Town new boy Luke Matheson has come clean about being a Norwich ‘supporter’ and admitted he is anything but a fervent fan of the Canaries.
There is a connection with the Blues’ bitter rivals from across the county border but the 18-year-old Wolves loanee was keen to set the record straight ahead of a possible debut in tomorrow’s home clash with Blackpool.
Right-back Matheson said: "Basically, my dad is from Norfolk. He was born and raised over there so obviously he grew up as a Norwich fan.
"Me, being his little boy, I’ve always looked up to him in terms of everything he has ever done, whether it’s in football or outside of football.
"It’s the little things, like the way he treats his wife — my mum — and with him being a Norwich fan I just wanted to be like him.
"But ever since my own football career has kicked on — when I made my debut for Rochdale at the age of 15 — the whole Norwich fan thing deteriorated.
"Being 100 per cent genuine, I can’t remember the last time I turned my phone on to check a Norwich line-up or a Norwich score. The Norwich badge doesn’t mean anything to me anymore, as it once did when I was a young lad.
"That’s probably just because of my endeavours as a young boy in my own professional career.
"I’ve never even been to Carrow Road to watch a game. I’ve been there once and it was for a Meet the Players-type event where people could collect autographs. I was only five or six back then.
"I was never some superfan who used to drive back and forth from Manchester to watch games.
"To be honest, it was even a stroke of luck that I got there for the players’ event because we were staying with my grandparents for a few days and that was how we caught wind of it and thought it would be a good day out.”
Matheson, whose only senior football this season came in an EFL Trophy game for Wolves U21s when they lost 4-0 at Oldham in September, pointed to the Town crest on his track suit and stressed: "I’m happy to be here. This badge means something to me now because I wear it on the front of my shirt.
"And I want to give 100 per cent effort every single week in every single training session and game. I’m thankful for the opportunity I have been given here.”
The exuberant right-back, whose off-the-pitch demeanour mirrors that for which he is renowned as a player, added: "I never had a Grant Holt duvet cover. My dad is really over the moon for me. I phoned him up and said ‘Dad, I’ve got a loan move. Guess where!’.
"His first guess was Rochdale and his second was Tranmere because my mum and her family are from there. When I said Ipswich he just laughed and said he was over the moon for me.
"His actual words were ‘That’s a great move for you, Luke. They’re pushing for promotion this year so it will be a different experience from what it was at Rochdale, where you were fighting against relegation’.
"I’m his son at the end of the day and I’m sure he’d say this himself — blood comes before any fanship.”
Asked if he was from a football family the youngster continued: "I come from an athletic family. My dad was a 400 metre hurdler and a field hockey player, and my mum played netball.
"It was always football for me. I started with a group called Little Sports and I love every single sport. When I was about six or seven me and my sister, who is two years younger than me, went along there.
"It was like a day camp and I think my parents just wanted a break. The people there picked up on the fact that I was decent at football and then I went to play for their Sunday League team, FC Sports.
"My manager there was a scout for Rochdale and when I was seven he sent me along there. The rest, I suppose, is history.”