The East Anglian rivalry from behind the mic

Chris Goreham (left) and Brenner Wooley (right) commentate on Norwich City and Ipswich Town for BBC Local Radio

The East Anglian derbies return for Ipswich Town and Norwich City this season.

Town are back in the Championship following an unsuccessful 2024-25 campaign in the Premier League, and they begin their season at Birmingham City on Friday.

City host Millwall on Saturday and will have new head coach Liam Manning in the dugout.

Both games will be covered by BBC Local Radio.

Chris Goreham commentates on City for Radio Norfolk, while Brenner Wooley is the person behind the microphone for Radio Suffolk.

BBC Sport has asked them a few questions ahead of the new campaign:

What are your expectations for the team you cover this season?

Chris: Cautious optimism. The new American ownership has allowed Norwich City the freedom to sign 11 players this summer with Borja Sainz [so far] the only major sale.

It does mean that City will probably be among the biggest spenders in the division in this window, so a better finish than last season's 13th place is required.

A serious tilt at the top six is in line with the expectations around the club.

Brenner: Like the vast majority of fans, I'm expecting Town to be up there challenging.

Their recruitment drive last summer focused heavily on players who've been successful in the Championship in the past, knowing that if they didn't survive in the Premier League, they'd be strong contenders 12 months later.

What I must add though is that it'll be nowhere near as straightforward as some are suggesting.

Town are no longer the underdogs they were two years ago - far from it. They start the season as the bookies favourites, so there'll be no 'little Ipswich' going under the radar this time.

They're there to be shot at. Also, unlike two years ago, they come into the new season having lost the habit of winning games - the momentum built up in the third-tier served them well last time round.

Overall though, especially with a new arrival or two before the window closes, Ipswich should be in the hunt for automatic promotion.

Any new signings that stand out?

Chris: There have been so many.

Defenders Harry Darling and Jakov Medic ought to help provide the defensive stability that was lacking last season, especially if Mirko Topic can cash the cheques that his biceps have been writing on Instagram as a genuine defensive midfielder.

Danish forward Mathias Kvistgaarden is an attacking signing that could help, plus the Borja Sainz-shaped gap in the goals for column.

Brenner: Not yet is my honest answer.

At the time of writing we're still waiting for a much-needed new striker, having sold Liam Delap to Chelsea earlier in the window, and also midfield reinforcements.

Jens Cajuste is back at the club, but Kalvin Phillips, Massimo Luongo and Sam Morsy have all left last season's engine room, and only Azor Matusiwa has arrived - and he's yet to kick a competitive ball in English football.

Ashley Young's arrival at right-back will hopefully be an inspired move.

Not only does he offer a phenomenal amount of experience, which the squad lacks, but, despite being 40 now, also looks more than capable of producing the goods on a matchday.

Norwich's Timm Klose (second left) heads a late equaliser to deny Ipswich victory at Carrow Road in February 2018 - a painful moment for Radio Suffolk commentator Brenner Woolley

The East Anglian Derby returns on October 5, do you love it or hate it?

Chris: I don't think anyone truly enjoys it until it's over and your team has won. Or at least kept their unbeaten record, in Norwich's case.

Brenner: I like them, but then again I'm not a born and bred supporter of either club so that's easier for me to say than someone who's emotionally invested.

However, I always desperately want Ipswich to win them, and if anyone doubts that then they should listen to (endure) my pained commentary of Timm Klose's heart-breaking late equaliser in February 2018.

Town were so close...

What do you think of the opposing side's head coach?

Chris: When Kieran McKenna arrived at Portman Road, Dean Smith was only a month into his spell as Norwich City manager.

The Canaries have been through David Wagner and Johannes Hoff Thorup (and a couple of caretakers) since. So how can you not be impressed by any head coach who has stayed in a job and remained popular with his own team's fans for that long in modern-day football?

The work he did to take Ipswich from League One to the Premier League deserved all the plaudits.

Brenner: I'm a massive fan of Liam having known him since he was a young coach at Ipswich and he used to come into the table tennis room where we'd all congregate ahead of press conferences at the training ground.

I've also got to know Chris Hogg down the years and he's another top man who's passionate about his football.

I think Liam will be a terrific appointment for Norwich City and, apart from two games at least, I'll be wishing him all the best this season.

It's been over 16 years since Ipswich beat Norwich - are Town going to finally end that drought this season?

Chris: Norwich City supporters have been bracing themselves for the run to end for a while. It will one day, of course, and they will have to contemplate losing an East Anglian derby for the first time since the iPad was invented.

The fact that Wagner's Canaries managed to take four points off Ipswich in their otherwise all-conquering 2023-24 season was remarkable. So anything is possible.

Brenner: I certainly hope so. I'm kind of bored of it now.

It's crazy that we're still talking about Jim Magilton's final game in charge being the last Town derby win.

I know some supporters will say, "We're not bothered about beating Norwich as long as we go up," but that isn't the case for many. They want both - and why not - surely this miserable run has to end at some point.

Ipswich last beat Norwich in April 2009

Who is going to finish higher in the Championship, and why?

Chris: It should really be Ipswich.

Regardless of the impressions made in the Premier League, anyone who saw the likes of Sammie Szmodics and Jack Clarke when they were last in the Championship would concede that they must be amongst the promotion favourites this season.

Put it this way, finishing above Ipswich should be enough to get Norwich (or anyone else) promoted.

Brenner: Ipswich Town.

They should - further business allowing - have the players and the manager to go up for the second time in three seasons.

If Norwich's numerous new faces find their feet I can see them making a push for the top six, but it'll be a major surprise if Ipswich are not in the play-offs at least.

For once both my head and my heart are aligned.

You can listen to coverage of every Ipswich Town and Norwich City match on BBC Local Radio.