In the world of statistics everybody can be top of the league. In our case it is the one for Championship attendance.

In the world of statistics everybody can be top of the league. In our case it is the one for Championship attendance.

Whether you take average attendance or percentage capacity filled, Norwich City are comfortably top. This compares comfortably with our visitors today who are down in 16th with several thousand seats available for most games.

Furthermore, compare our position to that of the runaway leaders, Reading. I live close enough to see that the local papers are running out of ways to say nice things about those at the Madjeski yet they have not had a true sell out in their slightly smaller stadium this season.

Predictably there are a few more people bothering to turn up at the moment and a relatively well populated stadium should greet us when we play there at the end of January.

Admittedly the fans of Norwich and Reading started the season with slightly different expectations. A reversal of current positions would have proved the amateur pundit right.

Maybe the true reason behind the relative Reading apathy is suggested by another statistic. The ground attendance record remains with a visit from Chelsea in the Worthington Cup in 2003.

The Reading area differs from Norwich in that there is a substantial part of the population of Reading and the surrounding areas who are not locally born and bred. Often they have formed their allegiances well before moving to Berkshire.

As any true football fan knows, this is a difficult bond to break. Just ask the members of Capital, Northern and South West Canaries to name a few of the larger yellow and green supporters clubs.

Though we had a share of strangers coming just to watch Chelsea etc. last season, most of the crowd had been to many a lesser game at Carrow Road.

Barring a massive change in form, Reading will be playing at the top level next season. I expect to see the first full house for a league game as soon as they get a visit from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal. When they start losing however and Wigan come to play, expect to take your pick of tickets if you fancy a trip.

Without being too complacent, Norwich City Football Club has a healthy group of committed supporters at Carrow Road and many away grounds around the country.

A victory against Watford earlier today before breaking Reading's incredible unbeaten run would edge us just closer to securing a very achievable playoff place.