Let's be 'aving you!

We've been drawn at home (!) against Norwich City in the first round of the Carling Cup. We will, of course, be playing Norwich in L1 this season anyway so what seems a big draw on the face of it is no different really than facing Colchester, or Swindon. Just another all-L1 clash at the end of the day. At least we've actually got a home draw, for once. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times we've been drawn at home since we left the Conference in either the FA Cup or the Carling Cup, so this is very welcome.

The last time we played Norwich was in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, back in 1980. They were in Division One, we were struggling in the Alliance Premier and lost the match 3-0. It's not a game I remember fondly. It remains to this day the only match I have been ejected from, and I have to admit I deserved it. I was 19, young and stupid and probably pissed on cider to boot. I was standing behind the goal on a packed Queen Street End to the right of the snack bar when I was grabbed from behind on the shoulder by someone. I reacted by turning quickly, accidentally-on-purpose driving my elbow into the stomach of whoever it was behind me, which turned out to be not the most sensible move I've ever made as the person who'd grabbed my shoulder turned out to be a policeman. Three of his colleagues immediately jumped all over me and half-wrestled, half-bundled me down the terrace to the pitchside. I was literally thrown over the wall and then frogmarched out of the ground, and yes, I was on Match Of The Day that evening. Once they got me out of the ground they let me stand up then the biggest one knocked me over again and bawled in my ear while I was lying on the ground, "Don't you ever raise your hands to a copper again you bag of shit!" They then cautioned me and sent me on my way, all this before half-time. I remember heading for the churchyard in the centre of town and coming across a dozen or so familiar faces who'd all been ejected from the match, as well as a similar number of Norwich fans. Everyone was mingling quite happily and comparing war stories and that was that.

Looking back on it of course the coppers dealt with me in exactly the right manner. I got a slap, missed most of the match and no harm done to anyone. Nowadays I'd doubtless have been arrested, charged, dragged to court, banned from football and ended up with a criminal record, and for what, really? I'm glad I'm not a teenager today.

Anyhow, roll on August and the latest visit of the Canaries. The new season's fixtures are out tomorrow, what's the betting we'll have to play them twice in a week?

Currently reading: Emperor: The Gods of War by Conn Iggledun. This is the final book in the four part 'Emperor' series, a fictionalised account of the life of Julius Caesar. And somewhat to my surprise, it isn't bad. It deals with the final period in Caesar's life, his return from Gaul, the civil war with Pompey and its aftermath in Egypt, right up to his murder in Rome. Very readable, but not for sticklers for historical accuracy. Would I read the rest of the series? On balance, yes.