The loneliness of the long-distance Norwich supporter

On Saturday, Norwich City will play Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup. Born and bred in Brighton with roots in Sussex going back hundreds of years, I will, of course, be supporting Norwich.

The reason? My mum hated football. No Brighton and Hove Albion baby grow for me.

Our landlord gave me a Manchester United watch for my 8^th birthday, but I didn’t like Manchester United… or watches. Ungrateful sod.

I was taken to matches at Fulham and Tottenham, but I didn’t fall in love with a team until I went to Norwich.

Mum and I used to go on holidays to friends in North Walsham. Neither of the sons liked football, but their father Den took me to Carrow Road, and I was instantly hooked.

Yellow?

Perhaps I liked the yellow. Den fed my Canary mania by sending me old copies of the PinkUn and Ted Bell’s illustrated history of Norwich, On The Ball City.

Yellow? It was brave being a Norwich fan in Brighton. Wearing yellow made you stand out. When my local newsagent found out that I supported Norwich, he called out ‘Hello, Norwich!’ every time I went to get my mother’s Guardian.

Here are some of my earliest Norwich City memories:

1973 League Cup semi-final Norwich v Chelsea

I heard this League Cup semi-final on the radio. Commentator Maurice Edelston described the ‘argy bargy in the box’ (what Norwich fans would call a ‘scrimmage’). Fog swept in and threatened our win. But eventually we were through to Wembley!

1 March 1975 Villa 1 Norwich 0

I watched the League Cup Final on the TV. Kevin Keelan saved a penalty, but Ray Graydon broke our hearts by slotting away the rebound.

31 March 1975 Norwich 1 Fulham 2

I think this was my first match at Carrow Road. My favourite players were Kevin Keelan and Martin Peters, the World Cup winner who miraculously ended up playing for Norwich.

27 April 1976 Brighton 2 Norwich 2

For a 13th birthday treat, I was taken to a friendly between Brighton and Hove Albion and Norwich City at the Goldstone Ground. This turned into a terrible ordeal because my friends were mocking me for losing to lowly Brighton. Luckily for me, Johnny Miller scored a brace to give Norwich a face-saving 2-2 draw.

24 March 1985 Norwich 1 Sunderland 0 at Wembley

I went to the Milk Cup Final of 1985 with my student housemates Mark and Toby. The Friendly Final but a terrible game.

I have seen Norwich many times since, usually at away grounds. Norwich fans are a friendly bunch but I have always felt bit of an imposter.

Borja banger and Huckerby’s toenail

If anything, my passion for Norwich has grown (probably unhealthily) over the years. It is the passion of the exile.

I regularly listen to Talk Norwich City, but I’ve never tasted Lacons or the Borja banger in the Unthank Kitchen.

I sent BBC Radio Norfolk’s The Scrimmage my festive 11, including Yule Fox, Rob Butler’s favourite!

I’m a member of the Canaries Trust. I call my £100 share Huckerby’s toenail. I’m proud of the club for its family atmosphere, its work on mental health and the attempt to be a sustainable club in the crazy world of football finance.