Thanks, JHT, for giving Norwich City fans Joy, Hope and Trust

In other seasons, three points from three games during a week would have been seen by fans with a dose of negativity.

There would have been grumbles about the number of goals conceded alongside the failure to hold on to leads.

On paper - and purely from the stats - the start to Johannes Hoff Thorup's reign would probably be summed up as steady.

Eighth place in the Championship table, 18 points from 12 games and four wins.

At the same stage last year, David Wagner's had one point fewer from the opening 12 games, with one fewer goals and six more conceded.

I recall the atmosphere among the yellow and green fan base 12 months ago was somewhat different to the one we have now ahead of another crucial week.

City's start to last season included four wins, but also the disastrous 6-2 capitulation at Plymouth and the 3-2 reversal at home to Leeds having been two up.

I remember trudging back up Rouen Road after that Leeds defeat having a real old moan.

All those around me were similarly unhappy.

City heroes George Long and Borja Sainz at the end of Sunday's draw (Image: Paul Chesterton) There was a lack of belief and a foundation for the disquiet was laid which underpinned the 2023/4 campaign - despite it ultimately ending with a place in the play-offs.

So what has changed from last autumn to this?

There are undoubtedly a few factors to put into the mix - but to me there are three letters which are the overriding reason why we have smiles on our faces and a spring in our step.

JHT.

Any fan who claims to know much about Johannes Hoff Thorup before he came into the building in the summer is stretching the truth.

I struggled for a while to spell his name, let alone be fully aware of his background and pedigree.

But the hugely likeable Dane with a clear tough streak beneath the apparently easy-going persona, is making a real difference in NR1.

Already in his pretty short tenure he has brought joy to us supporters who have had too little to be cheery about in recent years.

The atmosphere on Sunday during the stirring comeback against Middlesbrough was among the best at Carrow Road for some time.

We were happy to be there and loving the spirit shown by the players.

The way Borja Sainz is playing is little short of extraordinary.

Kellen Fisher celebrates his goal on Sunday (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Every goal he scores seems to be yet another goal of the season contender.

He's been given a licence to thrill by the boss - and is doing it with aplomb.

Thorup has also given us hope.

Are the team playing perfectly? No.

Are mistakes being made? Yes.

Are there improvements which need to happen? Yes.

Have we got hope that good times are here and even better ones could follow? Absolutely.

And everyone I speak to has trust in him and his coaching team. It is becoming apparent that the players trust him too.

At 8pm last Tuesday when City were 2-0 down at Preston, it would have been easy to panic.

In years gone by, those type of away trips would have turned into a depressing drubbing.

City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup (Image: Paul Chesterton) Similarly on Sunday, things could have gone badly wrong once Michael Carrick's men stamped their mark on the game.

I've mentioned the impact the new management has had on Sainz.

Look at the way Shane Duffy has developed this season. When has a defender scored a better goal than the one he bagged at Preston?!

Kellen Fisher has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet - a quite remarkable progression for a lad playing non league football last year.

There's no doubt that we are missing Angus Gunn, who I consider the Championship's best keeper.

George Long has faced plenty of criticism since coming into the team. I'm not wholly convinced by him.

However, Hoff has really backed him.

That penalty save on Sunday - followed by one of the best fist pumps I've witnessed for years - changed the game.

In time we may see the full significance of it in terms of Long's career and City's season.

Thanks to tweets from the ever brilliant NCFC Numbers account on X, we know that City are now the second top scorers in the Championship.

In the last seven games the Canaries have scored six more than any other team.

Borja has outscored 11 of the other 23 sides.

They are pretty remarkable stats highlighting the progress being made.

One other fact - which I love as a River End season ticket holder - is that Long's penalty save was the first by a City keeper in front of our stand (leaving aside shoot outs and rebounds) since 2011.

The relentless pace of the Championship continues on Saturday with a trip to Cardiff, ahead of a Bonfire Night journey to Sheffield Wednesday and then the visit of Bristol City.

It's not going to be an easy week, especially without Kenny McLean.

Hoff has to find a way to plug that gap. I'm confident he will.

And let's all hope the bandwagon can gain more momentum.

OTBC.

Thanks, Delia and Michael

I'm giving away how long I've been in journalism when I say that I wrote the first story for our newspapers when Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones threw themselves into our club.

There had been plenty of rumours about the TV chef and her husband being interested in taking a controlling role at Carra.

Clearly - due to their high profile - it was big news when it was confirmed.

With more thanks to NCFC Numbers, the facts about the duo are incredible.

In their 28 years on the board, City played 1,361 games, scored 1,870 goals, fielded 367 players, had 15 full-time managers and secured six promotions. (I haven't seen a figure on how many cooking cliches have been in headlines!)

I can add very little to all the tributes paid to them in recent days.

One personal story is how Delia gave our son Tom - who was just nine at the time - a much-needed hug after the 6-0 loss at Fulham which saw us get relegated.

That meant so much.

Thank you, Delia and Michael for all you've done.

Ah-Ed of the game!

There were lots of heroes on the pitch and in the technical area at the Boro game on Sunday - and I want to highlight two of my own heroes from that day.

My really good mate Andy now lives down in Essex.

We have so many great memories of watching the Canaries over the years and he still makes a brilliant effort to follow the Canaries and meet up at matches.

His friend Ed is a more recent addition to the City faithful and the two of them had something like an 18-hour marathon to get to and from Carra due to a range of train and bus issues.

We had a quick catch-up after the game and Ed shared a great story.

At around 10am while on one leg of their transport hike, he called it....yes, it was going to be a 3-3 draw!

I wonder what odds Ed would have got on that?!