Robert Chase

[king canary 7,623]

He was largely before my time but I do have a memory of his final press conference on the local news.

Also, those getting annoyed at the press or the club for having not said anything yet, have a word with yourselves. I assume any announcement will be done in conjunction with his family and loved ones, it isn't some exclusive gossip to try and get the scoop on.

[alex_ncfc 662]

Have to say if it is true then it will be sad that the man was not afforded invites as a guest to a game/games at Carrow Road by the current board (unless they have and he declined, who knows)

What happened was almost 30 years ago, should have forgiven and forgotten a long time back, we still have a club and we also had our best times with him as chairman, times which will probably never be replicated. Even if RC hadn't sold our best players and we had a little more success for a bit, we were never going to become the next Chelsea or Man City. People go on about how we went down when the big money was coming in, well plenty of clubs who were in the Prem during that period are nowhere to be seen in the top flight anymore.

[percy varco 199]

17 hours ago, ......and Smith must score. said:

Little surprised that we’ve heard nothing from the club but no surprise there’s nothing on here. Archant - or whatever the outfit’s called now - can’t even put a midweek match report in the EEN.

I’ll be very surprised if it’s not true though.

Edit : Just had a search and can’t find anything anywhere, even on Wiki which is usually fast out of the blocks. Maybe it’s duff info but if so why ?

The Archant (or whatever) EEN “journalists” only cut and paste Twitter etc. 

If its not on Social Meeeeja it isnt going to get reported. 
 

EEN & EDP gone all Weekly Shopper

[......and Smith must score. 1,349]

4 hours ago, Diane said:

Hiya Graham, hope you're well. 

I also heard the sad news yesterday afternoon suspect there will be an official announcement today when the club have spoken to his family.

 

 

 

Thanks Diane.

I’m pleased one or two others have heard it too.

When a poster on the thread gets all ‘ holier than thou ‘ it’s nice to get some backup.

[TheGunnShow 5,953]

On 04/03/2023 at 16:50, yellowrider120 said:

Unfortunately that's correct.  Such a pity that people cant just be silent for a minute. Silence is far more respectful in my humble opinion than applause. The latter was only brought in several years ago now because of fears people could not be trusted. 

Depends on circumstances for me. If we're talking about a popular (or otherwise) staff member I'd also think a minute's applause is a nice, figurative way of saying "well done" for the last time.

[Robert N. LiM 4,421]

49 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Depends on circumstances for me. If we're talking about a popular (or otherwise) staff member I'd also think a minute's applause is a nice, figurative way of saying "well done" for the last time.

And if we're talking about a highly divisive one then a minute's applause is surely the safest option...

[Fifty 45]

Now confirmed by EDP https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23365612.robert-chase-former-norwich-city-chairman-dies-aged-85/

 

[Satriales 667]

RIP

I was only a lad back then, but weirdly have memories of him doing a Radio Norfolk interview before each game, we had it on in the car driving up to the game. Different world back then with no social media.

[......and Smith must score. 1,349]

12 minutes ago, Fifty said:

Now confirmed by EDP https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23365612.robert-chase-former-norwich-city-chairman-dies-aged-85/

 

Is it too much to ask that local media gets his age right ? He was 84.

Lazy.

[Indy 3,307]

Indeed did a lot of good for this club, we mustn’t forget that, given the end.

RIP Thoughts with family & Friends.

[Mengo 825]

4 minutes ago, Indy said:

Indeed did a lot of good for this club, we mustn’t forget that, given the end.

RIP Thoughts with family & Friends.

Indeed. RIP ( Robert Chase)

[ricardo 7,395]

Did what he thought was right.

Not all agreed with it  but deserves respect for the work and effort he put into his time in charge.

R.I.P. Big Bob.

[The Raptor 1,218]

R.I.P. Robert. Thanks for the hard work trying to make Norwich a better club. Particularly for selling Andy Townsend who I always found irritating 

I will stop randomly putting CHASE OUT in threads when people annoy me now. 

[TheBaldOne66 693]

Sad news, whatever people say about him, he was here at the most successful time the club has ever had! 
 

RIP Robert Chase

[The Bristol Nest 517]

On 05/03/2023 at 14:07, ......and Smith must score. said:

Thanks Diane.

I’m pleased one or two others have heard it too.

When a poster on the thread gets all ‘ holier than thou ‘ it’s nice to get some backup.

Thanks for the OP. I like Diane's style. Using your real name humanises the poster! 

If we all got jumped on when we post we might think twice before getting involved. 

 

Raptor - CHASE OUT!!

 

RIP Bob.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,752]

 

[PurpleCanary 5,570]

There was a mix-up over my ticket for the away game in Munich, so I accosted Chase as he was about to enter the stadium. He fished into a pocket and gave me a ticket for the posh seats in one of the home areas. RIP.

[John Ryans Express 32]

Although I never met Robert Chase personally, I’ve spoken to several people over the years, who have known him and whose opinions I trust, that have told me that he was a good old boy. RIP .

[Midlands Yellow 4,012]

A 3rd, 4th and 5th finish in the top flight. Add two semi finals in the FA Cup and a run in Europe then it wasn’t all bad under his leadership. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Midlands Yellow

[dylanisabaddog 4,947]

Chris Sutton is gutted....... 

Edited March 6, 2023 by dylanisabaddog

[Naturalcynic 641]

Always grateful to Robert Chase for the free flight up to the midweek match at Oldham which we won, going top of the Prem in the process.

RIP.

[Ulfotto 640]

As someone who started following Norwich off the back of the 92/93 season. Robert Chase is someone I struggle to say a good word about in connection with Norwich the club. 
 

He was in charge when we went from European football to relegation in one season. The relegation being a direct result of selling all our best players and replacing them with people half as good if that. Ruel Fox -> Neil Adams. Chris Sutton -> Mike Sheron. What’s more he wasn’t honest about it he saying we had no intention of selling Sutton when he already had. Relegation lead to a long period of extremely bog standard championship football. Nigel Worthington and the collapse of the I’ll fated itv digital got us back to the big time for just a season.

Failing to consolidate and capitalise on the 92-94 period is surely a massive sliding doors moment for the club. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Ulfotto

[essex canary 497]

3 hours ago, ......and Smith must score. said:

Is it too much to ask that local media gets his age right ? He was 84.

Lazy.

Looks as if they beat the Club to the announcement.

RIP Bob and thanks for your tenure - a wonderful period except for the end.

Robin Sainty gets it exactly right.

 

[cornish sam 958]

1 hour ago, Ulfotto said:

As someone who started following Norwich off the back of the 92/93 season. Robert Chase is someone I struggle to say a good word about in connection with Norwich the club. 
 

He was in charge when we went from European football to relegation in one season. The relegation being a direct result of selling all our best players and replacing them with people half as good if that. Ruel Fox -> Neil Adams. Chris Sutton -> Mike Sheron. What’s more he wasn’t honest about it he saying we had no intention of selling Sutton when he already had. Relegation lead to a long period of extremely bog standard championship football. Nigel Worthington and the collapse of the I’ll fated itv digital got us back to the big time for just a season.

Failing to consolidate and capitalise on the 92-94 period is surely a massive sliding doors moment for the club. 

I'm kind of with you on this, I started supporting at the start of the 92/93 season (birth of the premiership and start of secondary school) so chose someone to support properly... However, looking back, I think on balance I have to think well of him because it's thanks to him that I support Norwich. He was an old school wheeler dealer running the football club like you'd run a second hand car dealership, for better or for worse.

 

[Midlands Yellow 4,012]

We’d kill for another period like this. 
 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Midlands Yellow

[City 2nd 191]

I had a conversation with Mr Chase (RIP) the night the main stand burnt down. Much respect for the man, who made CR what it is today with his fervent deals.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,030]

Rest in peace Mr Chase, wherever you may be, my thoughts are with your family and loved ones.........

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

6 hours ago, Ulfotto said:

As someone who started following Norwich off the back of the 92/93 season. Robert Chase is someone I struggle to say a good word about in connection with Norwich the club. 

He was in charge when we went from European football to relegation in one season. The relegation being a direct result of selling all our best players and replacing them with people half as good if that. Ruel Fox -> Neil Adams. Chris Sutton -> Mike Sheron. What’s more he wasn’t honest about it he saying we had no intention of selling Sutton when he already had. Relegation lead to a long period of extremely bog standard championship football. Nigel Worthington and the collapse of the I’ll fated itv digital got us back to the big time for just a season.

Failing to consolidate and capitalise on the 92-94 period is surely a massive sliding doors moment for the club. 

We also went from relegation battle under Stringer to title challenge and European qualification under Walker in one season though, in the interest of balance, and if you'd started following one year earlier you'd have known that, such is the craziness of football.

The bit that you are missing from your equation is that yes he sold the talent and didn't adequately replace those players, a mistake that he admitted to after selling the club, but that he spent most of the proceeds on buying a huge tract of farmland, gaining planning permission and then building Colney, because we were leasing a ridiculous concrete and asbestos training pitch from the council at Trowse which these days wouldn't be fit for a National League side. We moved to Colney in 1995, no coincidence, it was a huge investment in this clubs future, one that Delia and every other owner will benefit from immeasurably, let's not pretend that Bellamy would have turned down the biggest clubs in the country to join us if we were still playing at a training ground fit for Chelmsford at the time.

Now, one could say it was unwise of chase to take the risk of losing Premier League status at the time it was just about to becoming a rich league, in favour of investing in infrastructure and facilities, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Others would argue that we've done exactly the same in the past five years under Webber, sold our best players and invested in infrastructure and facilities instead of investing adequately in the squad for Premier League survival. In fact, Webber is proud of that fact and is open about that. Chase sold our best players, invested in facilities and ended up with us in the Championship. Webber sold out best players, invested in facilities and also has us in the Championship. What's the difference exactly? 

The elephant in the room of course being that if it were not for Chase sourcing and purchasing the freehold land at Colney for our training ground there would have been nothing for Webber to have built on! 

That's before we mention all the luxury apartments along the river that was built on club owned land which was acquired by Chase for a pittance when it was post industrial wasteland, Delia's reign was propped up by that money. He had a lot of foresight, he was undone in some ways by his vision and ambition.

If Chase had not bought Colney do you really think Delia Smith would have been able to move us out of Trowse?

I think we can equate the training ground to a new City Stand. Delia, McNally, Webber have all bottled it because they fear it could be a mistake. Chase didn't bottle the training ground. Left us in a bit of a pickle. And yet most fans would love to see a new city stand wouldn't they.

Sutton, Fox, etc, was sad to see them go, but Colney still serving us well decades 28 years later.

Would we have been better off using the Godfrey and Buendia money to build a new city stand? In the medium term might have rendered us stuck in the Championship, but who knows 28 years later we might have looked back at that being a very good decision. 

Chases legacy needs revisiting, he was really rather bold, got the timing a bit wrong but we have him to thank for a lot of what you see at Carrow Road, and arguably for everything you see at Colney.

Ps. He was genuinely a Norwich fan. It was many many years before be could bring himself to visit Carrow Road again, but he was known to travel to our away games now and again with his sons. He would go in a box so as to avoid our fans, but he was genuinely a Norwich city fan.

Edited March 7, 2023 by TeemuVanBasten

[chicken 2,636]

12 hours ago, TheGunnShow said:

Depends on circumstances for me. If we're talking about a popular (or otherwise) staff member I'd also think a minute's applause is a nice, figurative way of saying "well done" for the last time.

I've been to funerals where the dearly departed have not wanted it to be sombre and have asked for celebration rather than remembrance. Tbh, I think I would prefer that too. Each to their own, I don't think it can be criticised.

I can't say I was his biggest fan. I was also pretty young. I was 11 in 1993. However, I have looked back at it over the years and there is a fair bit of back and forth.

I think the best way to celebrate him is to remember him for taking over the club in the mid 80's at a time when it started to really show promise. We'd won the Milk Cup a couple of seasons prior. He took over with Ken Brown as manager and oversaw the appointment of Stringer and then Walker. Many say that the infrastructure for success was already there. However, we can say from recent history that you can have the infrastructure but you still need the right managers, which he did get us and we got success through them and a combination of shrewd acquisitions and players from our youth set up that had recruitment centres in the west country and brought in the likes of Eadie.

I don't think it is the right time to think of anything else now. Perhaps time to let those arguments be laid to rest too, and just remember that whatever you felt of those times. He was chairman for our (arguably) most successful period to date.

[Duncan Edwards 2,245]

The rights and wrongs of his tenure can be put aside as we mourn the loss of a key figure in the club’s history.

One of my favourite tales of Old Bob, and quite possibly the most surprising, is his love of Ska music and of The Specials and Terry Hall in particular. Apparently quite the mover in his day too. I never forgave Coventry for 85 but that’s really Everton’s fault, I suppose. Anyway, Bob always made an extra effort for the visit of Coventry and his music connections were instrumental (excuse the pun) in the transfers of both Bob Rosario and David Phillips.

RIP Mr Chase. Now truly in a Ghost Town.

✝️