Considering it was a comfortable 5-0 win over under-strength League One opposition, Norwich City’s 5-0 friendly victory over Gillingham proved to be a rather special Carrow Road occasion.

From the roar which greeted the City players as they came out to warm up as the summer sun started to set, to the surge of appreciation as Daniel Farke’s players came out to that famous Fleetwood Mac riff from The Chain, the warmth of normality returning brought moments to savour.

The biggest crowd in NR1 since the first coronavirus lockdown brought a three-month suspension in March 2020 saw 10,692 spectators turn out, many proudly sporting the new home and away kits, catching up with old friends and chatting about the evolving transfer situations.

Amongst that total was a hardy 68 Gillingham supporters who had made the effort just a few days before their team are due to start their League One campaign.

It didn’t take long for the good humour which only football fans can truly appreciate to return.

I’ll have to paraphrase for a family newspaper but chants of “you’re support’s not very good” and jeering the opposition goalkeepers as they lined up to take a kick before roaring ‘you’re rubbish, ahhhh’ at the crucial moment. These are all crucial traditions.

Silly, largely pointless but all in the name of match-day rivalry. There were even a few pantomime boos for the Gills as they came on to the pitch, which drew plenty of smiles.

The four Carrow Road games last season which featured a maximum of 2,000 spectators in the South Stand were heartening but ultimately, and sadly to little surprise, soon thwarted as those depressing pandemic numbers surged again at Christmas.

Those fans made a real effort and enjoyed some good moments. From Przemek Placheta’s late equaliser against Preston, to two goals in three minutes from Josh Martin and Max Aarons to beat Sheffield Wednesday and star turns from Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell in wins over Nottingham Forest and Cardiff.

Yet there was a noticeable difference in atmosphere with over 10,000 fans spread around three stands on Tuesday, roaring On the Ball City with the emotion of 18 months of pent-up frustration just after kick-off, whetting the appetite for the approaching league opener against Liverpool when a bigger crowd is expected.

For us as reporters, we’ve been extremely fortunate and appreciative that we’ve been able to continue covering Canaries games during the past 18 months, but even 10,000 fans for a friendly reminded us of just how hollow behind-closed-doors games felt.

That brings all the more credit to Farke’s players for their unrelenting march towards the Championship title last season, recovering from the pain of a miserable relegation and maintaining motivation without their fans there to roar them on during the difficult moments.

It has all felt surreal but the rejuvenating experience of a comfortable friendly win has emphasised that football is unquestionably better with supporters in the stands.

Inevitably, many nerves remain about the recovery from the pandemic, at home and abroad, and clearly there are many more important things than football in life.

Sport is our release though, from the stresses and struggles of real life. That’s why the thumping, slightly deflected shot, from Pierre Lees-Melou in the ninth minute was greeted with all the importance of a goal in a competitive fixture. That moment of release and relief is what it’s all about.

It’s why broad smiles filled the stands as Cantwell executed his audacious overhead assist for Adam Idah to make it 2-0 and why so many impressed glances were exchanged after Billy Gilmour’s beautiful through-ball which allowed Dimitris Giannoulis to find Lukas Rupp for 3-0.

It’s why Idah’s rocket in front of the Barclay stand was celebrated with such satisfaction and why Jacob Sorensen heading in Cantwell’s pinpoint free-kick brought such a joyous response in the 89th minute, after the Gills had been left chasing shadows.

Farke just couldn’t resist his moment. After 18 months of not being able to celebrate some memorable successes and an exceptional title triumph properly, City’s head coach marched towards the South Stand.

The celebratory waves were repeated again with the Barclay and again with the Snake Pit and City Stand, a heartening moment that you could tell meant so much to the German.

The celebrations weren’t about a pre-season win and don’t override the serious business of transfer work and a challenging final friendly at Newcastle.

They reminded everyone at Carrow Road of why we dedicate such time and energy to a game that can leaves you feeling awful at times but also bring some of the most memorable moments of our lives.

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