I know it’s obvious to say so now, with all that has just happened but what a difference a year has made to Norwich City, eh?
This time last year, the Canaries had just finished 14th on 60 points, behind Leeds and Ipswich on goal difference. Despite that though there were positive signs on the field and in the squad, although the sale of James Maddison was looking likely and that worried me.
Off the field, at the start of this season, a small group of fans predominantly the supporters’ groups Barclay End Norwich (@BE_Norwich) and Along Come Norwich (@AlongComeNodge) decided that the atmosphere inside Carrow Road needed a little help.
There had been, in my opinion, a steady decline in the levels of noise inside the stadium despite the ground being sold out every week.
Upon his arrival and having watched his new charges beat Reading 7-1 in April 2017, Stuart Webber remarked that even during such a dramatic and comprehensive mauling of a top six side, the ground was strangely quiet.
Enter Along Come Norwich and Barclay End Norwich.
These guys have been instrumental in getting the fan base back on side and not just turning up and going through the motions, as had been the norm.
It’s been so much more than just getting some flags and handing them out though. The style and return of winning football have obviously helped to lift the spirits of the 26,000 odd regular members of the Canary Nation but allied to that, the Barclay Stand, in particular, has been doing its thing.
Any #ncfc supporting digital artists/illustrators out there who fancy helping us with a little project we might be getting off the ground? DMs open, RTs appreciated. pic.twitter.com/8afX2t9bJp
— AlongComeNorwich (@AlongComeNodge) May 24, 2019
The Barclay is the natural choice to get such a project off the ground as it’s traditionally the noisiest area of the ground. It’s where the most singing is done and it’s, generally speaking, where the most vociferous fans sit/stand.
To start it all though, they had to generate some money and they’ve been doing that via merchandise. Designing it and then selling it, ploughing all the profits into flags and banners and the like. They also ran a GoFundMe crowd funder which had an initial target of £3,000 but has now, and it’s still open, reached over £10,000 with the goal being to improve the atmosphere inside Carrow Road.
Down to the bare bones of stock on these badges and stickers. So that Jon has some space in his house again, if you buy two Farke badges we'll send you a full set of Panini Nodge player stickers to say thanks #ncfc https://t.co/hAk3Vyy14x pic.twitter.com/qe9GzXAH5P
— AlongComeNorwich (@AlongComeNodge) May 12, 2019
Great T-shirts, stickers and badges have been the money makers with the club itself realising that this was turning into a big thing and so they helped.
Possibly considering a re-run of an old classic to raise cash for the flag crowdfunder. Which one though? #ncfc pic.twitter.com/vx2VgWPJC6
— AlongComeNorwich (@AlongComeNodge) May 26, 2019
The club donated money in various ways, like from the sale of scarves and a proportion of programme profits, all with the intention of helping these supporter groups to make our stadium an awesome place to be on match days and they’ve managed it.
I like to think I’ve done my bit by buying t-shirts (way too many), badges, stickers for my lad and I’ve donated to the crowd funder too. I also re-tweet what they’re doing on the @VitalNorwich twitter feed because over 6,000 people follow it.
Loads of other City fans do the same thing and that’s helped bring us all together as a fan base. Oh, I almost forgot the fan marches from Riverside as well.
This season completely exceeded our expectations, both on and off the pitch. Thank you to every single person who has helped us and @AlongComeNodge get to the point we have. Savour this moment, the togetherness of the club, and let’s carry it forward.
— Barclay End Norwich (@BE_Norwich) April 28, 2019
Looking back we were so pleased with that first one… https://t.co/OIaUKbqysX
— AlongComeNorwich (@AlongComeNodge) April 28, 2019
There is so much to be proud of this season, the beautiful football, a manager so easy to love, bargain basement buys stepping up to the plate. But what tops it all for me is the fans are as united as I've ever seen them, that could be so powerful if we took it into the PL 💛💚💛 pic.twitter.com/VFhbOmA8mS
— Jon P (@puntino) April 28, 2019
This was months in the planning. Those with good memories may remember us doing a series of polls back in September for legends to feature on a flag, this was the result. @MrGunny1963 @hucks6dh6 @Grantholt31 @iwanwroberts, Barry Butler, Big Dunc, Flecky and Wes. https://t.co/hMfwnSaodH
— Jon P (@puntino) April 19, 2019
Shed a slight tear seeing my design at this scale in the Barclay End. Being a life long #ncfc fan, this means everything to me! I can't thank @AlongComeNodge enough for giving me this opportunity! #otbc pic.twitter.com/EcZ60AViZU
— Stephen Lister (@SListerDesign) April 19, 2019
— Barclay End Norwich (@BE_Norwich) April 10, 2019
Gently encouraging you, me and that weird bloke that sits in front of you every week and has done for the last five years but you don’t know his name, into singing, cheering and wearing your colours and belonging. Just belonging to the Canary Nation.
So good to see this flag raised high and proud in the lower Barclay at Saturday's game! #ncfc 🏳️🌈
👏 @AlongComeNodge @BE_Norwich @proudcanaries @FvHtweets pic.twitter.com/Jgugrevklc
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) February 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/ffion_/status/1099586644880044032?s=21
We get that it seems like we're constantly on the scrounge. Sunday's banner cost £2.3k and the extra 400 smaller flags we got for the game were £1800. We appreciate everything people have donated thus far so much and now want to plan to push the boys over the line. https://t.co/XfOy22kXOB
— Jon P (@puntino) February 14, 2019
This might seem like a bit of a fan boy’s post but I hope that looking through some of these photos has reminded you of some of those great days and nights at Carrow Road last season.
The Premier League doesn’t have anything like this going on, anywhere, and I can only imagine how cool it’s going to look on Match of the Day every other week.
We’ve been sitting in the top tier of the River End for the last eight years, having moved to the Family Area when our then five year lad got his first season ticket. It is, you may have noticed, a little quiet though and we’d like a move of location to somewhere a little noisier. The stuff that’s going on in the Barclay makes us want to move there but it doesn’t seem like an option at the moment. That’s because of the success on the field and the fun being generated off it.
Was there even a “movers and shakers” week this year?
If it means that City have to become less successful for such a move of seat then I’d rather not do it!
We owe these people, and I don’t know them personally, a great debt of gratitude. They’ve not got us promoted all on their own, Herr Farke, his coaches and his squad have done that but these guys have made a huge effort to get us all involved and get us together.
Barclay End Norwich and Along Come Norwich and everyone else who helped design stuff, make stuff or waved a flag – Thank you!
ON THE BALL CITY!!!