FAO Norwich City Football Club

Tomorrow afternoon, we face Charlton in the world's most famous cup competition (TM). Until the SKY boom revolutionised football, Norwich City used to have a pretty decent record in this competition, reaching quarter and semi-finals fairly regularly, and blowing a glorious chance of reaching Wembley in 1992. But since then, our record is execrable, and an embarrassment to the club: we have not so much as scored a goal in the fifth round for 17 years, and won just five ties since 1995.

Combined with a similarly appalling recent record in the League Cup, the impression has grown of a club which adopts a pretty poor, disinterested attitude when it comes to England's knockout competitions. Every year, no matter where we might be in the league, we are told that is always more important, and the Cup an unhelpful distraction. But this didn't stop Barnsley last year. It didn't stop Millwall in 2004, or Wycombe in 2001, or Chesterfield in 1997 either.

Certainly, a trip to the Valley isn't exactly glamorous. But here's the thing, guys: time was when this club would be pleased to have been handed a winnable tie. If you win winnable ties, you go further in the tournament: it's not rocket science! The competition doesn't merely exist to increase the coffers of smaller clubs, and for those not fortunate enough to draw a big Premier League side to cry about how unfair the world is. Barnsley drew Blackpool in the third round last year; then they drew Southend. They didn't wail about boring, underwhelming ties or having no money: they saw an opportunity, and got on with it.

Fifty years ago, this club embarked on an FA Cup run which earned it nationwide renown, and enabled it to believe how much more could be achieved in the decades ahead. The players involved are legends, and rightly so. No-one's kidding themselves that the current team could achieve such miracles - but at the very least, it is imperative we go as far as the draw realistically permits, and leave the pitch following elimination with no regrets. Unlike last season against Bury, or 1998 against Grimsby, or 1996 against Brentford, for example.

The FA Cup isn't an annoying distraction at all. It can provide excitement and, whisper it, FUN. Supporting City hasn't involved much of the latter in recent years, to say the least - so get to it tomorrow, and start putting a smile back on the club's face. It's long, long overdue.

OTBC

Posted By: thebigfeller on January 2nd 2009 at 19:31:17

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