I am depressed. Sick as… well, a Canary. Our plan for Championship domination has gone to pot and there is only the prospect of visits to Roots Hall and Layer Road to enliven next season.

I am depressed. Sick as… well, a Canary.

Our plan for Championship domination has gone to pot and there is only the prospect of visits to Roots Hall and Layer Road to enliven next season.

But you know what makes me most depressed? The attitude of some Norwich fans this season. Since when has applauding opposition goals demonstrated support?

How does ruining a player's confidence enable him to demonstrate his worth?

And why hold demonstrations only after a 'poor' performance?

I realise that the Worthy Out campaign have been watching City play pass-and-move football since Bill Nicholson was scrumping apples in north London, while our version of Total Football predates Rinus Michels by some 70 years, but please, let's get some perspective.

How would Malky Mackay have been treated this season? He spent much of his Norwich career playing 'long balls' in the vague direction of a yellow shirt. Would the cries of “hoof” have been so vitriolic if he was the culprit?

Professional football rewards success, not style. You get three points if you beat Ipswich

9-0 and you get the same three points if you squeeze past QPR with a rubbish performance.

We wanted success for Norwich City and were rewarded in May 2004. Nobody cared that our main tactic was 'give it to Huckerby' (he either scored, was awarded a penalty or passed to someone else who scored).

Now the demand is for pretty football and success, all tied up with a yellow and green ribbon.

A good friend of mine, a Chelsea season ticket holder, is about to witness back-to-back Premiership titles. But even in SW6 there is talk of a lack of style.

My mate, who was spared many of the Blues' wilderness years, makes a good point when he writes: “Great sides are built on a simple basis; first, stop them losing. Second, turn them into winners by all means necessary…then and only then do you worry about winning with style”.

Let us at least acknowledge that the success of 2003-04 was not the start of a dynasty, but the beginning of the end for an ageing squad.

Much of that squad has now left and the rebuilding process has to start over. But when NW began to rebuild in December 2001 his actions were not subject to the close scrutiny of today, and he was allowed to make steady progress.

Our manager has, undoubtedly, made mistakes. But the good luck we encountered in 2003-04 is being matched by the bad luck we have had this season.

Only six of the 34 players used in 2005-06 have not missed games through injury or suspension. No manager could maintain a promotion push with that kind of disruption.

Let me close by saying that the attitude of some at Carrow Road recently is more associated with Wolves and West Ham, those 'sleeping giants' with impossibly lofty goals and deluded visions of grandeur.

If you still feel like cheering the opposition then next Sunday is your opportunity. You can go and sit with our Black Country friends in the South Stand - you'll have lots in common and I'm sure they will have plenty of empty seats.

Or better still, sell your ticket back to the club and let someone go to the game who is inclined to support their team, Norwich City. OTBC.