Canaries coming to Fakenham
Norwich City are to play friendly matches against Fakenham, Dereham and Thetford, three Norfolk teams who are celebrating their 125th anniversaries this year.
Norwich City are to play friendly matches against Fakenham, Dereham and Thetford, three Norfolk teams who are celebrating their 125th anniversaries this year.
The Canaries have included money-spinning games at Fakenham's Clipbush Park, Dereham's Aldiss Park and and at Thetford in July as part of their 2009-10 season build-up.
“We're delighted,” said Canaries boss Bryan Gunn. “We're starting to get our pre-season programme together - we've got games against Fakenham, Dereham and Thetford, and all of those teams are celebrating their 125th anniversaries.
“It's great that we can support local clubs in this way. We'll be sending a Norwich City XI and this is part of our build-up to August 8 in the hope we can get as many players out and about around the county so fans can see them in action.”
City visit Ridgeons First Division Fakenham on Friday, July 10, kick-off to be confirmed, before they head to Premiership Dereham on Wednesday, July 22 (7.45pm) and then Thetford of the first division a week later.
The local matches have always been a highlight of the summer calendar, with big crowds ensuring a healthy input into the coffers - although this summer's clearly have extra relevance.
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At Fakenham, chairman Nigel Allen described the fixture as an honour for the Ghosts, a tribute to all the hard work of players, officials, helpers and supporters. “We are really looking forward to it.”
Dereham chairman Simon Barnes said: “The confirmation of this fixture is the icing on the cake for this season, having been our most successful ever.”
Visits by the Canaries to both clubs have in the past been highly successful occasions. They inaugurated the Clipbush Park clubhouse, and the clubhouse and lights at the Ghosts' former home, Baron's Hall Lawn.
