What a year it’s been for learning new stuff.

'You want to die' | Daniel Farke Reaction | Norwich City 1-1 (4)

Not those long-forgotten Lockdown One promises of learning another language or improving ukulele technique (though I was pleased that my socially isolated daily keepy uppies exercise resulted in a new personal best of 25!).

I mean the journey of self-discovery corona-related restrictions has delivered. I had no idea I felt quite so strongly about the societal impact of School Dinners, Pubs, Lower League Clubs v the Big 6 and Project Big Picture and the mental health of fans.

If nothing else the disease has offered some perspective on issues critical in our communities, and it’s provided a prism for highlighting football priorities too. I hope that’s a mindset that endures.

And for me that perspective helped soften the blow of summer’s relegation from the Premier League. In the scheme of things there were plenty of places beyond Carrow Road providing disappointment of a different order of magnitude, particularly with our club focused on the local community, solvent and geared up to play competitively in the Championship.

Equally in that context, my take on the success of the Norwich City young rookie players recently is beyond delighted. The nation’s young people have lately taken disproportionate flak - characterised by some media as irresponsible ‘super spreaders’ indifferent to the impact of rising infection rates. So the visible ambition, ownership and teamwork shown by the likes of Jacob Sorensen, Prezemyslaw Placheta and Josh Martin is a powerful testimony as well as a joy to watch.

There are those on socials suggesting that in the current injury crisis, highly experienced (and equally highly paid!) pros like Moritz Leitner and Josip Drmic should be back in the team. They’ve clearly not learned from history.

Daniel Farke and Stuart Webber like nothing more than fostering and developing raw young talent on the matchday pitch as well as at Colney. They don’t like complacency and entitlement, or negativity from over-inflated egos. Mo and Josip have as much chance of a recall from Daniel at the expense of the youngsters as did Steven Naismith.

In my last Fanzone column I wrote that I even missed the queue for the Geoffrey Watling stand loos - that’s how much I miss Carrow Road. And I miss my match day trips to the club shop too, so I’ve been sure to check out the online seasonal offers. I’m surprised not to see a yellow and green Santa hat this year; maybe the assumption is that there are sufficient in circulation from previous years (unlike most accessories canary liveried Santa hats probably are something one can have too many of!) but I’m happy to see another set of high-end tree decorations; the classy yellow and green baubles are a regular annual purchase in my house. There’s also an excellent line in retro shirts - see Jordan Hugill modelling the classic Fosters shirt on the shop website.

If the subject of your gifting might prefer genuine original retro rather than a modern copy then head to On the Stall City’s on-line store. The superb outlet for Norwich City memorabilia, paraphernalia and collectibles run by Jacob, Sharon and Andy Bowles, raises money for the club’s charitable arm the Community Sports Foundation and in pre-covid times had a regular spot on the market. Now well established on the web, the stock is constantly changing.

Current wow factor has to be the signed Bryan Gunn keeper shirts - those N&P acid house and steampunk jobs from 1996. Still available at time of writing but not for long I’m sure.