Cody's Sunderland Wonderland

Norwich City 1-4 Sunderland

Although it's now five seasons since Norwich City were in the Premier League I have always secretly hoped that there can't possibly be that much difference between us and most of the teams in the top flight. Then you get nights like this.

I don't know what was more scary: The pace, speed and clinical finishing of a side who, let's face it, aren't one of the best in the Premier League or the fact that it isn't that long since Norwich and Sunderland were taking each other on as close rivals in the league.

Steve Bruce's side deserved their win, but that's not to say it was all bad from a Norwich point of view.

I thought we had already seen it all at Carrow Road this season but I was forgetting something. An outfield player in goal.

The game was up, 4-1 with just a few moments to go when Michael Spillane was sent off for fouling Frazier Campbell. Premier League players are so quick these days that they don't just stop when they are fouled, they carry on until they come into contact with something solid. In this case it was poor old Ben Alnwick's head.

So a defender red carded and a goalkeeper helped off with a bloody nose with all substitutions made. Step forward, or rather step back Cody McDonald, from striker to stand-in goalkeeper. It made for a great atmosphere at the end as every catch, however simple, was greeted like Gordon Banks at his best.

A far cry from Upton Park 24-hours later. As I write this the media is full of the dreadful violence which ruined the West Ham/Millwall Carling Cup tie last night. The same round in the same competition as the Cody McDonald goalkeeping fun. I know what I consider to be the 'proper' football experience.

I have always been disturbed by the number of books in the sport section of shops written by 'reformed' hooligans and films along a similar line. Yes, there is an unsavoury side to watching the game which is always seized upon by those who like to write off football supporters as a bunch of beer-swilling trouble makers but the vast majority just go to enjoy themselves. That's not to say they do not care about their team, I just hope this doesn't lead to everybody getting tarred with the same brush.

For me and I think most other people who go to matches, the true enjoyment of football has always been more about cheering a striker who has to put on the goalkeeping gloves and organise a wall to defend a free kick than wanting to fight anybody.