My first game as a season ticket holder was the December 2018 3-3 draw against Nottingham Forest.

Sales and renewals had declined following the drab 2017-18 season and the club offered half season tickets in October, an offer I snapped up minutes after it was first publicised.

Every January since then the trend has continued: Norwich announce that the renewal period has begun, I renew within minutes. I’ve never given it so much as a second thought. This year is different.

When I first began attending Carrow Road regularly I was baffled that there were people around me who would leave matches early. This was the season of last-minute winners! You couldn’t have paid me to leave before the final whistle, to run the risk of missing out on Daniel Farke’s waves to the Barclay and ‘Parklife’ blasting out over the PA system.

Even in those two Premier League seasons, even when we were 5-0 down against Aston Villa, or Arsenal, or Spurs, I was there until the bitter end. Again, this year is different.

It started innocently enough. It was a midweek game: it had been a long day at work and the prospect of getting home from Carrow Road well past midnight ready for a 5:30 start the next morning suddenly seemed less welcome than ever. I went home and watched the game on TV instead. Then I was ill – not the best idea to stand around in the cold and the wet when you’re getting over a virus. I stayed at home and listened on the radio. Then, I just didn’t fancy it. I didn’t follow the game at all.

Without warning attending matches began to feel like a chore, something I had to convince myself to do rather than the highlight of my week. When I make it to the ground I often find myself watching the clock and counting down the minutes until I can head home. I’ve begun to ask myself the question: if that’s the way I feel now, is it worth renewing my season ticket?

I still can’t quite come to terms with the fact that there is now a doubt in my mind. Something that has always been so automatic, so obvious, has now been reduced to the outcome of a pro/con list. There’s the nagging thought that things could get better, that positive changes might be just around the corner, that I could rediscover my dormant passion for Norwich, that not renewing could be a huge mistake.

The signs coming from the club suggest this is not the case. David Wagner does not speak like a man who worries about his job security. At his press conference on Friday, he took the approach that it would be nice to win the cup match but if we get held to a draw it doesn’t really matter, so let’s go out and have some fun. It’s hardly a surprise that the performances on the pitch look so desperately uninspired when that’s the level of motivation players can expect from their head coach.

Then there’s the attitude. Last week we watched Norwich appear terrified to play against one of the league’s strongest sides, being held to just 25pc possession at home. Frustrating, yes, but at least Southampton are among the league’s high-flyers. Saturday then saw another guarded, disjointed, slow moving showing against a team sitting midtable in League One. Forget wanting Norwich to compete with stronger sides, I’d be happy to see them attempt to compete with anyone.

I really don’t know what I’ll do when that renewal email drops into my inbox, but I do know that I’m not alone in my uncertainty. Attendances are dropping. Apathy is increasing. There are no signs that things are about to get better. Here’s hoping those in charge read the warning signs and make changes before it’s too late.

Still, at least Lungi’s back.