What is so important about the number seven I here you ask. There are eight games to go, and City are eight points from safety. The potential relegation six-pointers against Crystal Palace and Southampton are played at three o’clock on the 16th and 30th of April (the fourth month) respectively. Indeed even City’s number seven Phil Mulryne looks unlikely to have much impact on their end of season fortunes with a move away from Carrow Road looking ever more likely.
No, the number seven is so important because it represents the number of teams involved in shaping the mood of most Canary supporters cum the end of May.
The bottom three are likely to be made up of teams currently in the bottom four (Southampton, Crystal Palace, West Brom, and City.)
And the top two in the Championship are almost certain to come from the top three (Sunderland, Wigan, and Ipswich Town.)
And that is why the number seven is so important.
If City are to finish above the other three teams in the Premiership then events in the league below will not matter much, but if (as is looking increasingly more probable) they fail to move any higher than their current position then the performances of Sunderland and Wigan will become increasingly essential in guaranteeing an enjoyable summer holiday for the yellow and green supporters.
This time last year things could hardly be any better promotion was nearly achieved and the title was just around the corner. Come the summer and things were so good even Urs Meier couldn’t dampen the spirits in Norfolk.
O.k. so no one really in the heart of hearts believed staying up was going to be easy, some may even have believed it was unachievable, but we were going to enjoy every last moment of it, something which has happened.
But we didn’t think about what would happen come the end of the season should the boys in blue from the town down the road replace us in the top-flight.
And should that occurrence happen it will hurt.
But I am not convinced it will. City have a chance (minute as it may be) of staying up, and Ipswich have an even bigger chance of not going up. As long as Sunderland and Wigan match them point-for-point for the rest of the season then the play-offs will beckon and promotion chances will become much more perilous.
And using the words of a recently retired football manager I personally would love it if they don’t come up I would love it.
And that is why the number seven is so important.