Talk of the Town

And at the halfway stage of their Championship play-off semi-final with Norwich City, Town fans are in a similarly positive mood.

Unlike Osman, Wark, Caine, Stallone and the rest, the Blues don’t find themselves 4-1 down – much to the surprise of some of the more more excitable and overconfident Canaries – after the first leg of the back-to-back biggest ever East Anglian derbies ended 1-1.

It’s a result which has left the tie delicately poised with both sets of fans going into the second game reasonably happy with the way the first game went.

Having been beaten and outplayed in both the regular season derbies, Town supporters were more than a little apprehensive going into last Saturday’s match.

But for the most part there was little in a typically tough and frenetic derby played in front of a noisy and partisan 29,166 Portman Road crowd.

The game swung in either direction and Town were actually on top when the visitors took the lead, Jonny Howson stroking Cameron Jerome’s cross into the corner of the net.

It would have been harsh had the Blues gone in a goal behind at half-time, and perhaps also a significant psychological blow.

But neither players nor fans were downcast and in the injury time caused by Luke Varney’s hugely unfortunate rupture of his achilles, which will keep him out for at least six months, the Blues hit back.

Freddie Sears seized on Russell Martin’s poor header, John Ruddy spilled and Paul Anderson followed up to send fans through the roof, quite literally in one case.

The second half was less frantic with the teams tiring and while both sides had chances, neither came that close to winning it and the Blues received a warm ovation at the whistle.

Fears that it could be another difficult afternoon like the two regular season games and that Town might go into the second leg behind had proved unfounded.

Home fans left the ground with greater confidence that their side is capable of claiming what would be a very famous and long-remembered victory on Norfolk soil, their first since the Hand of Haynes win in 2006.

While ideally they would have liked to have taken a lead to Carrow Road, this resilient Blues team has shown that it’s more than capable of grinding out victories from even the toughest away games, the trip to now-promoted Watford being the best example.

To cite an oft-quoted footballing cliche, the first 20 minutes will be crucial. The home crowd will be looking to emulate the noise and fervour of their Town counterparts and the Blues may have to withstand an early onslaught.

But if Town can keep things tight and avoid conceding the home crowd may start to become edgy.

And just as there were nagging doubts amongst the Blues support regarding Town’s ability to compete with the Canaries ahead of the first leg, Norwich fans have not dissimilar anxieties.

There is a feeling that they have a habit of losing crucial games. Last season they went to Fulham needing a win in their battle against relegation. They lost 1-0.

Last month fellow top-of-the-table challengers Middlesbrough visited Carrow Road in a vital promotion clash. They lost 1-0.

And, as Town goalscorer Anderson said after the game, the pressure on the home side is far greater than it is on Town.

Having finished third and with a squad of multi-million pound signings from their Premier League stint, they’re the ones now expected to win.

A bit of nerviness from the players on the pitch can seep onto the terraces and vice versa.

If Town stay solid they’ll have chances – Martin’s error which led to Anderson’s goal wasn’t their only mistake – and with Murphy and Sears in the side – and David McGoldrick back on the bench – who’s to say one won’t be taken?

And if not, what seems certain to be a tight game could go to penalties, although I don’t think anyone even wants to think about that.

“But we can win this,” as Russell said, and bigger even than local pride would be a place at Wembley and the chance to finally escape the Championship after 13 long years.