#from the 6M followers on it. how many listen on the regular as well?

[louehvolution]

.

[rewindnorwich-blog]

December 2003

December 2003. #ncfc #otbc #TOTLAPR pic.twitter.com/2o6RM8IezH

— Rewind Norwich City (@RewindNorwich)

December 21, 2018

December 2003 is most remembered for that Boxing Day and that trip to Suffolk. But what else can we recollect from that season-defining month?

The first few months of the season had been promising. As well as getting him on loan, we'd also signed Peter Crouch and Kevin Harper on short-term deals and the £6m South Stand development was in full swing.

We ended November in second place after a 1-nil victory against Crewe. The first game of December was a goalless draw at The New Den. We were rarely formidable away from home under Worthington so a point was okay. Robert Green was fantastic, it was Crouchy's last appearance and Kevin Muscat was Kevin Muscat.

The next game against Cardiff was billed as ‘The Darren Huckerby Farewell Game’. There were still ongoing questions of whether we had enough money to sign him permanently. And could we afford the wages? Now there was interest from Wigan and West Brom and they seemed more ambitious. It didn't look promising but we'd just have to wait and see.

After this now memorable match, Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence at the time said "We made Huckerby look like an absolute world-beater." And he wasn't wrong. He was involved in every one of Norwich's four goals. The most memorable being the first after picking the ball up on half-way.

That weekend was remembered not only for the game, but also for The Old Man's 40th at the Hog in Armour in Norwich. I got pished on alco-pops (14) and the following day apparently Saddam Hussein had been captured. Whatever that meant I neither knew nor cared.

Before our next game at Portman Road, we signed a goal-scoring League One forward and an out-of-favour Premier League Swede. Apparently we could afford two new strikers but not one all the fans actually wanted.

For the train journey to Suffolk, I was fully aware that I'd never seen us win away. By all means not an away-day regular, I don't even know why The Old Man got tickets when we didn't even have our best player anymore. WBA had also lost at Coventry the day before so there was a chance we could go top.

Unbelievably, the new signings both started. When McKenzie swept home the opener in the first half after some flapping from Kelvin Davis, 'Top of the League at Portman Road' was born. When Gary Holt found the head of McKenzie in the second half, TOTLAPR was a real thing.

It didn't matter we hadn't signed Darren Huckerby, nor the fact it was the dreariest Christmas number one of all time. We were top of the pile FFS!

Christmas Day came and went as it usually does. On Boxing Day I was leaving for Forest game when I received a text from a friend, a renowned bullshitter, saying we had just signed him. Maybe I tried to get on NTLWorld's dial-up or teletext to confirm, I can't remember. But I didn't believe it until we were at the ground.

Being the typical pessimistic teen, I was certain we'd lose on Boxing Day. Too many good things happening in a short amount of time, something had to give. And yet, Matt Svensson scored his first goal from a fantastic Ian Henderson cross and we won 1-0 nil.

For the final game of the year, I travelled to Pride Park with absolute conviction we wouldn't win. Derby were struggling in 22nd, they'd only won three times at home and we were lucky to beat them earlier in the season. Along Come Norwich etc.

But four second-half goals from Fleming, Mackay, McVeigh and McKenzie capped an astonishing month of football.

Looking back, I think it was a pubescent turning point. My Norwich introduction was the mid-to-late-90s so I'd missed all the European fun and was brought up on all the mediocrity. The 2003/2004 season was my first genuinely successful one when things just got better, and better, and better.

Here are some of YOUR memories of December 2003.

I got a half-season ticket for Christmas. Been in the same seat ever since!

— Ffion Thomas (@ffion_)

December 20, 2018

TOTLAPR, Hucks and the coldest I've ever been at an away game at Derby #NCFC

— Secret Canary (@Thesecretcanary)

December 21, 2018

Watched the Forest game on sky at my non football supporting Auntie and Uncles. My Dad and I went nuts as Huckster was revealed before the game OTBC

— Rob Ward (@snKepitter)

December 20, 2018

My first year as a season ticket holder. The unexpected happened but from this month, you knew we’d be winning the league. My dad was there when we went top of the league at Portman Road, we saw us batter derby. Svensson and McKenzie were real coups and added hucks & Iwan so well

— Chris Parker (@DraytonCanary1)

December 20, 2018

Was seconds away from missing the train to Ipswich from Lowestoft - as I was very hungover!

— Aaron Rodgers (@bottle_bohemia)

December 20, 2018

I was having a chat with my dad about this the other day, he remembers refreshing the Pink 'Un website continuously while at work to see if we'd signed Huckerby. That's how big a deal it was.

— Nick H (@nick_ncfc)

December 20, 2018

One of the great @CapitalCanaries trips. I cut my shin open celebrating the goals - had a scar for years, being kept in after the game and singing TOTLAPR, train back to London got held up for hours and the Caps drank it dry, party in the pub in Liverpool St. Station until close.

— Adam Brandon (@AdamBrandon84)

December 20, 2018

Being persuaded by @FakeSteveWorley to attend Portman Road for the first time since 98, when we got dicked 5-0 and I sat in with the scummers. So glad he talked me in to it! #topoftheleagueatportmanroad

— Andrew Kent (@Kenty1985)

December 20, 2018

I had to go to Holland to Visit my dad over Xmas, managed to get radio Norfolk on the AM receiver in Den Helder, had a pub listening to the Forest game and the dutch found it very funny i was celebrating the half time news more than the actual game haha obvs!

— Katy Leigh (@Kate011085) December 20, 2018