Straw Poll- Who would like Delia and MWJ to sell the club?

[Monty13 2,229]

No thanks, who knows what the new owner may do to the club...remember all those notes being waved by those down the road, all the good it did them.

The owners love the club, they aren''t perfect but we''ve been pretty successful comparatively to our wealth the last few years. I don''t see a new owner making us significantly more successful, it takes huge amounts of cash and an awful lot of luck.

[Green and Yellow 0]

Yes. Time for Delia to go anyone who is deluded that Delia cares about the club have got it wrong, in my opinion. She is a hard nosed business person who has taken more out of the club than she has put in. Time will tell about her tenure and mismanagement of the club.

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

Flip of a coin for me. We could get a lot better but also a lot worse. It has to be someone that cares about the club and area not some bored rich foreigner with a super ego. There seem to be more bad owners about than good ones the nutter a Leeds the venkies at Blackburn and the guy that got locked up who owned Birmingham spring to mind. Much about the current owners is frustrating and irritating but careful what you wish for. Chase ran a tight and successful ship for many years but got it wrong in his last couple of years.

[westcoastcanary 173]

[quote user="Yorkshire Canary"]Flip of a coin for me. We could get a lot better but also a lot worse. It has to be someone that cares about the club and area not some bored rich foreigner with a super ego. There seem to be more bad owners about than good ones the nutter a Leeds the venkies at Blackburn and the guy that got locked up who owned Birmingham spring to mind. Much about the current owners is frustrating and irritating but careful what you wish for. Chase ran a tight and successful ship for many years but got it wrong in his last couple of years.[/quote]One of the things Chase got wrong was straight talking, delivering a message that the fans just didn''t want to hear, in the form of a perceptive and entirely accurate assessment of the implications of the advent of the Premier League for NCFC. His words have been entirely borne out by what has happened in the intervening 20 years, and his assessment of our then future pretty much identical with ricardo''s summary of our present. There wasn''t much realism evident among fans in 1996, and it looks as if nothing has been learnt on that score in the meantime. 

[hogesar 9,618]

I certainly don''t think we should be in a rush to sell right now.

[king canary 7,578]

I have always backed Delia and MWJ and I do appreciate having people who I see as genuine fans at the top of the club.

However the situation with their nephew has not sat well with me. It suggests to me that they see the club as their thing, not the fans. Something to be passed down in the family. I don''t see putting an unqualified member of their family on the board as ''having the clubs best interests at heart.'' I understand if he does eventually take over that we will still have a Norwich fan at the top of the pile but as he doesn''t bring experience, relevant contacts or investment with him then it just seems like nepotism.

So in answer to the question I''m not really sure- the risks of getting someone dodgy in (foreign or not) are high but then I don''t see us progressing under them or under the nephew either.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

So it seems many people, including myself, are open to the idea of a takeover if it was to the guaranteed right people - with plenty of cash, and wanting to retain our fairly unique values as a club.

The problem is that''s not going to happen, and where there is the slightest risk that this could go the wrong way and the club could fold, no way would I roll that dice, that''d be beyond a gamble in my eyes.

To be honest, I''m not even sure why we''re having this debate when nearly every other club in the league WOULD currently swap their chances of promotion for ours - it''s only a small section of NCFC supporters that can''t see this, though they''re entitled to their opinion of course 👍

[Crafty Canary 495]

What are these fairly unique values to NCFC exactly? I would say that all small and most middle sized clubs are community focused in order to survive without the PL mega bucks. Why do small clubs with no realistic prospects of winning anything or appearing in the PL still attract fans? Probably because they recognise the importance of the local communities to them.

[westcoastcanary 0]

king canary wrote: "I have always backed Delia and MWJ and I do appreciate having people who I see as genuine fans at the top of the club.

However the situation with their nephew has not sat well with me. It

suggests to me that they see the club as their thing, not the fans.

Something to be passed down in the family."Don''t understand the logic in that kc. If Delia and MWJ put great store in handing over to someone who shares their passion and values regarding NCFC, what better way than to entrust the club to someone of whom they know it to be true? As regards Tom''s (assumed) lack of experience, when the time for him to step up actually comes, he will likely have accumulated quite a lot of it.

[Rock The Boat 1,325]

The real question is what kind of club do you want Norwich to be in the future?

Do you want a community-based club as exists in the bottom half of this division and lower? A club that derives most of its income frim the fans and is therefore more concerned with fans'' issues?

Or do you want a club competing at the top end of the PL who''s income is sourced from a wealthy investor? A club that may not necessarily put the fan'' interests first.

Of course everybody would prefer a wealthy investor who just dumps his money in the club and let us carry on as before, but those are unrealistic expectations.

We can continue the be the same kind of club as we are now, but it will be as a Championship/L1 club since the big investors are moving into the top of the Championship.

Alternatively, if we want to be a competitive club in the long term it will require massive funds to finance it - much than our present owners can afford.

What worries me more than anything is that our current owners have already decided to take the less ambitious route by saying the club is not for sale and by already declaring the succession scenario.

We are beginning a downward cycle whether we like it or not.

[0ridgemanddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

Whilst our owners might not be the richest I feel it is the people under them that decide our fate.

Lets go back a short while with the club in financial trouble and heading downwards. Take on board McNally and Bowkett, McNally sacks Gunn takes on board Lambert the next three years are probably the best I can remember in my sixty years of support.

Lambert knew what he wanted he would substitute players after twenty minutes if he thought it necessary this could bring about a change in the game and would certainly keep players on their toes. I attended many away games under Lambert and never felt let down. Perhaps we overachieved with him as manager but it was good you woke up on Saturdays feeling good and wanting to get to the game.

Lambert leaves Hughton arrives in the first two pre season friendlies it was obvious it was going to be a struggle. After a short while it was obvious spending ten to twelve hours on a coach to watch ninety minutes of dross wasn''t my idea of a day out. Saturdays were must I go to watch that and as somebody said on here take a book with you.

Hughton leaves and we search Europe for a replacement only to find he was here all the time. He didn''t last long before being replaced with the current manager an initial whirlwind was replaced with a season where he was totally out of his depth and relegation followed.

Bowkett leaves and then McNally resigns all part of the secret squirrel society (there is certainly something happening in the club and unless they tell us rumours will continue to abound).

And so to this season and our manager shows no great sign of improvement then we get a new CEO who Wolves didn''t want but was recommended to Delia by a friend. Whatever happens this season one thing is certain in my mind with the right CEO, Chairman and manager in place you don''t necessarily need millionaires in charge of a club and football can be fun again. Bring in your friends and buddies and who knows.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

But wasn''t McNally a CEO who Fulham didn''t want but was recommended to Delia by a friend?

Although it seems everyone who Delia speaks to or employs is made out to be a friend. I always thought Steve Morgan was Alan Bowkett''s friend... 

[westcoastcanary 0]

Here''s a hypothetical question. Suppose that, at our next AGM, Delia and MWJ state their intention to hand their majority share holding over to a NCFC Supporters Trust, binding the Trustees always to act in the best interests of the club and its fans. Let us further imagine that we, the posters on this forum, are made the Trustees, thus becoming legally so bound. How would people then feel about selling the club to a wealthy investor with as little connection with club and community as Tony Xia has with Aston Villa?

[king canary 7,578]

@westcoastcanary

"Don''t understand the logic in that kc. If Delia and MWJ put great store in handing over to someone who shares their passion and values regarding NCFC, what better way than to entrust the club to someone of whom they know it to be true? As regards Tom''s (assumed) lack of experience, when the time for him to step up actually comes, he will likely have accumulated quite a lot of it."

The logic is that people who have the clubs best interest at heart might exist outside of their own family and might actually be able to bring something else to the table. To bring in an experienced relative to ''groom'' for the position to me smacks of them seeing NCFC as their family business.

Also does being related to them ensure that person does have the same values and dedication to Norwich City?

[westcoastcanary 0]

[quote user="king canary"]@westcoastcanary

"Don''t understand the logic in that kc. If Delia and MWJ put great store in handing over to someone who shares their passion and values regarding NCFC, what better way than to entrust the club to someone of whom they know it to be true? As regards Tom''s (assumed) lack of experience, when the time for him to step up actually comes, he will likely have accumulated quite a lot of it."

The logic is that people who have the clubs best interest at heart might exist outside of their own family and might actually be able to bring something else to the table. To bring in an experienced relative to ''groom'' for the position to me smacks of them seeing NCFC as their family business.

Also does being related to them ensure that person does have the same values and dedication to Norwich City?[/quote]Being related may not ensure that Tom has the same values and dedication, but it does in this case mean that Delia and MWJ are in an excellent position to judge whether he does or doesn''t. As regards someone outside the family, there MIGHT indeed be such a person, as I''m sure the owners are aware. But succession planning can''t be left indefinitely while the search is on for such a person. Furthermore, the chances of finding a person with those values combined with the kind of wealth "disgruntled of Norwich City" wants to see (or even  comparable to our current owners) are remote. People seem to imagine there is a queue of sufficiently rich, well-qualified, equally caring people itching to take over the club. There is absolutely no evidence of that at all.

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="Canary Wundaboy"]The club is bigger than Delia and we have to be able to compete financially if we want to succeed, which is the point of the club existing. She can no longer provide the investment required and must be convinced to sell so we can become an established PL club.[/quote]

Everyone knows by now what my answer to the OP is.

What I would add is that it is not just about the money.

It is about whether the person who takes over makes the correct decisions at the right time. The Delia and Wynnie model has not worked, not because they have too little money, but because they have a litany of very poor decisions behind them and many of these poor decisions have been repeated over and over.

What the club is really crying out for is a leader. Delia and Wynnie are not leaders. Instead of leading from the front, they prefer to bring in human shields to do their bidding for them. This will never lead to success because it is leadership by proxy.

What the club really needs at this time is someone who is a halfway house between Delia and Chase, but who also has some money and can be safely entrusted with the club.

The club needs to get away from this idea that Delia and Wynnie are the only ones who can be trusted and that all mega-rich owners must be bad people. A lot of them have done good things. If you compare Manchester City now to Manchester City under Peter Swales, the club has been completely transformed at all levels.

Delia and Wynnie have had their innings. It is now time for someone else to add their chapter to the history of the club.

There is plenty in the in-tray that needs sorting:

1. The player recruitment

2. The quality of players in the academy

3. The composition and structure of the Board, including sub-committees with real scrutiny

4. Transparency and accountability

5. Stadium capacity

6. Training facilities

7. Scrapping the football board

8. Competitiveness in cup competitions

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Vinnie. If you think the Delia model hasn''t worked what makes you think an investor will do better? 4 years from the last 5 in the EPL is better than a lot of similar clubs who have had investment. And many bigger ones.

[ZLF 271]

happy for new owners to come in but I doubt we will get such good custodians of the club.

If we could ever find a rich version of delia that will be great. Any new owners would to both buy the shares from the current owners and then look to give extra money to the club to spend, if such a billionaire philanthropist exists let him come forward and buy. until then the club is at least in safe hands

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]Vinnie. If you think the Delia model hasn''t worked what makes you think an investor will do better? 4 years from the last 5 in the EPL is better than a lot of similar clubs who have had investment. And many bigger ones.

[/quote]

Yes, but the club has not stayed in the EPL has it?

I am not at all interested in comparisons with other clubs unless they are favourable.

I am talking about the club becoming a serious player in this country and in Europe. That means getting to the EPL, staying there and continuously improving, not reaching a ceiling then falling back again.

That is going to take some seriously clever people in charge and money.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

[quote user="Big Vince"][quote user="nutty nigel"]Vinnie. If you think the Delia model hasn''t worked what makes you think an investor will do better? 4 years from the last 5 in the EPL is better than a lot of similar clubs who have had investment. And many bigger ones.

[/quote]

Yes, but the club has not stayed in the EPL has it?

I am not at all interested in comparisons with other clubs unless they are favourable.

I am talking about the club becoming a serious player in this country and in Europe. That means getting to the EPL, staying there and continuously improving, not reaching a ceiling then falling back again.

That is going to take some seriously clever people in charge and money.[/quote]

I didn''t for one minute think you would be.

[westcoastcanary 0]

Don''t we have quite a lot of evidence that "seriously clever people with money" conclude that there are better places to invest their money? Maybe what we should be looking for are seriously stupid people with money? Might be a better fit with some of the club''s support than the current owners [;)]

[Captain Birdseye 0]

It''s a good point west coast most of these people have made huge amounts of money they ain''t stupid

Money speaks in this sport and we are the paupers

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Big Vince"]I am talking about the club becoming a serious player in this country and in Europe. That means getting to the EPL, staying there and continuously improving, not reaching a ceiling then falling back again.

That is going to take some seriously clever people in charge and money.[/quote]

[? 0]

Big Vince makes some valid points especially when referring to leadership. Perhaps some people coukd play the post not the poster. Lappin, especially! Being the majority share holders S&J are ultimately where the buck stops so to speak. However, we hear very little from them and they seemingly only appear when things are going well. The last time I recall seeing Delia speaking about the club was at Wembley!

I realise the day to day running of the club is down to the CEO, but a mission statement or such like would not go amiss. Perhaps if we heard from the horses mouth what their intentions and long term aims are, we would be perhaps more understanding or not.

[king canary 7,578]

@Ron

I''ve started to view them more as figureheads now- they seem to have stepped back and left the day to day running of the club to those they''ve bought in (the correct decision IMO). I can''t blame them for wanting to bask a little when things are going well.

[? 0]

KC that''s fine and you''re probably right but they still are the controlling bodies of the Club and as such I would like (not want) to hear their plans and visions for the future. Obviously the teams performance ultimately effects these plans but some sort of direction from them would be welcome.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,424]

I want my football club to be established in the top division in English Football. It was for many years , and even on relegation we came straight back up. There was a period when we were outside of the top flight roughly from 1995 to 2010. I know that''s not quite accurate and we did have 2004 , but I can''t be bothered to look it up. I don''t want to go back there . That''s what I want and I rely on the people in charge of my club to make it happen. That''s why they run my club and I''m an insurance broker . All I can do is buy my season ticket and put my faith in their skill .

[nutty nigel 7,509]

I want that too Beardo!

If that would be the result of selling the club then...

Sell, sell, sell until it happens.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,424]

Let''s buy it Nutty. You and me. Nailed on success.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Now you''re talking Beardo! I found a fiver in an old pair of trousers today. I think that''s a sign.

If we come up short Tilly may be good for a few quid.....