As a Norwich fan I have been going to Carrow Road for over 30 years, and even though I now live the other side of the country (indeed, I haven't actually lived in Norfolk now for nearly 20 years), this season is the first I can remember that I haven't made the trip back (a good year to have missed!) The ground has of course changed enormously in my lifetime, with first the two ends of the ground becoming all-seater in the wake of the Taylor report, and then the two sides also being completely rebuilt, one because it was destroyed by fire and the other because it was about to fall down! There is no doubt that it now looks very modern and has good facilities, but I can't help feeling that it has lost a lot of its character - a hotel in one corner of the ground does nothing to allay this belief, although no doubt very convenient for some and a nice little earner for others.

However the wholesale modernisation has certainly brought in a whole new swathe of support since my earliest memories of watching the Canaries, when attendances were often around the 15,000 mark, as opposed to the 20,000+ come rain or shine over the last ten years. Whether things will change if the club spends more than one season in League One remains to be seen, but for the moment it will still be quite difficult to get in next season, with over 18,000 season ticket holders already signed up. If you get a chance the Lower Barclay is definitely the place to be if you like a bit of atmosphere, especially the bit nearest to the away supporters, and for the more sedate amongst you, the Jarrold Stand offers a good view and some decent legroom. The locals are friendly, the surroundings are also very diiferent from the wasteland which once almost encircled the ground (the river runs next to one side of it), but it all feels a bit sanitised to me. However it's where my team plays, so no doubt I'll be back there at some point over the next twelve months.