Not Exactly Barcelona

Being immersed in all things Norwich City means you sometimes lose track of their exact standing in the football world. Every so often you will get a short, sharp reminder that, despite what they may sing on the terraces, the canaries probably are not the greatest team the world has ever seen.

While watching a training session at St Andrews University sports ground I noticed one of the locals had stopped to peer through the fence. We made eye contact and I could see he was about to ask a question.

"Which team is this?" he asked in one of those sophisticated, slightly high-pitched almost sing-song Scottish accents. It was exactly how I thought he would sound with his smart trousers, pastel blue pullover and Michael Heseltine hairstyle.

When I told him it was Norwich City his response was one of those moments: "Is that the team with the famous cook?"

He went on to ask whether we are still in The Championship meaning the four Norwich fans within earshot had to publicly admit what they had been trying to forget.

Our new friend then kicked us while we were down by telling us about pre-season last year when Barcelona had used the same ground as their training base. Scottish Michael Heseltine said the crowds were lined up along the street, two deep, trying to get a look at Thierry Henry and co. Where were they this year? The team with the famous cook had drawn a local following of just one.

Even the three groudstaff were full of tales of Barca when we chatted to them as they stopped painting rugby posts to crack open the Thermos.

Painting lines on the pitch for one of the biggest football clubs in the world was understandably a real thrill for them. So much so that one of them, as we left them to get back to work, was staring into the middle distance before wiping the sandwich crumbs from his hands on his paint-spatted white overall and asking dreamily: "I wonder whether they'll come back next year?" I hope they do.

Life following Norwich City isn't going to be about world superstars this year but I think we'll be ok. Dundee United also use this training complex regularly and as their squad jogged past us on one of those runs that reminds me of PE lessons in the freezing cold Chris Lakey from the EDP and myself were genuinely excited to have recognised the former Everton striker Danny Cadamarteri among their number. I think we have found our level.