What a time to visit - and win - at Selhurst Park

The Man In The Stands

What a time to visit - and win - at Selhurst Park

You can always rely on Norwich City to back up sod's law.

Let's be honest, we all tried to make the pain of relegation to English football's back of beyond a bit more bearable with such silver linings as a) us avoiding more pain at an “ambitious” Portaloo Road, or b) missing out on another trip to the wreck that is Selhurst Park.

The Man has it on good authority that even the Stowmarket Two were looking forward to a season without a trek around The Smoke's famous transmitter.

So what happens? Some bright spark decides our year just wouldn't feel the same without the grim reality of Selhurst Park. On a Tuesday night. As a pre-season friendly. Shocking.

And if that wasn't enough, The Man hears (�15 was one of 46 reasons to stay away) our “new new heroes” turn in a performance that laughed in the face of years of past failed efforts which, let's remember, actually counted for something.

The Man hopes that, for once, there is no false dawn and Gunny's hefty rebuilding work this summer is not simply a repeat of Peter Grant's efforts.

Peter the Pointer's permanent signings were so bad, the board felt the need to avoid the risk of actually owning players - instead, being allowed to return them if they were crap. It paved the way for Glenn Rodent's mishmash of mercenary (not all, but some) loanees.

So The Man's fingers are crossed.

And if these permanent signings don't do the job in League One? We'll that would be sod's law, wouldn't it.

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No one does supporter division quite like this great club of ours - and those in charge don't do themselves any favours either.

First there was Worthy's prolonged exit, bringing about the Worthy Out campaign and those hoping to 'keep the faith'.

The latest chapter? Michael Foulger's great 'you waive one, City get one free' rebate pledge left fans bickering over whether the Canaries' need for rebuilding and, arguably, survival came ahead of their families getting an extra �60 in a recession.

The Man feels it's irrelevant whether or not you chose to waive your rebate.

But for the club to effectively say those who turned down the extra money helped sign Grant Holt, while peering down at those who had the audacity to make the club stuck to last season's throwaway promise, is hardly going to bring us all together.

City will have over 18,000 season ticket holders next season watching for League One football.

Every one of those fans is helping to keep this club afloat. The Man thinks it's about time we all tried to pull in the same direction and left the self-justifying PR stunts in the boardroom.