A big game looms next weekend as we make the novel trip down to North Essex for a relegation six-pointer. Note to self: must remember Col Who are in our league and it's not a Carling Cup game.

A big game looms next weekend as we make the novel trip down to North Essex for a relegation six-pointer.

Note to self: must remember Col Who are in our league and it's not a Carling Cup game.

This will of course be one of the rare occasions when Dion will not be the oldest player on the pitch, as Col Who have the ageless Mr Sheringham in their ranks.

Next week's crossing of swords with Sheringham, along with recent events in Sudan, has got The Man - more precisely one of his entourage - thinking...

Maybe we can adapt the former Spurs' man's famous chant for one of our own? How about our excellent loanee Mohammed Camara?

"Oh Teddy Teddy, Teddy Teddy Teddy Teddy Teddy Camara!"

Well, it made me laugh.

Also note that we are being allowed to play there at 5.30pm on the same day as a **** home game.

Clearly plod are too busy with Christmas shopping to bother about a festive bonus, I'd have thought it needed to be played at 7am...

MORE evidence that the fundamentalist Canary support is getting right up the noses of our rivals.

This week it was the turn of a Coventry Evening Telegraph columnist to reveal his bemusement at the number of people who now turn up to watch little old Norwich.

The column, ironically enough written by a man called Andy Turner, was entitled "Surely City can be a bigger club than Delia's Norwich?"

He said: "It is mystifying how two clubs so similar in many ways with both being relatively small, family clubs, can have such contrasting attendances."

Turner resolved it could not be because of a lack of facilities: "The ground [Carrow Road]? Not a patch on the Ricoh Arena and not that much better than Highfield Road when it closed."

Things change Mr Turner, deal with it.

Fifty thousand people used to watch Burnley! They don't anymore.

Pure and simple, we are just a better supported club than Coventry. A bigger club. The days when Cov could sign our best player for £5m are gone forever, and not too soon either.

One look at a map will tell you why we get better crowds, that and the fact that Norfolk people - although much derided by those outside the county - are decent and loyal folk who love their football. OTBC.

SO THE **** have now got money to spend, after Marcus Evans' takeover of the club was rubber-stamped this week.

The Ipswich Evening Star gloated: "Premier League here we come!" As well as offering a free five pound note to every reader.*

Although The Man will find the ****'s new-found wealth sickening, I can't say I wish Evans' he had come here.

After all, the day your club celebrates being bought by an alleged hermit who runs Arms conferences and has little intention of ever watching the team play is a very sad day indeed.

One glance at Evans' company website details how one conference next March will explain the need for "a more hostile approach" in soldier protection.

This multi-national firm, of course, is not just talking about British soldiers.

Apt then given how Evans makes his money that a **** spokesman should welcome his arrival with the following comment this week: "We wanted to find someone who would maintain Ipswich Town's culture and values."

Quite.

I also find it strange that this fella - who is said to be an extremely private man - decided to name his company after himself.

Hardly the best way of keeping a low profile.

The Man may be wrong, but I have a sneaky feeling this guy might not turn out to be the ****'s saviour. Fingers crossed.

Just to be clear folks; the ****'s £32M debt - bought for just £8M - has not been 'wiped out', Evans now owns it, and it's still unclear whether interest will be allowed to accrue on it.

They are still, deservedly so, one of the most debt-ridden clubs in the country.

However, the arrival of Evans in Suffolk, although I'm not sure how often that will happen, does raise questions for us in one respect.

How seriously have we looked for investment? Maybe we've already got our Turner Prize, and we are just not silly enough to tell everyone? Let's hope so.

*£5 in Ipswich is actually worth 5p, following the market town's great 'penny in the pound' crash of 2003.

MOST OF us have selective memories, but when it comes to rose-tinted recollections, footballers are among the worst culprits.

This week new coach Paul Stephenson was finally unveiled at Colney, and he wasted no time in reliving former glories.

He talked about how - as a player - he'd helped then rookie manager Roeder ease Gillingham to safety in the 92/93 season.

He said: "I think they were six points adrift of that division and we ended up halfway up the table, so I said to him [Roeder]: 'Done it once, let's do it again...'

Nice try Mr Stephenson, Gillingham actually finished second from bottom of the Football League that season, escaping relegation after winning against bottom club Halifax Town in the penultimate fixture.

We need fourth from bottom this year, best of luck Paul in helping us get there - welcome to Norwich.

'TINY' Taylor was due to play the final came of his loan spell today.

In case he never pulls on a Norwich shirt again, The Man would like to thank him for his contribution to our survival fight.

Quite simply, he has been immense, the defensive monster we have been waiting three years for.

In the absence of Taylor I would rate our chances of staying up as 50/50 - with him I would make it 80/20 to the good.

If there's any way of keeping this guy for longer we should be doing everything - and I do mean EVERYTHING - to make that happen.