Zidane's head butt is still fresh in the memory, St George Cross flags have barely been taken down from bedroom windows and we're in the middle of the most severe drought since 1976.

Zidane's head butt is still fresh in the memory, St George Cross flags have barely been taken down from bedroom windows and we're in the middle of the most severe drought since 1976.

Are we really into the new season? Excuse me while I pinch myself a little harder.

I may not be quite ready, but the players and staff know they have to be; the quicker our lads are out of the blocks the better. Following our high expectations 12 short months ago, City never really recovered after those three straight home draws; our start this term simply has to be better.

Maybe the absence of the burdening 'favourites' tag hanging around our necks will alleviate some of the early pressure this time around; on a number of occasions last year, the tension and unease of the Carrow Road crowd laid heavy on the shoulders of the home players.

Displays and results throughout the campaign were generally lacklustre and frankly far too inconsistent, especially away from home, and unrest in the stands was rapidly casting a sinister shadow over any slim remaining chance of achieving the anticipated immediate return to the Premiership.

Folks, it's time to embrace the team again.

I can't be certain if I'm more surprised or disappointed that we haven't added more players to the squad.

That said, it would appear, one hopes, that the vacancy on the right side of midfield has finally been filled. My current knowledge of new boy Lee Croft is somewhat blank, but by all accounts we may have got ourselves a bargain and an exciting prospect for the months ahead.

A centre forward foil for Earnie would seem to be the most obvious missing part of the manager's jigsaw; I struggle to imagine significant progress without one.

Injuries, or rather the avoidance of, will be important to our progress, perhaps more so than in recent times. With our best 11 fit men, we should expect to be a match for most teams in this division.

But with a small squad, and one sprinkled with a relatively large number of unproven youngsters, I'm not convinced we have the vital proverbial “strength in depth”.

Mr Worthington has my full support, and I hope that of many others too. However, I sense patience will wear thin considerably quicker than before should results not go for us and the manager will be heavily reliant on a big turnaround in form from the likes of Etuhu, Hughes and Thorne if he is to remain the Championship's longest serving manager.

Good luck to the lads and here's to all of us. On the Ball, City.