Your First Game

[Killiecanary]

I moved to Norwich to study at UEA in 1997 and my first match was a home game against Charlton. I had just moved down that Summer and was desperate to watch some footy. Norwich lost 4-0 and produced a display of such benign incompetence it reminded me instantly of watching my beloved Kilmarnock and I was hooked! I have just looked it up online and I note that Clive Mendonca scored a hat trick and that the attendance was only 10,000.

Changed times eh?

 

[Yellowyorkie]

It was at home home to Bradford in 1960! We won (3-1 I think). Still have the programme (which cost 3d) somewhere.

 

[Surgeryman]

It's hard to think what a bunch of animals united supporters used to be, effectively now the biggest prawn sandwich brigade in this country! Was it a scary occasion when they broke through? and which part of the ground were you?

'78 was when they 'took' the barclay, right? When i started to catch the bus with mates and go on my own around '87-'88 people would still be talking about that day in the Barclay, and singing about the Barclay boot boys (I can barely remember the song now!) there was a real sense that it would not be allowed to happen again by anyone. The excitement of that used to fascinate me, as i was early teens and felt invincible, the thought that a battle could break out and we had to defend our patch was unlike anything i'd felt before. I remember a couple of skinheads used to take these little anvils into the game, they were small enough to fit in there hand, and would hold so that the point breaking through their fingers just 'incase' lol.

In reality the whole thing was just fuelled by the story of United and people talking a load of old balls whipping themselves up into frenzy, either to wind us youngsters up, or they truly believed it themselves. I had heard so much about that day, i finally saw it myself on youtube just a few years ago and it was truly unlike anything i've witnessed at Carrow Road.

Some of the older guys in the pubs before and after would tell us about Handlebars the copper who was a bit of a nutter by all accounts lol. Would love to have experienced a match in the 70's, what with the fashion, culture and music at the time too.

Yeah it was scary for an 11year old!! I remember the fires outside, someone falling through the roof and outside the Barclay there were stall holders poking heads out of their vans asking if it was safe. My dad was with me and if I remember right we were advised to stay in the ground. Cannot really remember much off the game TBH and think I was in the old South Stand, but it was a great Utd. team with the Greenoffs, Daly, Gordon Hill ...etc and managed by Tommy Docherty. Characters like him and John Bond were colourful to say the least! But my heroes were in Yellow and Green, MacDougall, Boyer, Keelan....etc.

 

[Surgeryman]

I know fans give you stick for not going to Carrow Road regularly if you dont live local, but I perhaps get something regular fans dont get - in that whenever I am able to go for a match, its a special experience

Never really understood why some fans do that GMD. We are all Canary fans

 

[Beauseant]

11th March 1967. City v Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup.

 

[Leedscanary]

8th August 1998 - vs Crewe Alexandra at Carrow Road. Finished 2-1 to City, Bellamy & Kenton scored for us and Mark Rivers scored for Crewe.

It was Bruce Rioch's first game in charge.

 

[Watling the Gnome]

Norwich 4 QPR 2 in October 1994. John Deehan was manager. Remember being amazed to see Rob Newman walking down the road and all the players turning up individually. Remember thinking how vulnerable they were to a deadleg from some crazed opposition fan. John Deehan waited to see if I wanted him to sign my programme, but I didnt have a pen. Went and bought one from the club shop just in time for Mark Robins' to sign it for me. Drab first half, remember feeling very depressed at half time as it looked like we were going to lose. Then 4 goals in 16 minutes. Happy days. Wrote to John Deehan who wrote back, and also wrote a letter of thanks to the club shop for being so patient with me when I bought my goalkeeper top (I was obsessing about the print and wanted it to be just like Gunny's) - They wrote back and sent me a complimentary poster. The whole experience made me a very happy little boy

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/premier-league/norwich-city-vs-qpr_game_18211.html

Weird. Wasn't there another game where we went 3-1 up inside the first 20 mins against QPR and it also finished 4-2? Off to google...

 

[Watling the Gnome]

Yes, I knew it! 4-2' 1998/9, I was there and four goals in the first 20 mins... Coincidence or should we call the FA?

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Theres also a 4-3 on that link

 

[Din]

Judging from everyone else's comments it looks like I'm the baby of the forum  

My first game was November 2006, when we beat Northampton 2-0 in the League Cup. Huckerby and Ashton with the goals. Been a season ticket holder since 2009, and have been to a total of about 120 games. 

 

[Fenway Frank]

Don't know the date but my old man took me to Carra Rud to watch a " real footballer " Denis Law , playing for Man City, I guess that dates it to very early seventies.

 

[Bosncfc]

Think it was 1960.yes just missed out on the 59 cup run.beat Southend 4-3 near the end of the season.

 

[Canaryboy]

I can't remember when my actual first game was, but I think the first one I remember was 1-1 against Man City at Carrow Road. Must have been very young as the Barclay Lower was terraced and I recall celebrating when the opposition scored - didn't have a clue what was going on.

At least I think it was 1-1, and think it was Man City, definitely remember cheering when the opposition scored and my dad explaining why I shouldn't.

 

[Tomasz Blazak]

Norwich 4 QPR 2 in October 1994. John Deehan was manager. Remember being amazed to see Rob Newman walking down the road and all the players turning up individually. Remember thinking how vulnerable they were to a deadleg from some crazed opposition fan. John Deehan waited to see if I wanted him to sign my programme, but I didnt have a pen. Went and bought one from the club shop just in time for Mark Robins' to sign it for me. Drab first half, remember feeling very depressed at half time as it looked like we were going to lose. Then 4 goals in 16 minutes. Happy days. Wrote to John Deehan who wrote back, and also wrote a letter of thanks to the club shop for being so patient with me when I bought my goalkeeper top (I was obsessing about the print and wanted it to be just like Gunny's) - They wrote back and sent me a complimentary poster. The whole experience made me a very happy little boy

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/premier-league/norwich-city-vs-qpr_game_18211.html

I was at this game with the Junior Canaries. Got lost on the way to meeting point after the game (aged 7) and had to ask the police to get me to the right place!

 

[Fenway Frank]

Found the date, 29th December 1973, Law scored for Man city. I started going regularly from 74

 

[SussexYellow]

This thread is a bit distressing for me because I can not actually remember, and I feel like I should be able to. But it would have been October/November 70.

I was a UEA student at the time and thought I ought to go to CR as a been there, done that, got the tee shirt experience. Not that you got the tee shirt in those days. Well I finally managed to get out of bed on a Saturday in time to get to a three o'clock kick off and off I went. Not particularly going to support Norwich but yes I did when I got there.

Well it got me, I went to the next home game and I was definitely supporting Norwich that time and had no trouble getting out of bed! And the one after that, and the one after that. And the rest as they say is history, been a proud Canary supporter ever since.

 

[Killiecanary]

Wonder how many of us 'imported' Canaries NCFC has to thank the UEA for?

I would guess a sizeable number?

 

[Robert Brompton]

Mine was against Swansea Town (before they became Swansea City) in August 1964 - the same day that MOTD was first broadcast. We won 2-1.