So, whats your story?

[Boyerboy]

You look older than you clearly are Splutcho

 

[Gorlestongirl]

Born in Lowestoft, which is largely Norwich supporting despite being over the border. My dad was a retired trawler skipper, who because of his job had never really connected with football, though he did the Pools. My mum, though, loved the game, and used to take me (but not my brothers) to Crown Meadow to see Lowestoft Town. We would never have been able to afford either the time and money to go to Carrow Road. But she avidly followed the '59 Cup Run, and I remember really well listening to the Luton game on the class radio with our teacher.

I didn't really actively follow football through my teenage years, other things for a girl to do in the sixties, though I can't remember what. Went to Uni in Nottingham at the end of the sixties and met a bloke from the North-East, who took me to watch Forest homes games. Remember the season we went up and Forest went down. Then up to the North-East, where I went to quite a few Sunderland games, and some at St James Park.

Moved back to Norfolk in '86 with my two teenaged children and it all started to fall into place. First game was the Norwich vs Southampton game which we won 4-3. Took my young son who was hooked immediately. From then on supported the team and went to games fairly regularly with the lad, until it became cooler for him to go with his mates, and other things intervened.

Finally got my first season ticket in 2005, and have only missed a handful of home games since. I watch all sorts of football on TV and marvel at those players like Messi, who are at the very top of the game. But the real enjoyment comes for me when I turn up at Carrow Road on a crisp Autumn afternoon, when quite possibly we may thrash Spurs, or Leeds or Manchester whoever. Or maybe we won't.

 

[Boyerboy]

Din, never be ashamed of where you were born - even in jest and even if it is Suffolk.

Not your choice after all. We can't help where we were born just who we become.

 

[Din]

Din, never be ashamed of where you were born - even in jest and even if it is Suffolk.

Not your choice after all. We can't help where we were born just who we become.

It was only in jest to be fair, but I agree with what you say. When I was a kid I did actually used to tell people I was from Brixton, where my dad is from, so that my mates didn't label me an Ipswich fan. But as I got older I realised that nobody really cared that I was from Suffolk. Although my family like to use it against me occasionally

Some great stories in this thread. Loved Moosheep's story about being a ballboy. Really interesting stuff. I was once a ballboy at a game at Carrow Road between UEA and Ormiston Academy. Not quite on the same level though really.

 

[Canaryboy]

Mine's not the slightest bit interesting. I was born in Norwich to a Norwich supporting father, had my first season ticket during the 1992/93 season, and then had one for 12 years before heading off to uni in 2005, have been a half a dozen games a season fan ever since. Spent most of the time since in exile in fairness! Most of that in various parts of Yorkshire. 

Apparently I'd been taken to numerous games before 1992, I can vaguely remember being held up on the terraces so know this to be true, but I can't remember sod all else about those games so in my mind I began going in 92/93.

I jumped on the train at just the right time really, Bayern Munich at home for a 9/10 year old in the newly built Snakepit was an experience never to forget, still don't think the atmosphere at that game has been matched at any game I've been to since (including two play off finals). 

Nothing wrong with being born in Suffolk by the way, it is common knowledge that Norwich fans invaded large swathes of that county long ago. Beccles and Lowestoft are more yellow than they are blue, and that's been the case for a long time!

 

[Paul Handscombe]

Born in Essex, West Ham season ticket holder as a kid with my Dad and godfather for 3 season in late 80's early 90's.  So first time I saw Norwich was there.

Moved to Alby - North Norfolk in 2000 when I went to UEA (had been coming there all my life as was family holiday home) did my degree in 2 years and met my now ex wife and stayed.  Started working at NNDC in 2002 t hen when they filled in the gap between the Jarrold and N&P a friend and life long Canary suggested we got on the waiting list for season tickets, and we did and first game was Man Utd when Leon and Ashton scored in 2-0 win,

Had season tickets ever since moved to N&P the next season to get the kids tickets as well.

Moved back to Essex after divorce in 2008 but still kept tickets and travelled up by car for each game.  Kids then moved down to Essex 2 years ago and me and Harry decided to get season tickets for West Ham again, so at the end of this season we let our Norwich ones go.

Main reason was the travel but also I wanted to go to the last season at Upton Park and then guarantee seats for the Olympic Stadium.

Have already bought our membership tho for Norwich and will still get to a few games although probably go to more away one.

 

[Fenway Frank]

Like many others on here I'm a Norfolk boi and proud of it. My old man wasn't really into football that much, he was into the cricket, but one day he said he was going to take me and my brother to see a " proper footballer " . It was 28th December 1972, we played Manchester City and the player was Dennis Law.

As a glory hunting 11 year old I was more interested in the Revie Leeds team at the time, but started going to Carra Rud regularly in 1974 with my schoolmates and have been going ever since. The only short break was about 20/25 years ago , when I married my first wife I didn't realise how much she disliked football !!! It didn't last and I chose a lot better second time, we've had season tickets together for 20 years now. It was our 20 year wedding anniversary in early June and we were going to have a posh night out but when we saw Wembley ticket prices said "stuff our posh meal, let's make sure we go to Wembley as we'll enjoy it more " which we certainly did ! That's my girl

 

[Boyerboy]

None of my three sons support City though I tried with them all.  I took my eldest to his first match in the late 80's.  It was against Arsenal just after Ken Brown was sacked.  We stood in the family enclosure which was then a terraced section below the floodlight pylon in the corner between the Jarrold and the River End.  I hoped that this would be the start of a lifelong connection between us.

In the first attack, there was an almighty roar and the poor lad who was about seven just burst into tears.

We got over that and he later became bored ad began to swing on the old crash barrier.  He lost his footing, fell down several steps, grazing himself in several places and of course, more tears.

During the second half, he began chatting to a similarly aged boy. The conversation included the following exchange:

My son - " It's good here isn't it?"

"Yes.  The best bit was when you fell down the steps."

My son never really came to football preferring rugby and being a Formula One nut (not even a sport in my book!)

But I tried.  The other two chose Blackburn and West Ham.  Others must provide the next generations for City.

 

[crabbycanary]

Similar shades to what's been written really

Dad (reluctantly, as he disliked football) took me to my 1st game in 1974, and then never took me again!

We had a female neighbour, friend of ours, who then took me (and my Mum) to the Orient cup tie in 1978,  which we lost, and the had a coloured guy on their wing called John Chiedozie, who took an almighty amount of racist abuse, and my Mum was disgusted (at the abuse given, not John!) and swore never to take me a to a game again. Luckily our neighbour wasn't as disgusted and took me to a few games.

Really kick started the following season, and because of work and managing to do ok at Rugby, have seen hundreds of games, but missed a fair few more in that time. Been to approx 50-60 away grounds also, including some that don't exist anymore

Have tried to get my girls interested but that has waned as they have got older

 

[Suffolk Canary]

 It didn't last and I chose a lot better second time, we've had season tickets together for 20 years now. It was our 20 year wedding anniversary in early June and we were going to have a posh night out but when we saw Wembley ticket prices said "stuff our posh meal, let's make sure we go to Wembley as we'll enjoy it more " which we certainly did ! That's my girl

If i get a marriage like that one day then I'll be a happy man!  Good on ya buh

 

[Dubai Mark]

Great topic..

Family moved to Norwich in 1959 when I was 1 year old, we lived near Earlham Park, but by the time I was 4 we settled in Hopton-on-Sea near Great Yarmouth as that's where my Dad worked. Whilst I can remember getting interested in football in 1966 for obvious reasons, I didnt have a team until 1968 (although was toying with the idea of following Spurs or Manure after the Benfica game.....cant believe I did that ) when a neighbour took me to my first game at Carrow Road.....Keelan, Butler, Forbes etc.

I was hooked almost immediately and the club started to enter my DNA very quickly, couldnt get enough games, remember Foggo and Sylvester days and then that era starting with Bond....Peters....Boyer.... Channon etc. So many more good times and also some down times of course....but I never ever lost the faith...we dont do we!!

Over next two or three seasons ended up going to a few games being taken by the neighbour or my Dads boss, one of the wealthy Great Yarmouth business men at the time, even went in his Bentley a few times and remember being introduced to the Directors once, I was about 11 or 12 at the time.

Started really regularly when I was in my teens with a group of guys from the village and I guess by the time I was twenty I was a season ticket holder and regular away follower, particularly to London and Midlands games, had some great times even when it was not always comfortable going away i.e. Orient Cup Replay. Spent a lot of money following the club, like many do now.

Once married lived in Gorleston, Belton and then Poringland (great for the match) and continued being a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground up to when I left the UK for work back in 2004, including the first season of the "new" Main Stand (Geoffrey Watling) was open....we got biscuits and tea at half time, that is if you got to the bar quick enough to catch a biscuit.

For me the biggest decision when moving away from the UK was all about missing the football (sorry family) and to this day it is what I really miss...match day.....it is very special.

Now I am here I can only get to occasional matches, but have managed to come back every year for at least a home match or two, three each season and occasional away....... and have yet to see City lose on my return trips......and this record remained in place after the most recent trip to Wembley, which even considering Europe trips, Semi FInals and Finals, was for me probably the most memorable day out yet being a City supporter, a very special team performance on the day is why.

So, thankfully now we are back in the EPL I will see City live on TV a lot more over here, sometimes along with the UAE Canaries down the Pub,a good bunch who nearly all made it to Wembley, and I am now waiting for the fixture list to see how I can work a game in to the next few days I will be over to the UK in September.      

 

[Killiecanary]

Originally grew up up in Kilmarnock in SW Scotland and grew up following the mighty Killie home and away - actually was in Gary Holts class at secondary school (and played in the school team with him!) moved to Norwich to study at UEA in the late 90s and missed my footy fix so took myself off to CR not long after I moved down here.

My first game was a home match v Charlton Athletic. City lost 4-0 (Clive Mendonca scored a hat trick) and Norwich produced a display of what I once described on another thread as 'benign incompetence that I fell hopelessly for them right from the start. Now married and with kids who are also NCFC nuts (and also Kilmarnock FC nuts - what cruel things we parents do to our children eh!) and season ticket holders of many years standing, I can definitely say that my decision to head down to CR that day was one of the best I ever took!

Now attending matches home and away with my boys (aged 10 and 5) is a special 'boy bond' for us. In a nice twist my Dad, who gave me my love for the game and who took me as a kid all over Scotland watching Kilmarnock, has recently moved to Norfolk so I can keep a better eye in the old codger in his dotage!!! He occasionally now comes with me to CR if one of the lads can't make a match which is a nice closing of the circle for us.

One thing about the almost 20 years of following Norwich is that there haven't been many boring seasons that for sure! Another thing I can say is that despite the occasional numpty the overwhelming majority of City fans are knowledgable, frIendly and great fun.

 

[Beauseant]

Hi Boyerboy, I'm in M block too (Row O). Where are you?

 

[Boyerboy]

Row GG 174 Beau so a bit behind you. I like it there. Good view and a decent atmosphere.

 

[Beauseant]

Agree, it's nice in the Jarrold.

 

[Personal Trainer]

1988, second marriage, kids not coming to stay that weekend so nothing specific to do. I said I thought I would go and see Norwich play, hadn't seen a live match since my Cambridge City supporting days. She said I will come with you as she hadn't seen a live match since her Headington (now Oxford) United days. Went into the old Barclay Stand and have been in there ever since. Even joined the Old Barclay sit in but wouldn't swop our Lower Barclay seats.

 

[Lone Star Canary]

I've told this story a few times already, but here goes.

When I was about 11 or 12 my paternal grandmother gave me her handwritten book of family lineage.  On the first page was where her family had come from in the 1700s - Norwich.  It also mentioned one ancestor being this fellow.

Timothy Balderston... who was mayor of Norwich in 1736 and 1751 (the castle and cathedral are obvious in the painting).

Around that same time my local paper would post results and tables from the English leagues on Sundays... so at some point I looked down at the table, saw Norwich, put two and two together, and said "well, I guess that's my team."  Thirty-plus years later it still is.

There's also a Balderston Ct, which is a few minutes walk from St. George's Church, Colgate, which has a memorial to my ancestor.

 

[Beauseant]

Born near Lynn and first visited Carrow Road aged 10 with my uncle who was a big City fan to see the FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday in 1967 after City had won at Old Trafford in the previous round. My Dad, though a very highly rated amateur player, never really enjoyed watching games so it was largely down to my two uncles to take me to watch City which they did religiously until I went off to University, although I got across to games whenever I could. By the time I returned I was playing semi pro and spent 10 seasons in the ECL (with Wisbech Town amongst others)  and the Southern League with King's Lynn. 

Obviously that kept me away from most City games and after retiring I became a manager for 13 seasons so nothing changed, but in 2005 I decided enough was enough and got back to watching City regularly. My wife and I have season tickets in the Jarrold and I get to at least 50% of away games, although last year it was a lot more. I also write a weekly column in the EDP and am Chair of the Canaries Trust.

 

[Ricardo]

How did you get here?

Where are you from, what made you start watching Norwich City?

The best of times with the best of people.

 Well Morty, my dear old mum told me that the stork brought me to the West Norwich Hospital, shortly after the end of World War 2. All I know for certain is that when I first attended Carrow Road with my dear old Dad, Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister and sweets and many other foodstuffs will still on rationing. I went to school and lived and worked in Norwich all my life and never wanted to be anywhere else. I don't think I have ever lived more tha three miles from Carrow Rd and much of the time when I lived at Trowse or Thorpe Hamlet I was well within walking distance.

I've tried hard to remember my first game and I think it must have been a pre-season game because in those days a week before the season started you would get a game where the Probables played the Possibles. I really can't recall much about it other than there were a lot of goals and that I was irrevocably hooked by the excitement and the roar of the crowd. I must have witnessed well over a thousand games since then but the excitement and nervous feeling before kick off has never left me.

City played in yellow shirts and black shorts in those days, although the programme always described them as "knickers". The ground was also very primitive compared with what we have today. Only the old wooden main stand and Barclay end were covered and the rest of the ground was open terracing made from old railway sleepers. If I remember correctly it cost sixpence for boys entry into the ground but you could get a transfer into the Barclay or the Enclosure (in front of the main stand) for an extra threepence.

My earliest memories of that first team line up still roll easily off the tongue. Nethercott in goal, Morgan and Lewis the backs, Pickwick, Foulkes and Ashman, the halfback line and a forward line of Gavin, Gordon, Hunt, Brennan and Coxon. Memory is a funny thing because that team is still clearer to me than those from only three or four years ago.

NCFC has been and will always remain a big part of my life and what with nine promotions and seven relegations I can't complain that it's been a boring ride, its been joy and sorrow in almost equal measure, you can't have one without the other. I've seen the club nearly go bust twice, seen the magic of the '59 cup run and been present at almost all the big occasions in our history.

I remain eternally grateful that my father and my uncles, got me interested at an early age and hopefully I have repaid the debt by introducing my own son who has accompanied me to games for over thirty years. Hopefully I've got a few more years left in me yet.

 

[SwindonCanary]

copied from http://swindoncanary.wix.com/swindoncanary

Why SwindonCanary ?

It's because I live in Swindon and support Norwich City Football  Club,  nicknamed 'The Canaries'

Known throughout the internet as 'SwindonCanary' I even get mail through my door addressed to

Mr S, Canary !  

 

My real name is Martin James. I was born in deepest darkest Cornwall. In a little village called St. Keverne (look it up) but I was not alone, I had a twin brother !  It came as a complete surprise to my parents and they had decided that if it was a boy he would be called 'Martin Paul James' instead the first born (Me by 5 mins.) was be called Martin James and the 2nd born Paul James neither of us were given a middle name and I like it like that.

 

My Dad, Bryan Morris James, joined the Royal Air Force, so throughout my childhood we moved from one R.A.F. Base to another we lived in Bedfordshire, Yorkshire, Somerset and Germany. Then when I was 11 years old, my Dad was posted to RAF Coltishall, Norfolk and we lived in Sprowston, Norwich, somehow dad wrangled it so he stayed at Coltishall for over 6 years, meaning we had a settled education, my 'informative' years were spent in Norwich and as soon as we arrived, I started supporting the local football Club, Norwich City, in those day they were a second division team who's only claim to fame was an FA Cup semi final.


After leaving school I decided to follow my dad and join the forces,  I didn't fancy re-visiting  all those RAF Bases, and as a young 16 year old, I fancied travelling a bit more, so I joined the Royal Navy, and had a great time visiting ports all over the world, and doing very little work, all on the governments money. (thanks to all you tax payers out there !)  

 

After 11 years in the Navy, I decided to leave the service and settle down somewhere,  I ended up in Swindon because I managed to get a job at Rover Cars Pressing Plant, later to become 'Plant BMW Swindon', pressing body panels for the mini car.  I worked there for 29 years then two years ago they were trying to reduce the workforce, offering early retirement to anyone over 55, I was 55 years old, and after studying what was on offer, I found out that my monthly retirement income would be only £120 less than I was actually picking up in wages ! A no brainer,  I took the retirement at 55 years old. I now get work during the winter Sept-March at Honda UK  (just to top up the funds) and take the summers off -- I'm loving it !