ticket@ncfc-canaries.co.uk

I have quizzed a good friend, who happens to be a life-long Canaries fan, about the tickets brouhaha.

He tells me that while some are saying that they have spent hours fruitlessly queuing for tickets on the 'phone or internet with long waiting times, others reckon large areas of seats are marked unsold. Apparently the 2400 offered to City was indeed determined by the Norwich Safety Committee on “advice” from the Norfolk Constabulary (ignoring which is not an option). Some reckon this relates to some after match shenanigans in Leicester a few years ago - but nothing has happened since and it all seems ancient history to most folk. It’s more likely to be a practical issue – away fans are accommodated at one end of a particular stand and there is a separate concourse (with catering and toilets etc) for away fans which is linked to about 2500 seats. If the allocation is more than this, some form of segregation has to be introduced within the main (home fans) concourse, which is practically very difficult (and expensive). Norfolk Police are notoriously - and neurotically - risk adverse, I am told. They introduced measures for the visit of Colchester supporters which would have been OTT for a ravening army of Goths and Vandals. However it probably suits Norwich not to contest this too vigorously, for obvious reasons.

Said friend tells me that the thinking fans at Norwich are very glad to be at home for the Cup tie, and would have been not at all sanguine about winning at our place. They sound pretty confident of getting past us at home though. Hard to argue....

malling, had a pint or two with a life long canaries fan on Sunday evening and his take on the ticket affair pretty much corroborates that.

Though as you say, I don't expect NCFC protested too loudly...