure that there would have been no hairdryer treatment as City had played quite well. He must have re-organised the team, got a couple players playing slightly differently and worked out the danger men in the Scunthorpe team. The end result was a win that could well have been more convincing, but I’ll never tire of seeing City win a football match in the last minute.

And I’ll finish with the only opinion that really counts at Carrow Road. The Manager’s one.

In Lambert we trust.

£14 poorer at Dagenham

Another pre-season friendly and another £14 poorer for the pleasure.

Unlike the Stevenage game we started with a very much second string side with only Ruddy, Ward, Smith, Martin and Jackson realistic contenders for a start against Watford. It showed in the first half as Dagenham passed it round us, and more alarmingly played straight through the middle of our defence on more than one occasion.

Elliott Ward made his City debut and had a few good moments but unsurprisingly was more than a little ring-rusty and Tomlin, the Dagenham number 10, gave him and Tudur Jones the other centre back plenty of problems. George Francomb had a steady game at right back but Remy Gordon really struggled on the other side of the defence. He made three mistakes in the minute leading up to the goal and when Green ran at him he backed off the cross and Tomlin deflected it in. The midfield tried hard but couldn’t really get anything going at all, and I can’t really remember a concerted period of possession in Dagenham’s half.

City livened up in the second half after the cavalry came on, and had more of the possession but didn’t really test the Dagenham keeper. Wes tried hard, Fox looked a useful player again and Oli nearly broke through a couple of times. Dagenham however had their moments as well and could well have added to their lead.

Not the best game I’ve been to, but looking at the positives, Ward got 45 minutes, Ruddy looks to be a good keeper, and Jackson will give us some much needed pace up front. Francombe looks an improving player as well.

See Stevenage and Pay

In common with 400 other City fans, I was not deterred by the £18 admission to see Stevenage vs Norwich and even took my two daughters along as well. The total cost was £28 as the guy on the turnstile “misheard” my elder daughter’s age so not too bad, taking into account the free parking across the road. Can’t think why some enterprising local or some jobsworth councillor doesn’t try and make a few quid from that car park.

It was not the best pre-season friendly I've ever seen, but by no means the worst. City passing it around well in the first half, but not too much end product. Nelson hit the post from a corner and Jackson had a good shot saved. I think I missed another chance as I was talking to Lil from the Rosary whilst in the half time queue for a drink. I also bought a doughnut; a first for me in a football ground, as they had run out of chips.

The highlight of the game was the mega-sub-a-thon after an hour of the game where City made ten changes with some of the players coming on in shirts that were not their own numbers. I was informed that the two mystery players were Michael Ball and Richard Brindley and both youngsters acquitted themselves well.

Gemma took a video of the mega-sub-a-thon and if it’s any good I’ll stick it in on Youtube. The final score was 0-0, and 11-11 on the subs.

The away end was just under half full, a very good away turnout for a midweek friendly. I bumped into loads of old faces, and it was good to see City in action again.

Looking forward to going to 'Nam on Thursday.

Back with a wimper

After a period of early blogging where I wrote something every night for a week, it’s been radio silence for a few months. I thought I should start again and see how it goes. If I had an outside job I wouldn’t mind spending a few minutes in front of a screen to type some words. I do however go through a daily ten hour slog working in software delivery each day so that I can afford to feed my family so the attraction of yet more typing is not hugely appealing.

Last week I had confirmation back from NXEA that they are able to offer us another great deal for season 2010/2011 and the new Capital Canaries fare will be £13 return. The cost includes a small donation to FONCY. Last year we raised £350 for FONCY and I’m hopeful we’ll match this next season.

The minimum single fare to Norwich is now £8 so this means the minimum you could travel for is now £16, and this assumes that there are actually any of the £8 tickets available on the train you would like to travel on. I have my suspicions that the cheapest tickets may not really exist!

I have updated www.capitalcanaries.com, done a mail out and posted an update on twitter with the good news.

Tomorrow I am breaking that habit of a few years and going to a pre-season friendly. I’m also off to ‘Nam in the badlands of South Essex on Thursday, and that will be my football fix until the big early kick off on Friday 6th August.

The last game at Elm Park – May 98 and other memories

The Norwich City matches we attended at the end of the 1997/98 season and those at the start of the 1998/99 season were in the last in our pre-kids era. In season 1999/2000 and 2000/01 I had to take a break for a while as it was hectic at home, we moved houses I was also moving jobs.

Lucy parents live in Burnham and we stayed at their place on Saturday night and went to the game from there. We arrived in Reading early, parked and walked to the ground very slowly as Lucy wasn’t feeling great – she was around 4 months pregnant with Gemma, now ten years old, and three times a Norwich mascot and season ticket holder with me.

We had been to Elm Park before, and sat down in the seats reserved for away fans when we lost 1-2. It was the game when Trevor Morley scored for Reading with an overhead kick and Neil Adams scored their winner with a cracking last minute own goal. This game it was standing only on the end terrace and it was an all ticket game as it was the last ever at Elm Park.

The toilets there were awful – just a huge long trough in a primitive concrete structure at the top of the terrace, they stunk, and the ladies facilities were no better.

We stood near the side which was occupied by the Reading fans as it was closer to the ladies, and the burger bar.

On the terraced side opposite the main stand that was next to us, throughout the game, plenty of wannabe hoolies were climbing up the fence acting like idiots and trying to start something.

After Bellamy scored early in the second half it turned worse as there was a hail of coins coming across at us. We moved back towards the centre of the terrace but were surprised that the cameras of the police were trained on us and not the Reading fans.

As regards what happened in the ninety minutes, all I can recall is that Flecky hit the bar for them and Bellamy scored with a lovely curling shot from the inside left channel after a nice through ball. Apart from that it was a very non-descript game.

Flecky came across at the end to applaud us, but there had been pitch invasion, and he couldn’t get too near the City fans.

For some reason I always associate Nigel Spackman with this game. With Mike Walker’s sacking the week before, there were a number of names in the frame for the City job, and Spackman was one of them having had a spell in charge at Sheffield United. As Lucy and I walked back from Elm Park to our car I recall hearing on a radio that he had either joined another club or ruled himself out of the running for the City job. My immediate thoughts were one of disappointment as I thought that he might have been a decent candidate. Looking back, I think it was a lucky escape for City.

Another Robert Fleck story always reminds me of this match as Reading and Oxford were local rivals. Flecky played for Reading at Ipswich on the day that we were at Oxford – this was at the end of March 1998. City had lost 0-2 in a very ordinary performance to a Francis (La La La La La Freak Freak Freak Freak was his song) goal from a defensive error and a penalty conceded from a stupid tackle by Forbes who came on a sub. Joey Beauchamp scored the pen.

Throughout the second half some guy was standing at the front on the right was yelling at Mike Walker, “WHERE’S ROBERT FLECK? OI WALKER, I CAN’T SEE ROBERT FLECK TODAY. WHERE’S HE GONE? OI WALKER PLEASE TELL ME WHY ROBERT FLECK’S NOT PLAYING TODAY!” This went on for quite some time. It looked as if his wife or girlfriend, who was with him, was shuffling further and further away in embarrassment.

We drove home down the A40, and on the way back we listened to 6-0-6. Danny Baker was the presenter. There had been a running theme of players being given hostile receptions at clubs that hated them. The first caller was a Reading fan who had brought a tape recorder to the game at Ipswich purposely to record the reception that Flecky was given by the Ipswich fans. As the team was announced the booing started as soon as their No7 had been read out. At No8….then all we could hear was a volley of booing and whistling. It was such an awful reception, that the caller played the recording again to much laughter from the studio and from Lucy and me in the car.

And one other old memory; this time, Neale Fenn. I thought looked a decent loan player in his month with us, and thought he might have been a good signing. But after the season ended he went back to Spurs, as we were managerless and it wouldn’t have made sense to sign him. I also heard Spurs wanted a silly fee for him as well. The next time I saw him play was when Lucy and I went to see Norwich City reserves play Spurs reserves at St Albans FC. It was the last game she saw before Gemma was born – November 1998. Neale Fenn was a sub for Spurs that evening, and I’m sure Paul McVeigh scored for Spurs our 1-2 loss. Daryl Russell also played and attracted the attention of a number of scouts, including a friend of mine who works for another London Club. Ian Walker was in goal for Spurs, and I remember him saying in an interview about the game that it was possibly the lowest point in his career. Adrian Coote scored for City that evening.

Samson, Dartford and Amy’s nemesis.

It was a frustrating day at base today. Nothing much happened apart from an investigation into how much interest a few clients should have received on some accounts with very little money in them which pay a negligible rate which only complicated matters more. Two hours work to find 47p. It was a bean counters dream.

The mood of our team perked up when a tin of Celebrations were left on the desk opposite. A cuppa and a couple of mini chocs always lift the spirits. And across the office there was a box of Krispy Kremes, donated a part of the fines system they have when something doesn’t quite to go plan. Sometimes there are more than a dozen boxes on their round table…

Amy had a tennis tournament today. She has progressed to mini-orange otherwise known as the Satsuma Standard. The SS’s are around 8 years old and play on a two thirds sized court with tennis balls that are not as bouncy as mini-green, but livelier than min-red. It’s a progression to get the little ones hit the ball harder but as the balls are softer they don’t go as far. Easy.

Amy won two out of four encounters, and lost her final match, which if she had won, may have meant she finished top of her group. The crucial last game was against Amy’s nemesis, a sweet girl called Dominque who has a sporting pedigree which was much closer to home than I realised when Amy and she initially met.

Amy first played Dominque in a Kenton tournament last year, and won narrowly in her first and only victory over her. I got chatting to her Dad, and I recognised him from somewhere but I wasn’t quite sure where. After we had introduced ourselves we made some small talk and he mentioned that he had played for Spurs youth and also Wealdstone, and his name was Samson. It was then that I recognised who he was and I said his surname, Olaleye, before he had the chance to fully introduce himself.

Back in the late eighties I was a frequent visitor to Lower Mead. I couldn’t afford to get up to Norwich so going to see Wealdstone was the next best option, much cheaper, and only a couple of miles away as opposed to well over a hundred. I saw Samson play quite a few times one season. He was a tall, gangly but athletic player who scored quite a few goals. When he scored we were treated to an obscene dance called the “Samson Boogie”. It was a series of very unsubtle pelvic thrusts in the direction of the home supporters.

His most memorable goal was at Dartford. It was a nothing game for Wealdstone, who were mid-table but an everything game for the Darts. Two wins would have seen the team, managed by Peter Taylor, promoted to the Conference. Samson scored the only goal of the game, Wealdstone hung on for a memorable win and that loss left the door open for Merthyr Tydfil to win the league and promotion at the expense of Dartford which they duly did.

I’ve no idea why the Stones played so well that day, but it was just one of those games.

Teed Off

I have been at work this week. I didn’t want to be at work this week, but circumstances beyond my control have meant that I have had to report in to base at 7.15am each day to get on with things. The project I have been working on has over-run very badly on the other side of the fence. Not our fault, but as we are a partner with our client we all share their pain and do our best to get through to implementation.

I do feel sorry for myself but more so for those over the road who are under much more pressure than us to deliver a solution, at minimal cost and impact to the business, with immediate savings to the current cost base and an enhanced customer experience.

And what is my reason for not wanting to be at work? It’s half term, and a most other Dads in the office are using up their annual leave with their family doing things that Dads do at half term. Having fun, going to the park, going out and acting the same age as the kids.

My elder daughter Gemma has recently joined Stanmore Golf club and I wanted to take her to a golf tournament on Friday, and I wanted to see her play today. I also wanted to help her with her swing (file note: this sort of help is often considered a hindrance) as she is pushing the ball out to the right at the moment. I could have also helped Lucy with the taxiing round and got involved with all the other parent type things that go on in the school holidays.

Alas, none of this was to be, and I had to be satisfied with a verbal report on her round. I was informed that she didn’t manage to get a par, but scored a four on one of the long holes (?!), plenty of sixes, four eights, and a five and a seven. I calculated that she was round in around 112 shots, not bad for a ten year old. Her target is to be under a hundred by the spring.

Gemma now has a handicap which is thirty six. I’m not sure how this is calculated as I thought the juniors were allowed a few more shots than the seniors, but according to the certificate thirty six it is. I’ve played for years and never ever had a handicap so she's now officially ahead of me in the world of golf