Away from Carrow Road, there is one Norwich City side who are having a successful season.  

Having completed a miraculous great escape last season, the Canaries’ women’s side are sitting second in the table, three points behind league leaders Hashtag United after winning five of their opening seven matches in the National League Division One East.  

Much-improved performances have coincided with the women’s team coming under the official Norwich City banner – something that is set to offer several benefits.  

The Canaries’ women’s side has been run separately from the club in recent years by a committee of volunteers who have steered the club through some difficult times.

These challenges have left City’s women side playing catch-up, especially when you compare them to rivals Ipswich Town who, forget in-club integration, were busy signing their first professional player in the summer of 2021.  

There is no reason why, in time, that cannot and should not be Norwich in the future. But they should hold aspirations of matching, if not surpassing, their local rivals, who are a more attractive destination for players and operating leagues higher than City at present.  

There have been strides in recent times. Flo Allen’s appointment as general manager is a progressive move and a commitment to stepping up their efforts in this area. After 18 months of resistance and scepticism, Norwich finally signed up to a formal partnership with Her Game Too.  

Norwich have upped their recruitment. They are now training more and have been given access to Colney as they strive for improvement. These are welcome steps – but they are only the first on a long journey. It must grow from here. That improvement must be continuous.  

The Pink Un:

There has been a decision to grow the women’s team ‘organically’, which in practice means limiting costs. Given Norwich’s financial model at present, that may be seen as a necessity but, to some extent, it is also a choice.  

Organic growth means a focus on attendance and supporter-generated revenue to improve the side. Like with most things, that will be a process. Games at Carrow Road will raise the profile and shine a brighter spotlight on this group, even if it came at a loss initially.  

This is about more than money. It’s about proving there is a place for girls to play football, to chase their dreams and to provide the type of opportunities that boys are given.  

This squad deserves the recognition of playing at Carrow Road. If City’s youth teams are provided with that honour, why aren’t the women? If charity matches can be held at Carrow Road, why can’t the women’s matches?  

They wear the Norwich City badge. They adorn the Norwich City colours. They deserve to play at Norwich City’s home.  

For so long, women have been asked ‘why?’ - now, the question needs to be ‘why not?’.  

Progress has to be constant. A Carrow Road game would serve as a real moment for young female footballers around Norfolk but also represent a major step forward in their own outlook of the side.  

It is not enough to expect the Lionesses'’ wonderful European Championship victory to bring people to the women’s game. Real change will happen when people are given opportunities to engage with it by their clubs on a local level – when they see their team willing to give it the platform it warrants.  

It is not enough to suggest there isn’t the appetite for supporters to come or the players couldn’t handle that particular occasion. Those who have been on the journey long before the integration of the club deserve that moment more than anyone.  

There are no downsides. It would help attract talent to the club if Carrow Road was to become a regular stage, it would increase attendances, it would be massive for women’s football in the county. Young girls would be able to go and be inspired by City’s stars.  

What a wonderful opportunity that would be for the women who represent Norwich. They are inspirational – they are paving the way for future generations. They are playing for their love of the game. They are local people representing the club they love.

The Pink Un:

In The Nest, City have a wonderful facility. The crowds watching their matches on Sundays have grown substantially in comparison to last season – there is a clear and growing interest in their progress.  

But there are accessibility issues with that site – in the absence of a car, bus and alternative modes of transport are few and far between because of its destination near the airport. The Canaries Trust and Along Come Norwich are offering free coach travel from Carrow Road to supporters hoping to attend the match on Sunday.  

It’s understood that Norwich plan to host the women’s team on more than one occasion before the end of the season – that is undeniably major and positive news. It cannot happen soon enough.

But it’s difficult to escape the reality that this weekend’s FA Cup second round clash with Sutton Coldfield would have served as an opportunity to open the turnstiles in NR1 to Shaun Howes and his side, given the men’s season is on pause due to the World Cup.  

There will be valid reasons and mitigation as to why that hasn’t happened on this occasion, but there should be an impatience to bring the women home. Not for every game, but that first step will be so special to many people.  

Given the club has lost the likes of Lauren Hemp, Flo Allen and Aimee Palmer due to other clubs being able to offer routes into the professional game, it would serve as a reminder to what Norwich can offer young girls who are chasing their dreams.  

Matches in the Super League are being played in front of record-breaking crowds. Women footballers are, rightly, becoming household names.  

Norwich may be playing catch-up, but hosting a women’s match at Carrow Road would be a watershed moment and mark a real moment of progress for women’s football in Norfolk and reaffirm the club’s commitment to improving it.