Z�e Fail, Capital Canaries It's all gone quiet over here! Well, it did some weeks ago. Those who travel regularly with the Caps will know what a shy, retiring, quiet sort of person I'm not.

Z�e Fail, Capital Canaries

It's all gone quiet over here!

Well, it did some weeks ago. Those who travel regularly with the Caps will know what a shy, retiring, quiet sort of person I'm not. So imagine their surprise, and enjoyment for some, when I lost my voice.

'Silence is golden', apparently and 'long may it continue' were comments I had to put up with from my caring travel companions on the train up to Norwich from Liverpool Street.

For me it was a disaster. Teaching without a voice is extremely tricky; it's my main teaching tool. Even worse, I had no voice for six days, most of them being half-term. I didn't time that well. We take our voice for granted and it's not until it's gone that we realise how much it is used.

So, coming to football, no voice, pen and note-pad to the ready, conversations were rather one-sided, nothing unusual in that really. Relentless teasing followed me all day and it was extremely frustrating not being able to vocally support the team. I considered holding up my note-pad with 'Come on you yellows' written on it, but felt it would be in vain.

Again, the compassionate nature of my fellow fans displayed itself when I reached my seat in the Lower Barclay, along with a note explaining that I had no voice. For some reason they all burst out laughing once they had read it. I don't know why (!).

I was then subjected to chants of 'Sit down, shut up!' and 'Shall we sing a song for you?' at various intervals throughout the game. Cheers guys, glad to know you care. Fortunately, they're a friendly bunch so I know they didn't really mean it. Or did you, Martin? Keep it up and I may consider changing my seat next year.

Then again, perhaps I'll just stay put to annoy you all further.

It felt rather strange to spend 90 minutes watching Norwich play without being able to shout out words of both support and annoyance or join in with the singing. This led me to consider how it must feel for the lads on the pitch to be playing in a football stadium that was once continually vocal throughout the game, yet is now rather quiet for long periods. I dread us turning into a 'prawn sandwich brigade' type of crowd, as the singing is one intrinsic part of being at a football match.

It is that frustrating paradox; great runs of play and goals aplenty buoy up supporters to sing and chant in support of their team, which in turn encourages the players to play well, yet a team lacking confidence and playing poorly also needs that same level of support to improve.

However we find ourselves being less than encouraging with our vocalised thoughts when we are not in control of the game.

Singing generates an uplifting atmosphere and has a positive effect on team spirit. Sadly, we tend to sell the players with the decent songs; my favourites include the ones for Malky and Fleming.

So my challenge to start the New Year is this: we need some new songs for our players, not just slotting the name into that same tune over and over for players with the right number of syllables.

Let 2009 see new tunes composed for City.