Football fans are hooked on May’s big battles

Norwich City fan Callum Parke, 16, from Hellesdon (Image: Archant)

There are obvious parallels to be drawn between the battle for promotion to the Premier League and the fight for Westminster seats.

Seven teams (or thereabouts) are in contention for the title and play-offs, as the seven leaders hoping to be king (or queen) maker after May 7 took to our screens on Thursday night. For both Norwich City Football Club, and the political parties of all shades, the next few weeks will be crucial.

In soggy Brighton, travelling Canaries were clear – the promotion race was top of their agenda, in some cases 'by a mile'.

But most had tuned in to see the leaders debate, with plenty of political animals among the travelling supporters.

The Lake and King families, who live in the Broadland constituency, had been discussing the election on the way to the south coast yesterday – they were divided about who had performed the best.

While sixteen-year-old Callum Park, from Hellesdon said he was following events closely as one of the next generation of voters, but admitted being more 'enthralled' by the Championship race.

'You can draw a comparison between the promotion and election race. There are lots of teams looking to get as high as possible. But for me, I find sport much more honest, most of the time, and much more exciting. But both of them will start to heat up, so I will be watching both very very keenly.'

Trevor and Lesley Southgate were divided over whether they were more interested in the football or the election.

Mrs Southgate, 54, said she didn't like watching the debates, but would definitely be voting as a lifelong Conservative. While Mr Southgate is still undecided about where he would mark his cross. 'I usually vote Conservative, but I am still debating about whether to vote UKIP, although I probably will come down on the Conservative side in the end as I would like to know there will definitely be a referendum.'

Norwich-based fan Gary Matthewson, also admitted his vote was still up for grabs. The 48-year-old said he would probably make up his mind the day before.

'I don't know what will swing me. It is always a last minute thing. I thought the debates were quite good, but there was not a stand out candidate.'

As for the battle for promotion, he was more certain. 'We will go straight up, but we will be second, with Bournemouth first,' he said.

University of East Anglia graduate Rob Flynn, who now lives in London, also put the Championship race first on the excitement stakes, 'by a mile'.

The 40-year-old, had tuned in to the 'chaotic' leaders' debates, concluding: 'I don't think we learnt anything we didn't know already.'

He said he would be voting Labour in the hope of moving away from the swingeing cuts suffered under the coalition.

Trevor Eastaugh, from Tasburgh, said he was still deciding where to cast his ballot.

The 57-year-old said Nick Clegg had 'made the most sense' on immigration on Thursday, but he was also considering UKIP.

David Powell from Norwich, was more certain.

Despite giving the debate to Conservative leader David Cameron '1-0', the 45-year-old will still be voting UKIP.

'I think Farage has got it right. The Conservatives will win, but there will be a lot of votes going to UKIP because they don't want to see Liberal or Labour get in.'

But among the fans there were also the truly disillusioned. Michael Farrow, from Wroxham, said he spoilt his ballot paper each year.

'There is not a single party that supports us as normal human beings, they only support themselves,' the 40-year-old said.

'Green maybe, possibly, because they are prepared to be slightly different. The Championship is going to be far more exciting,' he added.

And what of Norwich City's most high profile politician?

Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: 'With just a few weeks to go, both the Championship and the General Election are desperately tight. And with Norwich and Ipswich in the national spotlight in both races, it's going to be a nail-biting May for me on both counts. Of course, there is one big difference between the two contests – in the General Election, I'll be rooting for an Ipswich victory too!'