Iwan Roberts: We won 5-0 at Blackpool but it was still a bit of a sickener

The only time I played against Blackpool in Norwich colours was in the League Cup in 2000 when we drew 3-3 in the first leg at Carrow Road and then won 5-0 up there.

In the first game we had Tony Cottee and big Stevie Walsh playing and it’s fair to say Stevie didn’t have the best of games. I think big Walshie was at fault for a goal or two. He’s a great lad and would run through a brick wall for you, but he did have a tough time here. I don’t think he played too many games after that.

The away game, for the first time ever we flew up to Blackpool and as you can imagine, in September-October the weather wasn’t too good, it was nice and windy and the airport is right near the front.

We were in a propeller plane that wasn’t massive, just enough seats for the squad of players and the staff and as you walked in there was nothing between us and the cockpit so we could see everything.

We took off and it was fine, but the closer we got to Liverpool, Manchester area it was okay, just a bit of turbulence, but as soon as we got to Blackpool and starting the descent we are all over the place. I hated it and that is why I don’t like flying now. You could see everything, we had pretty much the same view as the pilot.

Lee Marshall - not a happy flyer (Image: Archant)

Poor old Lee Marshall was spewing up at the back, and Dougie Livermore was doing the same and I’m thinking, how do we play a game after this?

We flew up in the morning and got there about one o’clock, went to the hotel and had a couple of hours kip and I am like, I’d rather five hours on the bus than that. It was one of the worst experiences ever. I have a feeling we got the bus back - none of us cared that we got back at four in the morning after that.

And then we went and won the game 5-0, and I scored twice to add to one I got in the first game – a game we really should have won.

But overall it was a horrible experience.

So I managed three goals in two games against them – it’s almost as good as my scoring record against West Brom! I played against them the season before I signed for Norwich and I scored four in two against them, including a hat-trick at The Hawthorns – the only Wolves player to ever score a hat-trick at The Hawthorns.

I’m going there this Saturday and to be fair, they’re pretty good about it! The stewards at the press entrance always recognise me and are as good as gold.

Anyway, back to Blackpool this weekend... I saw them early doors when Swansea were up there and I was impressed with the lad who used to play for King’s Lynn, Sonny Carey. I like him, he has a bit about him, some tenacity, he doesn’t mind a tackle either.

Blackpool have one of the lowest budgets in the division and it’s fair to say they probably expect to be in the bottom half of the table, but they have a good manager in Michael Appleton.

He has them organised, they are quite a big, physical side. They were unlucky to lose 1-0 at home to Swansea. They had a winger Josh Bowler who has since moved to Olympiakos, who gave them a lot of pace up front.

It won’t be easy for Norwich– it’s a tight ground, with a great atmosphere with fans who really get behind the team. I was up there twice last year and I’ve been there once already this season – it’s a good place to go for football.

For City it is about attitude and desire. Preparation will always he spot on, that’s a given.

But they have a target on their backs, they are a big fish in this division and everyone wants to take points off them.

IWAN EXTRA

When the news came through of Steve Morison losing his job at Cardiff, I thought it was April 1.

Nothing really surprises me in football: John Toshack used to say the only thing that surprises him in football is that people are surprised.

Well, I was surprised. Yes, Steve is Marmite. He says things at times and I just wish he was a bit more diplomatic – a bit more like Russell Martin at Swansea.

But he isn’t.

When he took over they were in real trouble, they’d lost eight on the spin and were three points off relegation, but they finished 18 points off the bottom three. He halved the wage bill, with a lot of big earners out of contract, and he brought 17 in. Results haven’t been brilliant, I get that, but I said two things at the start of the season – when you have such a massive overhaul you have to be patient and you have to give him time. And he was trying to implement a new style of play as well. For years Cardiff have been direct, long ball and I don’t think you can get out of the division being like that, you have got to play your way out.

There were signs it was working, you could see the work they had done on the training pitch. There have been times when I haven’t looked forward to a Cardiff game because I knew what it would be like, but there were signs this year that it was getting better – they just struggled to score goals.

Then this week came the news that Rob Edwards had also gone, from one of my former clubs, Watford. And that one didn’t surprise me at all. That’s the way their owners are. Is it right or is it wrong? I think you have got to give manager more than that. Rob did a great job at Forest Green last season and Watford are only a point off the play-offs spot, only six behind Norwich. But that is how the Pozzo family operate. Unless you are top two, you know if you go on a bad run over the space of a month there is a good chance you will get your P45.