Norwich City

Aviva and Archant unite to back Canaries

CLAP banners will be distributed to City fans attending Saturday’s crunch Barclays Premier League clash against Sunderland at Carrow Road (3pm).

Regional media group Archant, producers of the Eastern Daily Press, Norwich Evening News and www.pinkun.com, have joined forces with our main club sponsors Aviva to launch a ‘Yell Army’ campaign aimed at cranking up the atmosphere inside the stadium for the crucial home games in City’s run-in.

Thanks to their support, a total of 52,000 clap banners have been produced and will be given to Norwich fans attending this weekend’s game against the Black Cats and the equally-vital home clash with West Bromwich Albion on April 5.

An army of 50 volunteers comprising Norwich City and Community Sports Foundation staff will be hard at work today putting the clap banners into every home seat at Carrow Road.

Archant are promoting the #yellarmy campaign in their papers and selling special posters for fans to display proudly in their homes or businesses – and Aviva are replacing some of their LED adverts on the pitchside perimeter boards with stirring ‘Come on you Yellows!’ messages.

Last year City won two out of the three games in which clap banners were in use as part of a similar campaign run by Archant, including the vital 4-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in the last game of the season, which confirmed City’s Premier League status for another year.

City Chief Executive David McNally welcomed this year’s campaign, commenting: “We’re delighted that Archant and our main Club sponsors Aviva have launched the Yell Army campaign.

“Our fans are the envy of world football – they fill Carrow Road for every game and follow us around the country in their thousands. Their backing this season and every season has been fantastic and we really need the Yellow Army to get behind the team as loudly and proudly as possible again for these crucial remaining games.

“It’s been a long and challenging season competing in the toughest domestic league in the world and the fans raising the roof at Carrow Road in the matches ahead will give the players a real boost in the final run-in to the Barclays Premier League campaign.

“A big thank you to Archant and Aviva for their great support and to all the Norwich City and Community Sports Foundation staff who have volunteered to place 26,000 clap banners around the stadium in readiness for Saturday’s game against Sunderland.

“So please support the campaign and get right behind the team.”