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Alex Harvey-Jones

Norwich City - Delia's Club.

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Living away from Norwich, a lot of people haven''t really heard of the club from a footballing perspective but many say ''oh isn''t that Delia''s club'' or make some joke about quality pies or good pre-match cuisine when I mention that I am a Norwich fan. This is starting to annoy me now that everyone has this cuddly slightly comical image of our club - far better known for it''s celebrity owner and her on-pitch rant than any other reason.

On the other hand it does mean that people are aware of the club and have something to relate too! I was just wondering who is happy with us having this constant association and who dislikes the pink and fluffy celebrity cook image and subsequently wants it to change with Delia selling up.

A simple yes or no will do or do expand........

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I have no problem with Delia''s media image and on the whole I think it benefits the clubs profile in potential off deal activities and sponsor etc.

Of course we get some banter from rivals for here half-time remarks. However I am sure we are all big enough to cope with that and there is no such thing as bad publicity, then again a certain celebrity may not wholly agree with that statement right now!

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[quote user="GJD"]

and there is no such thing as bad publicity

[/quote] Maybe, but it could be said that being viewed as Delia''s Norwich is impacting on how seriously we are viewed as a footballing club??

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That''s a possibility, but I think Delia is a fan at heart and being there at Crewe when we won the title was a wonderful day where no doubt she was seen as a positive force.

Delia is a major celab in this country and I don''t see myself how that affects us not being seen as a serious football club.

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Personally. I hate the fluffy pink image. Its a total embarrassment, and the team are starting to live up to it. The image is effete and camp - so is the team. Co-incidence? I dont think so. 

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In a lecture last week, my lecturer was talking about certain toxic chemicals that have been known to be used on lettering on football shirts in the past.  With my Norwich shirt on under my jumper, I became understandably worried (jokingly).  When the lecturer noticed, he asked what shirt I had on, and when I told him he said "oh well, you deserve to die, then."He then started imitating Delia''s Man City rant, but it was all meant in good humour.  Yes Delia made an arse of herself, and yes people do still take the piss and its usually the first thing people think of when they think of Norwich City FC.  But there are also many clubs out there who would give their back teeth to have someone in charge with as much passion for the club as Delia.  She and the board may have made mistakes recently, but there''s no questioning her love for the club, and I think it''s something we should be proud of.We should be more ashamed of the way we''re playing football at the moment, rather than of Delia.

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I think being worried about how other people perceive you or your club says more about the worrier...

If EM''s situation arose but (heaven forbid) he was an Ipsw*ch fan, I''m not sure the conversation would have gone on for so long - as they''re dull.

We have a personality and it is not something we have to fight against all the time...

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If this club is dying of anything at the moment, it is player apathy rather than embarrassment.

Delia''s Delia.  She might not be the greatest orator in the world, but she cares, and works hard at what she does.  She no doubt feels as let down by the form of certain players as the rest of us.

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I couldn''t give a toss how we''re looked at by other fans, it''s what our players do on the pitch that concerns me.

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[quote user="mbncfc"]

If EM''s situation arose but (heaven forbid) he was an Ipsw*ch fan

[/quote]A phone rings..."Hello, is that Joe Bloggs Plumbing? Yeah, my name''s Lucifer, we''ve got a bit of a problem down here.  Our central heating has broken and it''s beginning to freeze over... yes I know I said that would never happen..."

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It''s just a mild annoyance that''s all. I think we would all rather people associated NCFC with stylish football and success on the pitch rather than being ''Delia''s club'' but that''s the way it is at the moment.

It''s all banter anyway, if some little herbert in a Chelsea shirt screams "lets be avin you'' when he sees your Norwich shirt you just remind him of the rather dubious way in which his club is funded. Remember the chant of "we''ve got a super cook, you''ve got a Russian crook" in the Premiership?

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[quote user="charlies dad"]Personally. I hate the fluffy pink image. Its a total embarrassment, and the team are starting to live up to it. The image is effete and camp - so is the team. Co-incidence? I dont think so. [/quote]

I''ve just got back from a business trip to Sweden....and it''s even spread there! Over the years NCFC had built up quite a little cult following over there and I could always find at least one or two football fans who followed our fortunes to yarn with. This time?....Lots of jocular "thumbs down" gesticulations and "ho ho" jibes at our current camp image. It would appear that they have mostly moved on to more industrious sides to entertain them.

We are a national laughing stock now....and for those who say "so what".....just take a look at our player pulling power these days. It does matter how other club''s concieve us as an opponent....and if you''ve ever played park football, you''ll remember the "soft touch" teams you enjoyed playing. Well....we''re now one of them and we strike fear into no-one.

Pink and fluffy is about the right description.......

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Norwich has always generally been a soft touch team to play at home. What has that got to Delia? Our home record has always been quite strong which kept us going in most years.

Grant is right in saying that we need to toughen up, but I really think that image is not down to the current board. It''s always been the case with our football philosophy.

 

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[quote user="GJD"]

Norwich has always generally been a soft touch team to play at home. What has that got to Delia? Our home record has always been quite strong which kept us going in most years.

Grant is right in saying that we need to toughen up, but I really think that image is not down to the current board. It''s always been the case with our football philosophy.

 [/quote]

Ron Saunders jump-started our top tier adventures by putting steel into the 1972 team and winning promotion in ugly fashion.

Thereafter we luxuriated in the adventures orchestrated by Bond, Brown, Stringer and Walker - playing good attractive football.

We need some single-minded realism now to get us up again.

Mousehold?

OTBC

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It''s more to do with the fact that our midfield wouldn''t strike fear into the hearts of a drunken Sunday League side, even they had their legs tied together... I don''t blame Delia for that, it''s the monkey who bought them...

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[quote]

Ron Saunders jump-started our top tier adventures by putting steel into the 1972 team and winning promotion in ugly fashion.

Thereafter we luxuriated in the adventures orchestrated by Bond, Brown, Stringer and Walker - playing good attractive football.

We need some single-minded realism now to get us up again.

Mousehold?

[/quote]

I used to run cross-country over Mousehold as part of school P.E. lessons, and I''m now the laziest person you''ll ever meet.  Its'' rugged terrain is particularly unforgiving on the groins, ankles, and hamstrings of the poor loves on season ticket income support.

Running through Mousehold with snow on the ground put me off going outside forever.  I now sit in an air-conditioned bubble remotely operating as much as I can while maintaining a zen-line stillness during oriface hours.  Mind you, not much difference to sitting on a bench for a living I suppose.

 

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[quote user="Evil Monkey"]It''s more to do with the fact that our midfield wouldn''t strike fear into the hearts of a drunken Sunday League side, even they had their legs tied together... I don''t blame Delia for that, it''s the monkey who bought them...[/quote]By "monkey", I mean Worthington, not myself... I didn''t do it, guv''nor!

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[quote user="Evil Monkey"][quote user="Evil Monkey"]It''s more to do with the fact that our midfield wouldn''t strike fear into the hearts of a drunken Sunday League side, even they had their legs tied together... I don''t blame Delia for that, it''s the monkey who bought them...
[/quote]

By "monkey", I mean Worthington, not myself... I didn''t do it, guv''nor!
[/quote]

Aren''t Delia and Co. just an intsy bit culpable for appointing the extended run of clowns who have dragged this club backwards? Have these managers had such a free hand? I don''t think so........

If the top is weak...the bottom is likely to be too..........

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[quote user="-.-. .-.. ..- -.-. -.-"]

[quote user="Evil Monkey"][quote user="Evil Monkey"]It''s more to do with the fact that our midfield wouldn''t strike fear into the hearts of a drunken Sunday League side, even they had their legs tied together... I don''t blame Delia for that, it''s the monkey who bought them...[/quote]By "monkey", I mean Worthington, not myself... I didn''t do it, guv''nor![/quote]

Aren''t Delia and Co. just an intsy bit culpable for appointing the extended run of clowns who have dragged this club backwards? Have these managers had such a free hand? I don''t think so........

If the top is weak...the bottom is likely to be too..........

[/quote]Would that be the same "clown" who got us to a play-off final and promotion to the Premiership with a relatively poor squad? Of course, the board are responsible for not acting sooner when it came to Worthy, also for preparing for relegation rather than staying in the Prem.  But on the issue of where the thread began - whether Delia''s media personality is a good or bad thing - and on the issue of why Norwich are no longer feared as a club, I don''t see how the board can take full responsibility, nor can I see how their "sacking"* will benefit the club.  The players were brought in by another manager, and whilst the board sanctioned these moves, they did so under the advice of the man they trusted, for good or ill, with the helm of the good ship Norwich City.  This is, unfortunately, yet another example of you trying to use every single thread as a stick to beat Delia withBut of course, I''ve got my head in the sand and am not a loyal supporter... ho hums...* I''ve been thinking about this one - who''s actually going to "sack" the board? Surely they''re answerable to themselves only as an organisation? The fans can make their discomfort known, but they have no physical power unless one of them is willing to put up the money to buy the club, which so far no one has (unless Cluck or Ronbol have a few quid hiding behind the sofa).  Instead I just have this image of Cluck (who is, naturally, a huge bird) inviting Delia into a darkened office, sitting her down and saying "I''m sorry, Delia, but I''m afraid I''ve got some bad news..." The scene would be like Big Bird from Sesame Street pointing a gun at the face of Old Mother Hubbard... Scorcese would direct the film version with music by John Williams and the novelisation by Peter Kay...

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[quote user="Evil Monkey"]

I just have this image of Cluck (who is, naturally, a huge bird) inviting Delia into a darkened office, sitting her down and saying "I''m sorry, Delia, but I''m afraid I''ve got some bad news..." The scene would be like Big Bird from Sesame Street pointing a gun at the face of Old Mother Hubbard... Scorcese would direct the film version with music by John Williams and the novelisation by Peter Kay...

[/quote]

Sod investing money in the club, I think we should get some money together to make this happen. We''d make a mint...

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Removal of the Board is difficult but certainly not impossible. I guess the way to go about it would be to run a similar campaign to the one run for over a year to get rid of Worthington. At the moment most people seem to be under the impression that it''s just a few fanatics in internet forums that want them gone. While that belief is widely held there would be little hope of forcing the Board out.

But don''t lose heart, don''t forget that was the feeling when people on these boards first made noises about a change of manager. It took a while for the penny to drop that in fact it wasn''t just a few fanatics on internet forums and it was in fact thousands of real supporters who went to games, season ticket holders and casual fans alike.

So you have the blueprint in front of you, go the same way as the Worthyout campaign was run last year. Go to the "Fans Pressure Groups" and get them on side, maybe they would hire out St. Andrews Hall for a public meeting for you. Be committed, start your own website, something like www.letsbehavinherout.com and be prepared to see it through. Get the local press on side because readers polls in the printed press carry far more weight than a poll on this website with a dozen or so votes.

If you get the kind of support that there was for the Worthyout campaign you will find that things will escalate quite quickly. There will be Delia Out chants in the stadium during games. You need to be prepared for ill feeling and supporters fighting amongst themselves, but that''s probably a small price to pay for the gain you can see for the Club, and in fact the city as a whole.

If you have the support of all but a few dissenting sheep the chances are that you will be succesfull, because I doubt Delia and her husband are as thick skinned as Worthy was. Surely her friends and family would advise her to get out before the campaign got too hateful.

Then you will be left with the new owners whoever they maybe. They will be better than the honest people we have now though because the grass is always greener in the other Boardroom. Us older posters do know this because we can remember the hateful zigger zigger chant directed at the late great Geoffrey Watling.

Who''s up for the fight??

 

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[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Removal of the Board is difficult but certainly not impossible. I guess the way to go about it would be to run a similar campaign to the one run for over a year to get rid of Worthington. At the moment most people seem to be under the impression that it''s just a few fanatics in internet forums that want them gone. While that belief is widely held there would be little hope of forcing the Board out.

But don''t lose heart, don''t forget that was the feeling when people on these boards first made noises about a change of manager. It took a while for the penny to drop that in fact it wasn''t just a few fanatics on internet forums and it was in fact thousands of real supporters who went to games, season ticket holders and casual fans alike.

So you have the blueprint in front of you, go the same way as the Worthyout campaign was run last year. Go to the "Fans Pressure Groups" and get them on side, maybe they would hire out St. Andrews Hall for a public meeting for you. Be committed, start your own website, something like www.letsbehavinherout.com and be prepared to see it through. Get the local press on side because readers polls in the printed press carry far more weight than a poll on this website with a dozen or so votes.

If you get the kind of support that there was for the Worthyout campaign you will find that things will escalate quite quickly. There will be Delia Out chants in the stadium during games. You need to be prepared for ill feeling and supporters fighting amongst themselves, but that''s probably a small price to pay for the gain you can see for the Club, and in fact the city as a whole.

If you have the support of all but a few dissenting sheep the chances are that you will be succesfull, because I doubt Delia and her husband are as thick skinned as Worthy was. Surely her friends and family would advise her to get out before the campaign got too hateful.

Then you will be left with the new owners whoever they maybe. They will be better than the honest people we have now though because the grass is always greener in the other Boardroom. Us older posters do know this because we can remember the hateful zigger zigger chant directed at the late great Geoffrey Watling.

Who''s up for the fight??

 

[/quote]

I personally think, that she''s looking for an excuse or a way out anyway........but, I may be wrong. She could use the protesting, vitriolic and unforgiving minority - as a reason to say Cheerio Chumps, and thanks for the catering........

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[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Removal of the Board is difficult but certainly not impossible. I guess the way to go about it would be to run a similar campaign to the one run for over a year to get rid of Worthington. At the moment most people seem to be under the impression that it''s just a few fanatics in internet forums that want them gone. While that belief is widely held there would be little hope of forcing the Board out.

But don''t lose heart, don''t forget that was the feeling when people on these boards first made noises about a change of manager. It took a while for the penny to drop that in fact it wasn''t just a few fanatics on internet forums and it was in fact thousands of real supporters who went to games, season ticket holders and casual fans alike.

So you have the blueprint in front of you, go the same way as the Worthyout campaign was run last year. Go to the "Fans Pressure Groups" and get them on side, maybe they would hire out St. Andrews Hall for a public meeting for you. Be committed, start your own website, something like www.letsbehavinherout.com and be prepared to see it through. Get the local press on side because readers polls in the printed press carry far more weight than a poll on this website with a dozen or so votes.

If you get the kind of support that there was for the Worthyout campaign you will find that things will escalate quite quickly. There will be Delia Out chants in the stadium during games. You need to be prepared for ill feeling and supporters fighting amongst themselves, but that''s probably a small price to pay for the gain you can see for the Club, and in fact the city as a whole.

If you have the support of all but a few dissenting sheep the chances are that you will be succesfull, because I doubt Delia and her husband are as thick skinned as Worthy was. Surely her friends and family would advise her to get out before the campaign got too hateful.

Then you will be left with the new owners whoever they maybe. They will be better than the honest people we have now though because the grass is always greener in the other Boardroom. Us older posters do know this because we can remember the hateful zigger zigger chant directed at the late great Geoffrey Watling.

Who''s up for the fight??

 

[/quote]

I believe you''ll find that the reason Nigel left was down to a lack of success on the pitch. Or are you saying that Delia et al. were so enamoured of his charms that they would have kept him on, no matter what? That they wouldn''t have noticed 20,000 disgruntled fans every week? That they didn''t want NCFC to be successful?

I don''t think so.I understand where you''re coming from, but I reckon the management are a bit more astute than you give them credit for.

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Andrew

My post was only an attempt to show how the fans could "sack the board". It probably would work but only if there is a real desire by the majority of real fans to do so. I personally don''t believe there are enough fans who want a change bad enough to make the effort to make it happen that way.

As to why Worthy left when he did, yes the poor results and performances had a lot to do with it. But so did the protests. I didn''t agree with all that went on to try force a change but  I have no doubt that the visible protests in and around the ground on matchdays had a bearing too. I feel that without the protests Worthington would have been given until Christmas. Afterall, MWJ was quick to point out that a month before the sacking the team was 2nd in the table.

That statement from Delia and MWJ after Plymouth really sealed the managers fate but that statement was not just an ultimatum to Worthington. Read it again:-

We and the board are deeply disappointed by the lack of passion and commitment in the team''s performances, and wish to apologise to our loyal fans who have given us such wonderful support. You deserve more.
“We are determined to achieve success at Norwich City, and to that end we expect this situation to be rectified. We rely on our manager and squad to do this not only on behalf of our supporters but for the long-term future of the club.”

The lack of passion and commitment in many of the teams performances appears to have remained even though the manager has been replaced. Remember Delia expecting a flurry of transfer activity. We don''t know everything that goes on at the club but there is certainly a problem somewhere and the players have had numerous oppurtunities to "rectify the situation" if they so desired.

It seems to me that Grant has a very difficult job. I think he is not only under pressure to bring in new players on a tight budget but he is also possibly under pressure to get rid of players too. This is what MWJ had to say after Worthy got us to the premiership:-

"Of course, there are exceptions and I''m generalising hugely, but for me a manager spends his first year getting rid of the players he inherited from the last one, the second year trying to get hold of the players that he wants and the third year trying to gel them into a team that''s in your own image."

MWJ is the forgotten man in all of this. His "Canary roots" go deeper than Delias although I believe them both to be honest and commited people with big hearts. Thats why, although I can see where Mello is coming from about Delia walking away, I think it will take more than this, I hope so anyway.

I saw it posted on here last week that  "heads run businesses...not hearts". However, I believe the very best businesses are run by a balanced combination of the two.


 

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[quote user="Evil Monkey"][quote user="-.-. .-.. ..- -.-. -.-"]

[quote user="Evil Monkey"][quote user="Evil Monkey"]It''s more to do with the fact that our midfield wouldn''t strike fear into the hearts of a drunken Sunday League side, even they had their legs tied together... I don''t blame Delia for that, it''s the monkey who bought them...
[/quote]

By "monkey", I mean Worthington, not myself... I didn''t do it, guv''nor!
[/quote]

Aren''t Delia and Co. just an intsy bit culpable for appointing the extended run of clowns who have dragged this club backwards? Have these managers had such a free hand? I don''t think so........

If the top is weak...the bottom is likely to be too..........

[/quote][:)]

Would that be the same "clown" who got us to a play-off final and promotion to the Premiership with a relatively poor squad?

Of course, the board are responsible for not acting sooner when it came to Worthy, also for preparing for relegation rather than staying in the Prem.  But on the issue of where the thread began - whether Delia''s media personality is a good or bad thing - and on the issue of why Norwich are no longer feared as a club, I don''t see how the board can take full responsibility, nor can I see how their "sacking"* will benefit the club.  The players were brought in by another manager, and whilst the board sanctioned these moves, they did so under the advice of the man they trusted, for good or ill, with the helm of the good ship Norwich City.  This is, unfortunately, yet another example of you trying to use every single thread as a stick to beat Delia withBut of course, I''ve got my head in the sand and am not a loyal supporter... ho hums...

* I''ve been thinking about this one - who''s actually going to "sack" the board? Surely they''re answerable to themselves only as an organisation? The fans can make their discomfort known, but they have no physical power unless one of them is willing to put up the money to buy the club, which so far no one has (unless Cluck or Ronbol have a few quid hiding behind the sofa).  Instead I just have this image of Cluck (who is, naturally, a huge bird) inviting Delia into a darkened office, sitting her down and saying "I''m sorry, Delia, but I''m afraid I''ve got some bad news..." The scene would be like Big Bird from Sesame Street pointing a gun at the face of Old Mother Hubbard... Scorcese would direct the film version with music by John Williams and the novelisation by Peter Kay...
[/quote]

That sounds like an exciting scenario EM.....and I might just try it.........[:)]....but before we get too excited, let us remind ourselves that it was only the SECOND DIVISION we got promoted from....something this club has achieved on various occasions before. The play-offs?  Just a commercial way of making more money for all concerned, which should really be stopped. Again it tends to reward those who have possibly failed over a full season at the expense of a club which may have been several points ahead.

As for removing the Board....if they had done a decent job and given the fans an exciting side to watch for at least half of the 10 years of their tenure....we would all be more forgiving. As it is, the club is sliding to a new low and if relegation happens....a hate campaign will ensue. DS doesn''t deserve this and we must all hope it doesn''t happen....but in whose hands is it now to prevent such a scenario?

Just as we can only "ask" for the Board to leave....we can only "ask" for a half decent team to watch for our matchday investment. In a position of hopelessness (which is where we are).....events often get out of hand. We DON''T want DS to be forced out by protests.....but we DO want something much better than the bilge her reign has produced.

DS and the Board have it within their control to prevent the slide.....not us.....but by making a noise about the dire situation we (the realists) are at least sending a signal of supporter unrest. If they then choose to ignore it and the gates remain hilariously high....all hope is pretty much lost.

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