The Man In The Stands Rarely has there been such a miserable week in the lives of Norwich City fans. Just days after we officially became the worst side in English football's second tier, a multi-millionaire announced he was going to bankroll Ipswich Town.

The Man In The Stands

Rarely has there been such a miserable week in the lives of Norwich City fans. Just days after we officially became the worst side in English football's second tier, a multi-millionaire announced he was going to bankroll Ipswich Town.

The Man felt sick to the pit of his stomach. Utterly sick.

There are 101 reasons why we find ourselves in this unenviable position ahead of Sunday's game: but now is not the time to debate them.

Now is the time to truly muster ourselves - players and supporters - for a proper battle in three days' time.

The Man is confident when he says this is one of the most important derby matches ever; in fact it could be THE most important.

After all, we are staring at a return to Division Three for the first time in decades, if that isn't deadly serious The Man doesn't know what is.

But as Neil Doncaster rightly said this week, let's not approach this game with fear.

We are playing grubby little debt-dodging Ipswich Town on Sunday, not Real Madrid.

They have not won away from home in the league in about seven months, to put that into persepective, an even longer period than us!

Yes, The Man knows the established laws of football mean such runs invariably end at Carrow Road, but not this time. We must not allow it.

As fans let's truly get under the Ipswich players' skin on Sunday. Every time one comes near you to take a throw-in or corner remind them what you think.

Because you can bet your life that when we go down to their place battling for points to survive later in the season they'll be doing the same. Let's be merciless, despite the unholy kick-off time.

Of course, The Man is not talking about the sort of antics which saw Ipswich fans invade the pitch (again) and punch some of our players after the Ullathorne back pass, but of a single-minded support intent on getting a result.

If ever XI players needed real backing it is our lot on Sunday; The Man implores all 24,000 of us to scream our way to three points. Yes, even the River End.

We've been patting ourselves on the back for the past few years for turning up in numbers despite poor performances; but let's put in a performance of our own on Sunday.

If you can't sing yourself hoarse at this game - when the very future of our club is in the balance - then you may as well stay at home.

If our club's perilous position isn't enough motivation to give 100 per cent backing; then think of how Ipswich fans will be approaching the game.

The club that Norwich Union built - the club who couldn't even afford to pay us for programmes a few years back - is now apparently back in the money. And boy will their fans want us to know it.

They will be coming to Carrow Road expecting to deliver another nail into our coffin, waving £20 notes at us and singing “bottom of the league, at Carrow Road”.

The Man says again, we will not let it happen. We must adopt a zero-tolerance policy.

Of course, there is only so much we can do from the stands. We can intimidate their players, we can get on the ref's back, but ultimately the players will have to deliver too.

The Man has been an acute critic of the current squad. However, what we need now is confidence - and that does not come via criticism.

He's not had a great run so far but we do have the division's top goal-scorer from last term; and if ever there is a match Curo was going to deliver in it will be the derby.

We have Huckerby too, and for all his weaknesses, there is definitely still a top class performance in him.

Other members of the team also have a wonderful opportunity to win hero status. This match is there to be won - and if the players want it enough - we will get it.

The Man, and 24,000 others, demand that the team spills blood in the pursuit of victory on Sunday.

Let the old enemy know they have been game, and give them the scars to prove it.

In short, OTBC!