I have no particular dislike for your club either and it frustrates the life out of me that as football supporters, we cannot actually discuss something without someone taking exception to reading something they either disagree with or simply don't like.
Well said, TC.
The thing is, both of our clubs are on the rise, doing far better than we were a few seasons ago. Our fortunes and the route we have taken to get here have been vastly different, however.
Ours has definately been a roller-coaster, with massive excitement taking the place of despondency and fear, when we were taken over five years ago with what we thought would be a massive injection of cash. All we actually ended up with was a series of managers who didn't seem to have the collective nous to get us moving the right way, a board that, with notable exceptions didn't know their Arsenal from their El-Tel, ego trips abounding, huge upset and annoyance for the fans and no star names whatsoever. And the results still didn't come our way. It was only when Warnock was appointed that results on the pitch turned around, and then when Amit resigned and effectively forced the board into the sale of the club to Tony Fernandes a few months later, that our optimism returned - and all of this despite winning the Championship title in some style. Well, style
would have been the word used had we not needed to wait whilst the Paladini / Faurlin saga was played out.
Norwich have played the slow, steady route to the Premier League, and as such haven't really put themselves above the parapet to get shot at in the way that QPR have. There's some upheaval now, after the loss of Paul Lambert and the potential loss of some of the players that helped you to a mid-table finish last year. There are no doubt a few squeaky bums wondering what effect this might have next season.
However, as I said - we have both survived the first season back in the PL, and are both facing the "difficult second album" with a mix of optimism and fear. But despite this, some people can't get excited about their own team's prospects and appear to be living in the past. Some QPR posters seem to think that we are still living under Tango and Cash, and doubt the sincerity and the aims of the board despite the evidence to the contrary. And some Norwich fans still see us as the big-spending, small-time london club, despite every signing bar two being on free transfers. And they just LOVE to remind the other team's fans about their shortcomings on any possible occasion. Where this comes from we all know, but why it is still around today beats me.
As we have recently seen in a high-profile court case, banter is banter, but overstep the mark and you will be censured. Some people, on both sides, would do well to remember that, the next time they pull the boots on and go a-wumming. And they shouldn't then expect sympathy when they go crying to their friends about the nasty Norwich boys taking the ball away.
