As I embark on my 30th year as a Norwich City season ticket holder, we begin a season where our newly-appointed boss is two years my junior and has seemingly fewer grey hairs than those invading my head - which could, of course, change as the dramatic nature of managing in the Championship takes its toll.

Johannes Hoff Thorup becomes just the third manager this century to take the helm at Norwich City during the close season. Only Chris Hughton and Daniel Farke have preceded the former FC Nordsjælland manager in that fashion. The other 10 managers faced a competitive game in their first outing, while the, hopefully, great Dane has been afforded the opportunity to assess the squad over a number of weeks.

Daniel Farke Daniel Farke (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Perhaps, or hopefully, this appointment bears more resemblance to Farke's arrival at Carrow Road, as we anticipate the upcoming season to be a period of transition as we adopt a new style and mentality.

During Thorup’s first full season in charge of FC Nordsjælland, he led the club to a fourth-place finish, while his side scored a mouthwatering 60 goals in 32 games. More impressively, our new head coach has lost only two games since October. Hopefully he will bring a winning mentality to Norfolk.

The ‘Hoff’ speaks well and seems unfazed with his new venture. In the first episode of ‘On the Ball’, it was impressive to me when he labelled football a ‘we’ game. On too many occasions last season, individual brilliance earned the points. Josh Sargent, Jonny Rowe, and the now-departed Gabriel Sara were responsible for more than half of our goals last term, and whilst it’s certainly their job to do so, the goals must be spread more evenly this season.

With the fate of some players uncertain, most worryingly Jonny Rowe, and with an already thin squad, I’m curious as to what type of gaps Ben Knapper is facing and how he is planning for a successful transfer window.

Often, a successful Championship term is about experience; across the departing players, we have lost familiarity in the form of 818 games at this level, whilst gaining just 72 in the form of defensive recruits Callum Doyle and Ryan Chrisene. Know-how in this division is a key criteria, and I’d hope that Knapper will be keen to add that to our exciting young squad.

Callum Doyle is a particularly exciting addition, and the validation given by Manchester City to allow the young defender to gain experience with us could prove to be a telling sign.

Alongside his medal for winning last season's Championship title with Leicester City, Doyle has also racked up 96 appearances in the second and third tiers of English football.

During that time, he helped Coventry City to a play-off final and, prior to that, he was part of a League One play-off success for Sunderland.

Oxford away beckons for 1,500 of us today. This is a trip that we haven’t made since Cedric Anselin scored his only goal for the club 25 years ago. This is a time period that is a decade longer than when we were last beaten by Ipswich Town... that has a nice ring to it!

As we head into the new season, there's an air of cautious optimism among the fans. The blend of youthful talent and a fresh managerial approach offers a sense of renewal. While the Championship is notoriously unpredictable, the foundation laid by Thorup during pre-season games and, more importantly, training, could prove pivotal. It's clear that this season won't be without its challenges - new faces need time to gel, and the loss of experienced players may be felt early on. However, if Thorup can instill his philosophy of team unity and resilience, we might witness the emergence of a squad that not only competes but thrives.

Here's to hoping that this campaign marks the start of something special for Norwich City, with many memorable moments to come. OTBC!