Born just a mile from the hallowed turf, so seems like a no-brainer. Wasn't always the case, though. Went to a Catholic school in the city, and spent whole summers in Ireland, where most of my peers supported Celtic, and thus, so did I. (I know, I know!) Like Thurnby, my first City game was at Old Trafford on that remarkable day in 1967. My old dad wasn't really a supporter, but decided we'd have a trip up there because it was such a big deal at the time. Was pretty much hooked after that, and apart from a little excitement when Celtic won the European Cup in that year, I never looked back. Now with over 40 years supporting our boys, I think I can be forgiven my impetuous youth!
Neither of my parents care about football, so I really cannot remember how, being from Suffolk, I ever came to support Norwich. All I remember is, from a very young age when we weren't very good I was a Norwich fan!
I have to agree with Beef - if you are from God's own County you either wear yellow and green through thin and a bit less thin or chase glory. Sadly you can age a lot of people in the city by their choice of glory shirt - Liverpool from the 80's, a few Blackburns/Leeds from the early 90's then some Arsenal's and then Chelsea and latterly I am sad to report seeing kids in Man City strips. Man Utd seem to transcend any era. On a similar note I am sure that I can't be the only person who finds local people traipsing around in foreign national (or club) strips particulalrly annoying. Are you Brazillian? No. Then don't wear their strip. Are you Catalan or a relative of Lionel Messi? No. Then don't wear their strip. If I were King for a day I would law down an edict that anyone wearing either an England shirt or a city shirt is allowed one free punch to the side of the head on any of these jokers. I would extend this to allowing pedestrians the same freedom to hit cyclists who choose to ride on the pavement. Oh, and people dropping litter or letting their dogs defacate on the public highways and byways. I could go on but I think that I may have drifted OT So to sum up local bloke = local team.
This... http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/118592 Basically I'm an NCFC glory hunter who started following them when they got promoted to the top flight in 1972! Born and raised in the football vaccuum of Surrey, I was taken by my Dad to watch my local team Woking (The Cardinals or Cards for short) but I also followed a team in each Division of the professional game too. Arsenal in Div 1 (they did the double), Norwich in Div 2 (I think I liked the colours and we had family friends in Kings Lynn), Aston Villa in Div 3 (Coz Aston is an old family name) and Aldershot in Div 4 (even though they are Woking's traditional enemy!). In 1972 I had a dilemma - Norwich were promoted and I had to choose between them or Arsenal. I chose Norwich and this was cemented a year later when an Uncle took me to see QPR vs Norwich at Loftus Road. It was 0-0 (isn't it always) but I loved having a top-flight team to support. Years and years later, I have spent a fortune following my Norwich from Surrey but they are the only team for me. "I picked my team and I fell in love, and I just can't seem to get enough".
Norfolkbhoy, I've got a friend who epitomises what you're saying. He bought an entire Holland strip before the Euros. Oh how we laughed a few weeks later. He's also got Schalke, Barcelona, Leyton Orient (?) and plenty of other shirts he has no connection to. Although in his favour I think he's had every city shirt for the last decade.
Man Who? They weren't really a force in 72. It was all about Arsenal and Liverpool then. Most of my mates supported one or other of them. I bucked the trend!! There is also the issue of the Norwich fans sense of humour that I felt right in tune with. Funny how the way fans responded to rubbish displays on the pitch made for a strong bond (or at least it used to)!
I'm not even sure my story's worth telling as it's so similar to most other people's on here, but I was taken to my first Norwich game in '99, when we were playing West Brom. Kevin Kilbane scored the first goal I ever saw live, before Norwich turned the game on its head to win 2-1. Funnily enough I can't remember either of the Norwich scorers! If any of you can, please let me know! Anyway, I was taken by my Dad and I was only 5 years old so I didn't really have much of a choice. If I'm honest, I believe that if there was ever a moment where you consciously chose your football club, you don't have one. You don't choose the club, it chooses you! I think that I became properly hooked during the 2001/02 season, when we got to the play-off final. I remember being on holiday in Spain just after we knocked Wolves out of the play-offs, asking my Dad for the score-line of every game we'd played that season. Besides that, he still didn't take me to Cardiff, as he didn't think I'd enjoy it much if we lost. He may have had a point. Aged just eight, I hid behind a pillow every time Birmingham attacked (apart from the one (ONE) time they scored, couldn't even watch the penalty shoot-out, then cried when we lost. I wasn't the only one! Anyway, we got season tickets for the 2003/04 season, another successful year for the club, and I haven't missed a single home game by choice since. I'm going to Uni next year and the thought of not being able to attend every home game is one of the main (and few!) reasons why I don't want to go. The seeds have been sown though; you can take the boy out of Norwich, but you can't take the Norwich out of the boy!
London born, Norfolk bred. Came to Norwich in 1967 but had no particular support for NCFC until early1980's. Both daughters born in Norwich and this seemed to be about the time when my support grew. One daughter supports Liverpool and the other Ip5wich which seems to, sadly, go against their birth right.
To a certain extent, marketing, the media and peer pressure have heaped a big problem onto a different generation. I had no choice but to support City. I was born and bred and couldn't conceive of any other team. I don't have a second team to follow and have never thought of having one. I have an interest in local teams here in Cornwall but nothing more. And I came from a time when the world wasn't a melting pot. I am and always will be a Norfolk boy who happens to live somewhere else. But for some people now, they are subjected to a barrage of not only the adage that you must be stupid if you don't support the current No1, but you are to narrow and bigoted if you don't spread yourself around.
Spot on Redruth. I reckon it's got a lot worse post-Sky but I do remember there being pockets of Liverpool and Man U fans at my school in the 80's but nowadays you go to almost any city and you'll see all sorts of kits knocking around. Fair play to Newcastle/Leeds as when I've been there they tend to have pretty solid local support but go anywhere in the South and you will find loads of plastic Manc's and Scousers and Mockneys following whichever one of those cities' clubs is top dog at the time.
Oh dear norfolkbhoy, that means that I must cease being a Canary and become either a Notts County, Nottm Forest or Leicester City supporter. Thanks a lot pal, you've ruined my day!!
My Mum's side of the family support your lot as she was born and bred in Diss.. Well they always were a bit weird on her side of the family!
The joy of supporting Norwich is that you can't ever be accused of being a glory hunter - even in the currently malaise-ridden East Midlands. Some seek glory, others have glory thrust upon them. You do not fall in the first camp. Be happy and thankful (and don't ride your bike on the pavement if I ever get make King for the day).
I'm not a fan , but Delia introduced me to Norwich City a couple of moons ago . Good fans and pitch .
Your Mother needs to put you across her knee and give you a good spanking Warky, you're a naughty boy ! [video=youtube;OOuWWzP7wl0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOuWWzP7wl0[/video]
lived in surrey all my life, but my grandparents from my dads side of the family live in attleborough so often went in to Norwich on visits. Didn't understand football until the age of ten really, but when i started getting into it I chose Norwich because of my links there, and I just thought why not (all my friends were glory hunters and I wanted to be different). Strange because my Dad is from Norfolk but did not really like football, but since I have been a City fan he has joined me and is now very passionate about them. Best decision of my life I think
I was at college in 1972 and some friends said that they were going to a football match and would I like to go along.I really wasn't interested in football but,having nothing better to do I agreed to go along.It was Ipswich as they were both fans of the club.I went once more and then they said that the next game was at Norwich.I stood in the River End and when the teams came out I just started cheering for Norwich.I have no idea why but the atmosphere was great compared to Portman Rd.
please log in to view this image No Regrets! It's the only non Norwich/England shirt I've got though, promise.
