Blair eyeing more action!

Blues switch whets keeper’s appetite

By Matt Badcock

LEARNING CURVE: Sam Blair is grateful for his time spent at Bury Town

PICTURE: Neil Dady

NORWICH CITY starlet keeper Sam Blair reckons learning his craft in the muck and nettles on loan with Bury Town has boosted his game no end – and he wants more experience this season.

The 19-year-old spent the year with Ben Chenery’s Isthmian North Blues and loved every minute of it.

From having to cope with the physicality of senior men’s football, to battling for a crucial three points and learning from experienced heads like Carlos Edwards, Blair says it was the perfect development grounding alongside his day-to-day coaching with the Canaries.

“Everything is on the line,” Blair said.

“We went through a tough period around Christmas where there was a lot of pressure on the players, a lot of pressure on the gaffer and the chairman.

“We’ve got great fan support – 1,300 at home to Stowmarket and at Sudbury away so there was a lot of pressure to put on good performances for the fans because they pay their money to come and watch us.

“That was the different pressure I had – dying for the three points, as you’d say.

“The bit I loved last season was the away fans. I’ve never had stick from behind the goal before, calling me all sorts. But I took that as a thing to drive me through the games.”

Another big learning curve was how to deal with mistakes and not let them affect the rest of the performance.

“I remember my first big howler when we played at Witham – ball over the top, I’ve misjudged the bounce, someone has taken it round me. You get told in the changing room.

Listening

“Maybe in the 18s or 23s it’s, ‘Unlucky’, whereas there it’s make or break for the three points. Luckily we scored straight after that mistake! Team-mates are there to dig you out.”

And he enjoyed listening to advice while sitting next to former Wrexham, Sunderland and Ipswich Town winger Edwards in the changing room.

“I just tried to get as much from training and being in the dressing room,” said Blair, who continued his work with the youth setup at Norwich and trained with Bury in the evenings. “He’s a really nice guy. He’s 43 and still tearing up that league! His touch and vision is great and he’s still fit. You can tell he was a proper player – and he still is.”

But Non-League isn’t entirely unfamiliar to the young stopper – family allegiances mean he is a Tranmere Rovers fan!

“There were a lot of ups and downs in Non-League but I’ve had a good time as a Tranmere fan – I’ve been to Wembley three times in the last five years,” Blair said.

“A fewseasonsago me and dad would try and gotoasmany games as we could, we went toafewaway games and the play-off semi atAldershot.I’ve got some good memories – especially when James Norwood was at the club.”

Norwood is an example of progression up the football ladder and Blair cites former Bury Town stopper Nick Pope, now in the Premier League with Newcastle United, as a big inspiration.

And it’s why he wants to keep adding games to his CV with the keeper available for loan from Nor- wich againthis coming season.

“It’s allabout getting games,” he added. “RealisticallyI might not be a first teamkeeperuntil I am 23, 24, 25. These next fouryearsare really key to keep pick- ing upgames.That will keep building up my CV and really help my football.”