Football Marlon: It would be great to take down high-flying Canaries
BRISTOL City can fly into the top half of the Championship if they can do what no one else has managed for nine games on Saturday – beat Norwich City.
The high-flying Canaries are top of the pile and visit Ashton Gate, where Lee Johnson’s side will be looking for only a fourth home win of the season.
Ahead of the game, we spoke with midfield ‘string-puller’ Marlon Pack during a visit he and the rest of the Robins squad made to the Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) on Tuesday.
The CHSW is the club’s chosen charity partner and helps provide hospice care for children with lifelimiting conditions, and their families, across the South West, helping more than 500 families.
While there, we grabbed a quick word with Pack about last Saturday’s 1-0 away victory over Birmingham City and the prospect of facing the Championship leaders this weekend.
“Yeah, of course, there’s a hint of surprise there (regarding where Norwich are in the table), but it can happen. No one really expected Cardiff to go up and they did it really well.
“There’s always a side that comes out of the pack or who are a contender. Millwall were really close to making the play-offs last season and the Championship always seems to spring a surprise every year.”
We point out again, for what must be the 100th time this season, that English football’s second tier is crazy, after the Robins made it three games undefeated with a win at St Andrew’s, following four defeats on the bounce.
“It really is,” said Pack. “There are no surprises each year – it (good and bad runs) seems to happen to any club. You can never tell who is going to run away with the league or who is going to get relegated.
“I think that’s what makes it such a great division – anyone can beat anyone on their day.”
So hold your horses, Norwich fans. With just four defeats on their travels all season, the Robins now need to get winning in BS3.
“It’s one of those mysteries I suppose (why City are doing better away from home) but it’s one that we want to put right,” said Pack.
“You want to be winning every game and we need to be winning our home games. It would be great to get that going on Saturday,” said Pack.
We’ve been given the chance to come and see the squad as they make their annual trip to the Children’s Hospice South West to pay a special Christmas trip to the families at the club’s chosen charity for this season.
And there’s certainly a real buzz about the place as Korey Smith takes on all-comers on FIFA 19, Pack gives an impromptu passing lesson in the gardens and Bailey Wright is dragged into the ball pit.
Pack said: “The boys and the staff have come down to visit some of the families that are here, trying to spread some festive cheer and get stuck in.
“Obviously it’s not just for the families that are here, but the siblings and the parents, too, just to help out.”
Pack is one of the eight ambassadors at the club and has been helping out since he was moved during his first visit to CHSW.
Like Joe Bryan and others before him, the on-field captain of late takes items from his house for the charity to cash in on, whether unused toys, signed boots or designer clothes, to be sold via the charity’s auction site.
“It’s just to help in any way we can,” added Pack.