Canaries step up preparations with intra-squad friendly, banner plans and hotel talks

Plans for supporters to feel connected with Norwich City as they restart their Premier League campaign behind closed doors have been stepped up.

City resume their Premier League season a week on Friday, when they host Southampton, and preparations for that resumption stepped up earlier today with an intra-squad friendly at Carrow Road to help Daniel Farke’s players adjust to matches without spectators.

The coronavirus pandemic will prevent supporters attending games but the Canaries are keen to ensure fans still feel a part of their survival mission while watching from home.

City have adopted a ‘Together But Apart’ tagline and are taking the necessary steps to ensure fans follow the social distancing measures currently in place and don’t congregate outside the stadium.

It’s understood that discussions with management of the neighbouring Holiday Inn hotel are ongoing - to ensure no pitch-side rooms are sold on matchdays. The Canaries have taken a proactive approach to safety, with the prevention of those rooms being sold an attempt to prevent gathering near to the stadium.

Brighton & Hove Albion became the first Premier League side to offer their supporters the chance to purchase their own personalised cut-out - following in the steps of some Bundesliga clubs.

City won’t be offering supporters the chance to do the same but will be utilising a number of colourful banners on seats through an initiative in association with the Premier League. One of the banners will include messages of support for Farke’s team from the club’s Junior Canaries group. Club bosses are also holding discussions with supporters groups Along Come Norwich and Barclay End Norwich about a series of other displays and ideas to help fans feel involved.

The club will also offer supporters the opportunity to purchase match-day programmes for the remaining home matches on their official website, with copies being sent to fans via the post.

The Canaries shared a video of goals scored during the intra-club friendly at Carrow Road, showing goals from Adam Idah, Teemu Pukki and Timm Klose giving one team a 3-0 lead, which was cancelled out by a Josip Drmic strike being added to by an Ondrej Duda penalty and an equaliser from the Hertha Berlin loanee.

City will face Tottenham Hotspur in another friendly on Friday, with the game being played at an undisclosed location.