Opinion: Gunners on the ball
It may seem a bit strange to start a Norwich City column with a tribute to Arsenal, but that’s what I’m going to do. forgive me.
The Gunners who gave us the services of one Ben Knapper, or even the belated ones who gave us a brief (but not short enough) audience with the Brazilian magic of Marquinhos. No big thanks to the Gunners.
Also, I have no intention of supporting the paid membership of the “Big 6.” One of those select bands would (I think) deem the other 86 clubs unsuitable and would leave given the right circumstances (I think) rather than say, “It’s okay, Jack.” Moving on to the European Super League soon.
No, it has nothing to do with all of the above, but Arsenal are doing something right. It’s about unearthing an emotional anthem that, when played just before kick-off, tugs at the heartstrings and unites the Emirates in a way like the latter. The days of Arsene Wenger and more recently Unai Emery seemed a million miles away.
You may have heard of it. The song is called “North London Forever” (or more accurately, “Norf Landan Forevvver”), and was apparently commissioned by Norf Landan singer-songwriter Louis Dunford. If you haven’t heard it yet, I recommend you visit YouTube.
Get your adrenaline pumping, get your heart pumping and unite all the different factions of Islington.
But what does that have to do with Norwich City?
Proceed to route 1. I think you can do something similar.
“But we already have City on the ball.”
Yes, there’s On the Ball, City, which gets sung in the same “box”, but if you’ve read my column you know my thoughts on “the world’s oldest and greatest football song” .
I agree that this song is probably the oldest, but in its current form it’s a great song, not when it was sung at 100 miles an hour and its last line has been virtually erased from history. I don’t know if it will be talked about by other people.
Of course there are still moments, and the recent performance before Norwich 1 Ipswich 0 was quite special, but I think I’ll make the most of it and rest on my laurels as the ‘oldest and greatest’. I don’t think it can involve some kind of competition.
Step into the Sons Of Mark. This great city’s brothers perform a duet in the music industry with an indie acoustic sound perfect for soccer anthems. And lo and behold…they delivered it. It’s a corker.
If you frequent The Lion & Castle on Saturday, you’ll have seen them play a Norwich City themed set. Among them was his latest work, aptly titled “Our Fine City.”
As I said above, I’m not suggesting right now that it will replace OTBC, there’s really nothing it can do, but as a companion, it’s almost perfect. I can say that.
And above all, if it works in the Emirates, why doesn’t the new anthem work in Carrow Road?
Come on, Norwich City, let’s make it happen.
