CHRIS LAKEY Patience proved to be a virtue for Norwich City fan Geoffrey Harvey yesterday as he got his hands on season tickets for three generations of his family.

CHRIS LAKEY

Patience proved to be a virtue for Norwich City fan Geoffrey Harvey yesterday as he got his hands on season tickets for three generations of his family.

The 70-year-old from Bressingham was the first of an estimated 1000 fans on the season ticket waiting list to queue outside the Carrow Road box office - settling into a deckchair with a good book.

With almost 18000 fans having renewed their season tickets, it was the turn of the fans on the waiting lists, some of whom have been waiting for three years.

And although their tickets were guaranteed, the location of their seats wasn't - hence Mr Harvey's presence at Carrow Road at 5.15am.

The early start was well worth it as he picked up tickets for himself, son Paul, 41, and grandson James, 8, in the back row of the Upper Barclay.

“I needed to make sure we got the tickets where we wanted them,” said Mr Harvey, who has been a supporter since 1946. “The other reason I'm here is because my son and grandson are on holiday and I drew the short straw. It was a case of, 'granddad, you deal with it'.

“I haven't had a season ticket since my eldest was a lad, but I've used the hat-trick scheme to watch a guaranteed number of matches and also to guarantee my son's ticket when he can't get one.”

And the fact that City's performances last season were below-par didn't put Mr Harvey off.

“I have seen so many up and downs in my time it doesn't matter,” he said.

Fans on the first batch of the waiting list - who were also given the chance to go into the ground and see exactly where they'll be sitting - have up to close of business on Wednesday to collect their tickets. Then it's the chance for the final 800 or so on the next batch to have their go between June 8 and June 14 - before any remaining tickets that are not taken up go on general sale on June 15.

“Today has really been more to do with the preference of where fans want to sit,” said customer services manager Richard Gough, who reckons that 600 of the 1000 fans will have been dealt with yesterday.

“It's fantastic to see the interest, absolutely fantastic.

“I have been out there talking to fans and they are all in good spirits, despite the weather, and looking forward to claiming their tickets.

“People were going out into the stadium to have their photos taken with their children in their new seats and it was great to see so many happy faces.”

Fans who have signed up for the Hat-Trick Plan will receive details of how to apply for their match tickets by the end of this week.

The club is sending details and application forms to the 4,000 fans who have joined the scheme, in which the allocation of available matches has risen from five to seven. Although the deadline for applications is the close of business on Saturday, July 1, the club will begin processing application forms from Monday, June 26.

To apply for the few remaining season tickets call 0870 444 1902 to join the waiting list.