DAVID CUFFLEY Sandy Kennon will have a keener interest than most in the outcome of tonight's revived East Anglian battle at Carrow Road.

DAVID CUFFLEY

Sandy Kennon will have a keener interest than most in the outcome of tonight's revived East Anglian battle at Carrow Road.

Former goalkeeper Kennon not only played for both City and Colchester, but featured in the last two competitive meetings between the two sides in the 1959-60 season.

More than 47 years have passed since the U's last played at Norwich. Archie Macaulay's Canaries won 3-2 in a Division Three fixture on October 3, 1959, in front of a crowd of 27,037.

South African-born Kennon was between the posts for City as two first-half goals from Jimmy Hill and a late winner from Terry Bly secured both points.

Colchester gained revenge with a 3-0 win at Layer Road the following February, but not enough to derail City's march to promotion to Division Two at the end of the season, since when the two clubs have never met in league or Cup combat.

Kennon moved from Norwich to Colchester in 1965, made 77 appearances and helped former England centre-half Neil Franklin's team win promotion from Division Four to Division Three - with a certain Duncan Forbes in the defence.

"We conceded 12 penalties while I was there and I saved eight of them. Duncan was at right-back and I think he gave away eight of them, but it helped make me a bit of a local hero," said Kennon.

Kennon, now 72, will be at tonight's game, but admitted: "I wouldn't like to predict the result. Norwich are so up and down at the moment, and Colchester had a great result against Southampton and are very much on the up. But it's a very topsy-turvy, volatile league.

"The first three results I look for are still Huddersfield, Norwich and Colchester. It's lovely to see Colchester playing in this league. I stayed in Norwich after I joined Colchester because I married a Norwich girl, but I had two and a half years playing at Layer Road and enjoyed my time there."