Kick it off

Just over two years ago, I travelled to Merseyside, in the expectation more than hope, that Norwich City could somehow get a result at the then new European champions. On top of that, I thought that survival was an almost certainty, and that a top ten finish wasn't out of the question.

We lost that first game 4-1, though didn't play that bad, and began that season well, beating the English champions, Citeh, 3-2, but that coincided with the worse injury crisis in the club's history, and so as week and months went by, defeat piled upon defeat and we sunk to the bottom of the table, from whence we would not rise again.

And once Operation restart happened, Norwich lost all nine of their last games, scoring just one goal. Relegation form, defined.

Another season back in the Championship followed, a triumphant campaign resulting in 99 points and another trophy, but another season back in the Premier League is to follow.

It has been an interesting close season, eigt players in, seven of them permenent signings, and £53,000,000 spent on transfers alone. This feels very different. Also, the manager, Daniel Farke has signed a new four year deal, so some kind of future to look forward too. Several old favourites have left, either sold, let go or their contracts expired, and our best player, Emi, has been sold to Aston Villa.

I have no illusions on how tough this season will be, doubly so as we have the opening five games from hell, starting with Liverpool once agan, although a different team from two years ago, and hopefully having learned lessons too. We may be relegated again, but the spending has been self-funding, not put the club in danger, and still play open and expansive football. Though with some Scottish steel in midfield and defence with Kenny McLean and Grant Hanley helping to stem the number of goals conceded.

And fans will be allowed to attend games once again, Carrow Road might become a fortress once again, and be a place that visiting teams fear to tread.

Or not.

But, the team, and club will go on, and if we go back down again, we will get back up and go again.

In the same way that losing three or four games in a row might be deemed a crisis in the press, it won't be in the dressing room