Whats happened to Norwich City (an outsiders request)

[yellow hammer 0]

[quote user="thebigfeller"]Hi concerned-scouse,Some observers admire this club for its refusal to bend to the realities of modern football, and maintenance of high principles. But while it''s all very well having a Unique Selling Point, it''s another thing entirely when that refusal to change just results in ever more precipitous decline. Within the last week, Ipswich Town demonstrated their very obvious ambition by appointing Roy Keane as manager, and promising him substantial money to spend on players. Ipswich were taken over last season by someone who is considered good enough as a donor by the Liberal Democrats, but wouldn''t have passed Delia''s fit and proper person test in a million years. Their future is risky, hard to predict in the longer term, but bright; ours - the fabled community club - is all set to be at our lowest level in almost 50 years. The contrast could not be more stark: and if one group of people are to blame above all else for the decline of this football club, it''s Delia Smith and her board. And - perhaps worst of all - I don''t think they''ve learned a thing throughout the entire journey.[/quote]And just to demonstrate how completely and utterly incompetent this board is, they sanctioned the loan of Jamie Cureton to Barnsley who gifted Barnsley the four points that will ensure them finishing above us in the league and dooming us to 3rd division football. Total f**w*ts, and that''s the first time I''ve ever sworn on a messageboard.

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="yellow hammer"][quote user="thebigfeller"]Hi concerned-scouse,

Some observers admire this club for its refusal to bend to the realities of modern football, and maintenance of high principles. But while it''s all very well having a Unique Selling Point, it''s another thing entirely when that refusal to change just results in ever more precipitous decline. Within the last week, Ipswich Town demonstrated their very obvious ambition by appointing Roy Keane as manager, and promising him substantial money to spend on players. Ipswich were taken over last season by someone who is considered good enough as a donor by the Liberal Democrats, but wouldn''t have passed Delia''s fit and proper person test in a million years. Their future is risky, hard to predict in the longer term, but bright; ours - the fabled community club - is all set to be at our lowest level in almost 50 years. The contrast could not be more stark: and if one group of people are to blame above all else for the decline of this football club, it''s Delia Smith and her board. And - perhaps worst of all - I don''t think they''ve learned a thing throughout the entire journey.
[/quote]

And just to demonstrate how completely and utterly incompetent this board is, they sanctioned the loan of Jamie Cureton to Barnsley who gifted Barnsley the four points that will ensure them finishing above us in the league and dooming us to 3rd division football. Total f**w*ts, and that''s the first time I''ve ever sworn on a messageboard.
[/quote]

 

We were talking about that last night and you are right, JC should never have gone to Barnsley, and no doubt it won''t be the last time you swear on these boards lol.

[Blainsey 2]

A wonderful post...

I live with an LFC fan - Reeves; a once regular post on RAWK and he often asks the same questions.

I put my NCFC scarf on the Shankly Gates before the match vs Barca in 2001 when a Gary Mac penalty secured a 1-0 win. I have the utmost respect for LFC too.

OTBC

[Chewbacca 0]

Big Feller - that was an absolutely superb post!

It certainly sums up my sentiments entirely (and those of the vast majority of supporters I''m sure) and should have a far wider audience exposed to it.

[Pinks 0]

Someone should forward this post to the club.

[Ren 75]

...anyone who has not read the big fella''s post on this thread should (page 2). 

and if anyone at Archant spots it - it should go into print in one of your next editions as it sums up perfectly how the average fan sees Delia''s time as a majority share holder at our club.

Well done Big Fella, I bet that took an age to write and deserves to be seen by the masses!

[Tim Dawson 0]

Couldnt have put it better myself Bigfella, still numb this morning, just gutted, i feel physically sick.,

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 412]

A stunning post Bigfella.[Y]

[claud 0]

[quote user="concerned-scouse"]Hi Canary Fans

Liverpool fan here with some questions?

Whatever happened to Norwich City? I have felt the need to join your forum to express my views and find some answers to the possible demise of a proud family club.

Norwich City: One of the last few teams to play proper passing football.

Norwich City: The last team to play in front of the Spion Kop, and a good game of passing football with genuine respect between fans of the beautiful game.[/quote]The sum of the parts was greater than the individuals. I remember that day at Anfield very well. It seemed as though if Liverpool were to lose that day then they would have liked it to be to us as we were "Little Liverpool", in both style and manner. What happened after could have been so different, if, the people that mattered had also believed that it could have been sustained by building on what was there.Bigfella''s post sums it all up superbly. I applaud you.

[singing canary 0]

brilliant mate , really well written , you should have posted that as a main thread .

[Robert N. LiM 4,571]

Nice work bigfeller - as  many others have said, this is an excellent account. I agree with 90% of it, and how astute of you to trace the beginning of the end all the way back to Gunny''s injury and Deehan''s lack of judgement in replacing him. Simon Tracey - the name just makes me feel sick.

I have one tiny correction - Malky was never captain, and while he did provide leadership, I think the biggest mistake was in not replacing him, rather than in letting him go. I think he would have been seriously out of his depth in the Prem (just as Craig Fleming was, who read the game much better than Malky at the back).

And I have two questions. How did Hamilton stab Rioch in the back? I am not disputing this, I''ve just not heard it before. Anyone who can provide further info about the end of the Rioch reign, that would be much appreciated.

Why was building the Jarrold a mistake? My understanding was that the old South stand had to be pulled down. We needed more capacity - how else were we supposed to pay for it?

Any thoughts on these two matters greatly appreciated. But, again, top post. It''s great to read such a considered account - makes a change from the childish point-scoring.

[norfolkchance1 0]

Good Post big fella tells the story as it is.

[Mr.Carrow 380]

[quote user="canary cherub "]

[quote user="concerned-scouse"]Im going to bed now, but first who the **** is Roy Waller? Peters, Bruce, Phelan, Sutton. Bellamy, Huckerby, Waller????[/quote]

lol made me chuckle

Roy Waller was the match commentator on Radio Norfolk for many years.  His style was, shall we say "legendary" - on more than one occasion I was brought to the brink of a heart attack listening to Roy shouting "Assagool!! Assagool!!" with no idea which side had scored it!

 

[/quote]

Lol, "An`thass in tha backathanet!!".  "Errr no, side-netting Roy......".

[Mr.Carrow 380]

Have to add to the plaudits bigfeller, superb stuff.  Please send to Archant to be read by a wider audience.

On your "they`ve learned nothing" point, Munby actually stated at the last AGM that they were looking for investors who went along with "the policies which have been so successful for the last 12 years".  They`ve been feted as saviours and surrounded by unquestioning luvvies for so long they actually think they`ve done a good job......[:|]

Well done to the protestors last night.

[Beauseant 0]

The best post I''ve read in my time on this forum. Excellent work!

[SnakepitCanary 0]

I agree, this post is the best I have ever read, so thought through and true. You need to post more Fella!

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="concerned-scouse"]Hi Canary Fans Liverpool fan here with some questions? Whatever happened to Norwich City? I have felt the need to join your forum to express my views and find some answers to the possible demise of a proud family club. Norwich City: One of the last few teams to play proper passing football. Norwich City: The last team to play in front of the Spion Kop, and a good game of passing football with genuine respect between fans of the beautiful game. Norwich City: Unexpected passers of the ball in a great european run, with an awesome goal by Goss if i remember. Norwich City: Genuine rumours on Merseyside of a certain Darren Huckerby joining to replace Patrick Berger, stayed bloody loyal to you guys, Missed a great opportunity for himself for you the fans. Massive respect to him and to you for keeping him. Dumped by that rodent guy. Most fouled player in the league during your premiership season. Norwich City: Charlton and Southampton can go down, but i read that you still have 25,000 sellouts and that you cant get a season ticket for next year. Norwich City: On the ball city, never mind the danger (or something like that). The oldest song in football ive read somewhere. Norwich City: Despite losing out on Europe because of the actions of a few Liverpool louts, I saw 3 of your scarves on the Shankly gates, a different class of fan. Norwich City: Respected on my part of Merseyside for passing the ball, the way Shankly would enjoy. We loved the 2-0 against Fergies Mancs as well. Norwich City: For me and my mates, can you tell us what happened to the beautiful game at Carrow Road? Norwich City: You have some fans in Liverpool that will be praying that results go for you this weekend. You simply do not deserve to go down with your proud history of passing football. Norwich City: Good Luck this weekend![/quote]

 

Liverpool fans is what went wrong, when your thugs went on rampage and got US banned from playing in Europe for three seasons on the trott, we have never recovered from those days, Had we been allowed to play in Europe we may, just may  have got bigger and better named players here as well as someone other than a bloody cafe owner to run the club   

[E I E I E I O 0]

Absolutely brilliant post! Sums up the whole situation and tells them like it is.Send this to that overpaid Prat Doncaster and the EDP. The fact they stated that they have been succesful over the past 12 years says it all. Also they stated "We will not go down" at the NCISA meeting I believe? Shows what they know! We could all see it was coming and if not this season next!!!If word comes through to the fans at Charlton that Barnsley lead 3-0 or more. The fans should spend that moment on singing:Follow, Follow, FollowFollow the boys in YellowWere in yellow and Greenand were the worst we have been and its off to the conference we go!Say We want Delia Out, we want Delia Out.Plus many more... Where''s the money gone, wheres the money goneI''d like to smack Doncaster in the mouth, I''d like to smack doncaster in the mouth!You can shove my direct debit up your arse, you can shove my direct debit up your arseYou can shove my direct debit, shove my direct debit shove my direct debit up your arse!

[canary cherub 1]

Excellent post from the Big Fella I agree. 

Just one minor quibble with point 5 though.  The collapse of ITV Digital was a temporary blip which was more or less covered by the share issue in 2002.  It also affected every club in the division so we cannot claim to have suffered at the expense of our rivals. 

Our financial problems arose after that when the board massively overborrowed in 2003, trebling the club''s debt overnight and saddling themselves with a repayment schedule which has dictated how the club spends its money ever since.  It will continue to do so for another 9 years, barring substantial new investment. 

 

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="canary cherub "]

Excellent post from the Big Fella I agree. 

Just one minor quibble with point 5 though.  The collapse of ITV Digital was a temporary blip which was more or less covered by the share issue in 2002.  It also affected every club in the division so we cannot claim to have suffered in comparison with our rivals. 

Our financial problems arose after that when the board massively overborrowed in 2003, trebling the club''s debt overnight and saddling themselves with a repayment schedule which has dictated how the club spends its money ever since.  It will continue to do so for another 9 years, barring substantial new investment. 

[/quote]

Correction

 

[JJJJ 0]

Big Fella''s post is quite simply brilliant, the best I''ve seen on here, and highlights exactly why Norwich City is where it is today. I hope is somehow gets seen by the board, it may inspire them to change/leave.

Concerned Scouser''s post almost bought tears to my eyes, and I haven''t even been a fan long enough to remember those days.

 

[ACE 0]

I just forwarded it to Doncaster asking for his comments.THE EDP SHOULD PRINT BIG FELLAS POST IN FULL AND THE OP''s POST AS WELL.Powerful and absolutely spot on.[quote user="Ween_Nasty"]

Someone should forward this post to the club.

[/quote]

[ACE 0]

Hmm, I would suggest the rot was there and you are simply laying the blame elsewhere when the truth has always laid closer to home.[quote user="pete_norw"]

[quote user="concerned-scouse"]Hi Canary Fans Liverpool fan here with some questions? Whatever happened to Norwich City? I have felt the need to join your forum to express my views and find some answers to the possible demise of a proud family club. Norwich City: One of the last few teams to play proper passing football. Norwich City: The last team to play in front of the Spion Kop, and a good game of passing football with genuine respect between fans of the beautiful game. Norwich City: Unexpected passers of the ball in a great european run, with an awesome goal by Goss if i remember. Norwich City: Genuine rumours on Merseyside of a certain Darren Huckerby joining to replace Patrick Berger, stayed bloody loyal to you guys, Missed a great opportunity for himself for you the fans. Massive respect to him and to you for keeping him. Dumped by that rodent guy. Most fouled player in the league during your premiership season. Norwich City: Charlton and Southampton can go down, but i read that you still have 25,000 sellouts and that you cant get a season ticket for next year. Norwich City: On the ball city, never mind the danger (or something like that). The oldest song in football ive read somewhere. Norwich City: Despite losing out on Europe because of the actions of a few Liverpool louts, I saw 3 of your scarves on the Shankly gates, a different class of fan. Norwich City: Respected on my part of Merseyside for passing the ball, the way Shankly would enjoy. We loved the 2-0 against Fergies Mancs as well. Norwich City: For me and my mates, can you tell us what happened to the beautiful game at Carrow Road? Norwich City: You have some fans in Liverpool that will be praying that results go for you this weekend. You simply do not deserve to go down with your proud history of passing football. Norwich City: Good Luck this weekend![/quote]

 

Liverpool fans is what went wrong, when your thugs went on rampage and got US banned from playing in Europe for three seasons on the trott, we have never recovered from those days, Had we been allowed to play in Europe we may, just may  have got bigger and better named players here as well as someone other than a bloody cafe owner to run the club   

[/quote]

[Fromage Frais 10]

I think the club has had a spit personailty.The club itself is getting better and better supported my foriegn friends cannt believe that a team from a city with under 500,000 people gets 25,000 gates every week and charges xx £ a ticket.  Let alone the away support a formidable commitment which is certainly not lower leagues.On the football side we used to have a youth policy that was stunning we had what seemed to be a new hot talent every season we would sell somone and then a bellamy, Eadie, Sutton, oneill,  etc etc would come on the scene literally making an immediate impact.If I remember our youth team coach went to Peterborough and it seemed the rot was in place then, though looking at our system at the moment things seem to be getting better.This failure has meant being a poor man in a rich mans world where we ship in loans, has created a disconnected and failing team how we ever thought that a team atmosphere or cohesion would come out of loaning 17 players in one season beggers belief.  Even the loan players have not been of the same calibre previously being fringe players and now being reserves where we pay for the honor of keeping/blooding a premier leagues youngsters.Just to put things in perspective you could sell Fernando Torres and buy the whole Norwich City Football Club.

[sgncfc 1,259]

I agree that Big Fella''s post is superb - so nice to see some intelligent, structured comment on what is usually a kiddies rant site. Just one thing omitted in my opinion and that is the effect of Sky money and player greed during the period of our demise. Very few boards or managers could have done anything vastly differently in my opinion because of this millstone.

Put simply, wealth cascades downwards. So we now have clubs like Newcastle and Middlesbro about to leave the Prem despite their wealthy backers, because most of the clubs above them have BIGGER wealthy backers. The successful Championship clubs (with one or two notable exceptions) also have wealthy backers. The reason we, Charlton and Southampton are going further down the tree is because we can no longer even compete with this level. Our backer isn''t big enough.

Look at the clubs coming up from League One. Look at the ones making moves upwards in League Two and the Conference. With almost no exceptions they have financial muscle.

When you have a player like Lee Croft supposedly after £9,000 a week it illustrates the problem. I like Crofty as a player. He works hard. But lets be honest, even if he may be the best player in the 42nd best football club in England is he really worth this kind of money? Let me re-state that - He may be the best player at the 42nd best club in England. He is in his early 20''s and he wants almost half a million pounds a year in salary. In a recession. From a club about to be in the Third Division.

What income does he generate? How many people pay to see him? Would 1200 people not go every week if he wasn''t here? Crucially - why does he think he should get this kind of reward for failure?

But he can easily get that at 20 of the 41 clubs ranked above us. Maybe more.That''s our problem.

Yes, Doncaster is an overpaid, incompetent, uncommunicative buffoon. Yes, Delia and MWJ have made mistakes. Yes, our managers have been poor. But all in all while the Liverpools and Chelseas and Man Utd''s cream the money and make everyone else sprint to keep up, those of us who can''t have no chance.

So Mr Scouser, I accept your tinted memories with the good grace they were offered - but please don''t try to pretend that you are not part of our problem. Until the FA and the Premiership sees the bigger picture and  redistributes the cash or Sky withdraws the big bucks, we and clubs like us have no chance.

[ACE 0]

A reply within 5 minutes - he reads fast.Sorry Archant, but Im posting it."

the post is clearly well thought through and contains some helpful insightsbut it is also wrong in a number of areas "
Followed by the usual call to discuss.

[quote user="Pastry"]I just forwarded it to Doncaster asking for his comments.THE EDP SHOULD PRINT BIG FELLAS POST IN FULL AND THE OP''s POST AS WELL.Powerful and absolutely spot on.[quote user="Ween_Nasty"]

Someone should forward this post to the club.

[/quote][/quote]

[Robert Ketts Yellow Army 15]

[quote user="concerned-scouse"]Hi Canary Fans Liverpool fan here with some questions? Whatever happened to Norwich City? I have felt the need to join your forum to express my views and find some answers to the possible demise of a proud family club. Norwich City: One of the last few teams to play proper passing football. Norwich City: The last team to play in front of the Spion Kop, and a good game of passing football with genuine respect between fans of the beautiful game. Norwich City: Unexpected passers of the ball in a great european run, with an awesome goal by Goss if i remember. Norwich City: Genuine rumours on Merseyside of a certain Darren Huckerby joining to replace Patrick Berger, stayed bloody loyal to you guys, Missed a great opportunity for himself for you the fans. Massive respect to him and to you for keeping him. Dumped by that rodent guy. Most fouled player in the league during your premiership season. Norwich City: Charlton and Southampton can go down, but i read that you still have 25,000 sellouts and that you cant get a season ticket for next year. Norwich City: On the ball city, never mind the danger (or something like that). The oldest song in football ive read somewhere. Norwich City: Despite losing out on Europe because of the actions of a few Liverpool louts, I saw 3 of your scarves on the Shankly gates, a different class of fan. Norwich City: Respected on my part of Merseyside for passing the ball, the way Shankly would enjoy. We loved the 2-0 against Fergies Mancs as well. Norwich City: For me and my mates, can you tell us what happened to the beautiful game at Carrow Road? Norwich City: You have some fans in Liverpool that will be praying that results go for you this weekend. You simply do not deserve to go down with your proud history of passing football. Norwich City: Good Luck this weekend![/quote]

Nice message, thanks

[ncfcstar 295]

A great post Big Fella, by the way, what is Neil''s email, is it neild@ncfc-canaries.co.uk

[ACE 0]

Yep[quote user="ncfcstar"]A great post Big Fella, by the way, what is Neil''s email, is it neild@ncfc-canaries.co.uk[/quote]

[Barclay_Boy 0]

[quote user="thebigfeller"]Hi concerned-scouse,

First, thankyou for a wonderful, heartwarming post. It''s gratifying to know there are people out there who still remember what this club once stood for. I''m going to answer your question in as complete a way as possible: hopefully it''ll trigger debate, if nothing else!

So, what went wrong? Here''s a potted modern history of Norwich City Football Club, with the most important mistakes emboldened.

1. Failure to quickly remove John Deehan as manager when it was clear he was floundering. That win in front of the Spion Kop occurred under him - yet having inherited the greatest side in our history, he won just two games out of 19 over the rest of 1993/4. Victory at Anfield was like a tribute to the European heroes of six months earlier - but it already felt like a distant dream. The club went into decline the moment Mike Walker departed for Everton, and Ruel Fox and Chris Sutton left soon afterwards.

2. Failure to back him properly, especially in terms of strikers - and Deehan''s failure to adequately replace Bryan Gunn when, on one of the most pivotal days in our entire history, he broke his leg in a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in late December 2004. Open, passing sides need a great goalkeeper. We''d already been winging it for much of that season; in his absence, we suddenly had no protection. Cue one of the worst second half of the season collapses in EPL history, and relegation right at the moment when big money was starting to come into the game - but wiser fans had seen it coming.

3. Failure to come straight back up. Chairman Robert Chase appointed Martin O''Neill on the proviso he would be given ample funds that weren''t there. When O''Neill realised this, it was only a matter of time before he left; when he did, the atmosphere around the club quickly turned poisonous, and the team started to slide. As soon as it became clear we weren''t going to achieve promotion, the banks called in their debts - and suddenly we faced a battle for the club''s entire survival. Thanks to the late, great Geoffrey Watling, who to my mind did more for NCFC than anyone else in our history, Chase was forced out - but having started 1995/6 confidently expected by pundits up and down the land to swiftly return to the top flight, we ended it severely diminished, and effectively back at square one.

4. Our financial position meant many years would have to be spent fighting our debt, meaning little or nothing was made available either to the returning Mike Walker or his successor, Bruce Rioch. Appallingly, and to their eternal shame, Delia Smith''s new board sacked Walker - who against his better judgement, had effectively ridden to our rescue in Summer 1996 - prematurely; then treated Rioch quite disgracefully, hanging him out to dry, describing him as a "square peg in a round hole", and conniving with Director of Football Bryan Hamilton, who effectively stabbed Rioch in the back. Hamilton, despite a managerial CV which made Alan Ball look like Bill Shankly, was immediately appointed, with catastrophic effect - and by Xmas 2000, Norwich were staring at the abyss of the old Third Division.

5. Now, more by luck than judgement, the board finally got something right. Hamilton was replaced with his assistant Nigel Worthington, and relegation avoided. With the board under mounting pressure because of their poor record and Ipswich''s success around that time, Worthington was able to face them down and demand real funds, which he spent wisely. ITV Digital''s deal with the Football League had enabled us to push the boat out a bit; but when it collapsed, it effectively forced us into gambling on promotion. Spending money we hadn''t yet received meant we could only recoup it through a return to the EPL, and failure could''ve left us in an even worse position than we are now. Darren Huckerby''s permanent signing later, as well as those of Leon McKenzie, Matthias Svensson, and the loan signings of Peter Crouch and Kevin Harper, helped us sail to the title in 2004.

6. But here, the mistakes started again, and have never stopped since. Worthington''s decision to release talismanic captain Malky Mackay left the side short of leadership and spirit in the top flight; the board''s failure to sign Dean Ashton in Summer 2004 rather than January 2005 left us short of goals. Even then, the appalling lack of quality within the bottom four that season left us with every chance of survival - but Worthington had never figured out how to win on the road (if you look at his record with Northern Ireland, he still hasn''t!), and leads in crunch games were thrown away like confetti. Norwich were relegated thanks to a humiliating 6-0 clobbering at Fulham: a defeat which has cast a pall over the club ever since, and we''ve never recovered from.

7. Back in the Championship, we were again expected to challenge - but something within the team was wrong. Very wrong, in fact. The manager''s new signings flopped badly, and we spent much of the first half of the campaign in or near the relegation zone. Nigel was clearly past his sell by date, as happens to all except the most exceptional managers eventually; but rather than quietly take him to one side in late Autumn 2005, thank him for the memories and send him on his way, the club staggeringly failed to act. Worthington was allowed to flounder on amid a divisive atmosphere, our crucial parachute payments over halfway to being exhausted.

8. When he finally left in October 2006, time had already almost run out. Into our second and final season of parachute payments, the club needed to appoint a proven manager with a decent track record: some sort of equivalent of Tony Mowbray, if you like. Instead, we plumped for completely unproven Peter Grant. Grant certainly loved the club, and did his very best - but his utterly non-existent man-management skills, appalling signings and tendency to be a one man slag it off if it moves brigade led morale in the dressing room to collapse, and Norwich to slump to bottom of the table - now minus parachute payments - just after his departure in October 2007.

9. Our fast deteriorating financial position meant the idea of any return to the Premier League was now risible. Making matters still  worse was the club''s decision to build the new Jarrold Stand in 2003, and securitise it against future season ticket sales. This increased capacity - but also meant a large proportion of the extra revenue brought in must now necessarily go towards interest on and paying off the loan taken at the time. Other investments in property around the stadium by the board proved wildly optimistic too.

10. Caught between a rock and a hard place, instead of appointing the equivalent of, say, Neil Warnock, who knows his way around this league and even this year, has kept Crystal Palace in a comfortable position while Norwich and Southampton, relegated with Palace in 2005, have plunged towards League 1, the board yet again got it wrong by appointing Glenn Roeder. To be fair to him, Roeder inspired a revival at first; but the signs were bad even by the end of last season, with his and the club''s disgraceful treatment of Darren Huckerby a sign of how out of touch and arrogant he and they were becoming. This season, it became far worse: Roeder''s obsession with loan signings destroying any cohesion or continuity within the team; his contemptuous dismissal of paying supporters who dared question his judgement - and were horribly aware of his dire CV in management - threatening to destroy the one positive remaining at the club: the bond between it and its public.

11. The board had already openly acknowledged it had run out of ideas, and made a complete mess of the approach of wealthy businessman Peter Cullum last summer, as well as losing an anticipated £2m of investment through the abrupt departure of Andrew and Sharon Turner. Just how hard they sought new investment is open to question: many believe Delia''s insistence on only a bona fide Norwich fan being suitable effectively made it close to impossible, and her board''s apparent over-pricing of the club did the rest. With City again in serious relegation trouble, surely this time they''d look for a proven manager? Someone like Aidy Boothroyd, with prior connections to and genuine affection for Norwich, say? But no. Instead, in an utterly reckless gamble, they gave the job to club legend Bryan Gunn - with no prior managerial experience whatever - on the strength of one single game as caretaker.

12. What has followed since has hardly been Gunny''s fault: we all love him, and he stepped up to the plate in extremis. But he should never have been put in such a position in the first place: our predicament demanded wisdom on the part of the board, and they failed utterly. It''s not working for Alan Shearer at Newcastle; it hasn''t worked for Bryan Gunn at Norwich.

Relegation - barring a wholly undeserved get out of jail free card being brandished on Sunday - hasn''t come out of the blue. In truth, there''s been a smell of death about Norwich City FC for at least four years now. You may have noticed the lack of "whatever happened to Norwich City?" articles in the press, in contrast to pieces looking at Charlton, Southampton, or before them, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday or Leeds. There aren''t any because the club sells itself so chronically short. Despite almost 25000 fans continuing to turn up to watch utter dross for four straight seasons, despite being the only club in an entire county, despite the entrepreneurs who''ve moved to Norwich in order to travel into London over the past decade (I appreciate the credit crunch has put the kybosh on this now, but it hardly did so during ten years or so in which the rich got richer and football clubs grew out of all recognition), the club styles itself as "little Norwich", unable to compete, and unwilling to either behave ruthlessly or what it myopically perceives as sell its soul in order to succeed.

For Delia Smith''s board, community comes first every time; winning a poor second. Preposterously, this led them to term our relegation season of 2004/5 a "success"; it''s also led them to place an impossibly high bar on securing new investment and, indeed, to think it''d be alright on the night if we appointed a "Norwich man" as manager. Abundantly clear throughout has been the chronic lack of real footballing expertise within the board, and more latterly, a complete lack of vision or any plan for the future. Smith''s strategy failed when we came down in 2005 and failed to go back up by 2007: she may even have been disillusioned by what modern football seems to have become. But rather than throw the kitchen sink at courting a new buyer, she just became more stubborn than ever: spurning Cullum''s advances as the board muddled on to nowhere fast.

Some observers admire this club for its refusal to bend to the realities of modern football, and maintenance of high principles. But while it''s all very well having a Unique Selling Point, it''s another thing entirely when that refusal to change just results in ever more precipitous decline. Within the last week, Ipswich Town demonstrated their very obvious ambition by appointing Roy Keane as manager, and promising him substantial money to spend on players. Ipswich were taken over last season by someone who is considered good enough as a donor by the Liberal Democrats, but wouldn''t have passed Delia''s fit and proper person test in a million years. Their future is risky, hard to predict in the longer term, but bright; ours - the fabled community club - is all set to be at our lowest level in almost 50 years. The contrast could not be more stark: and if one group of people are to blame above all else for the decline of this football club, it''s Delia Smith and her board. And - perhaps worst of all - I don''t think they''ve learned a thing throughout the entire journey.
[/quote]

BUMP! In case anyone hasn''t read it yet. I am going to email it to Doncaster as I know a few others have as well