Stephen Fry (press conference 5.30pm)

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="Mello Yello"]

It is Delia''s Norwich City.....

Look East announced it as so, when they said that Stephen (her very good chum) had been appointed as a Director yesterday evening.

And Look East, are a factual news programme....

 

 

 

So there.

[/quote]

little old Naaaarrrwwichhh!  Please dont thrash us.

silence from Bowkett - McNally - Philips says it all

 

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="Cluck"]Prepare for a season where Delia the ''Saviour'' makes a big media comeback. Another year in Division Three might just have seen the back of her.

It will all end in tears.

[/quote]

Have you noticed that its already started.....

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"][quote user="Mello Yello"]It is Delia''s Norwich City.....

Look East announced it as so, when they said that Stephen (her very good chum) had been appointed as a Director yesterday evening.

And Look East, are a factual news programme....So there.[/quote]little old Naaaarrrwwichhh!  Please dont thrash us.

silence from Bowkett - McNally - Philips says it all[/quote]I hope you will be voicing your concerns at the forthcoming NCISA AGM Tangy![^o)]

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

As to NCFC, I don''t know whether Cam is right about a possible split, and Fry being brought on board to shore up the S&J vote. However my original post, talking about the cuddly old guard and the ruthless young turks, was based on the educated (?) guess that there might be such a split, either now or in the future. .....[/quote]

The potential for a board split / shift in power was discussed in this thread (Ground sale and the power at NCFC plc) that I started on the 22nd Janaury 2010: 

http://www.pinkun.com/cs_pinkun/cs/forums/1/2076900/ShowPost.aspx#2076900

 

 

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="The Butler"]

Surprising though that Blackburn  Rovers, those star of the Prem have now got a 300million investment (by someone who has never been in Lancs) and quote"is in for the long term" and we get a PR man back on the board.[:D]

[/quote]

Funny how clubs like: Coventry, Leicester, Derby County, Watford, Bristol City and QPR can obtain the new investment.

Why would a serious investor, invest millions into NCFC Plc., without an effective say?  This is the problem when you have a majority shareholder in a company. 

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

Apart from anything else, if the dissenters stick to their guns in the boardroom, the owners get forced into the very messy position of having to call an EGM to vote the dissenters off the board.
[/quote]

Can''t remember an EGM for the departure of Doncaster and Mumby?

[. 0]

Yes indeed Tangers.......The door swung open perfectly for the re-born ''saviour''.... and like sheep her gullible followers have all but forgotten the terrible damage done during her tenure.... all on the back of a season in Division Three.The answer? Bring on board another luvvie to boost her ''popularity'' in media circles. You couldn''t make it up.

[PurpleCanary 5,553]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]Apart from anything else, if the dissenters stick to their guns in the boardroom, the owners get forced into the very messy position of having to call an EGM to vote the dissenters off the board. [/quote]

Can''t remember an EGM for the departure of Doncaster and Mumby?

[/quote]Because they resigned. In theory, they went of their own volition. In practice, when told they would be pushed if they didn''t jump, jumped. Very Roman.

[PurpleCanary 5,553]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"][quote user="The Butler"]

Surprising though that Blackburn  Rovers, those star of the Prem have now got a 300million investment (by someone who has never been in Lancs) and quote"is in for the long term" and we get a PR man back on the board.[:D]

[/quote]

Funny how clubs like: Coventry, Leicester, Derby County, Watford, Bristol City and QPR can obtain the new investment.

Why would a serious investor, invest millions into NCFC Plc., without an effective say?  This is the problem when you have a majority shareholder in a company. 

[/quote]Afraid this is pretty much a nonsense. For starters it has got nothing to do with NCFC being unusual in having majority shareholders. That is the case with most football clubs. They are PLCs with majority shareholders.And as to the clubs quoted:Blackburn? There is no takeover yet. It hasn''t happened. And if it happens it will be a takeover and not the kind of substantial minority investment you say we can''t get because we have majority shareholders.Coventry? A takeover effectively forced on the club because it was hours away from administration. See also Southampton...Leicester? Again, a takeover, with as yet no investment.Watford? A rights issue by the existing owners.Bristol City? Unless I''ve got it wrong, investment by the existing owners.QPR? A takeover.Derby? Last time I looked the complaint was that new "investors" hadn''t actually invested...In other words, not one case (apart possibly from with Derby) of a club getting the kind of substantial minority investment you say we would get if we didn''t have majority control. Leaving aside the fact that if we stopped having majority control our bank lenders would call in their debt and we would be scr*wed...

[Herb 0]

[quote user="Cluck"]Yes indeed Tangers.......The door swung open perfectly for the re-born ''saviour''.... and like sheep her gullible followers have all but forgotten the terrible damage done during her tenure.... all on the back of a season in Division Three.[/quote]I assume by "her gullible followers" you mean the supporters who turn up to support their team on a Saturday?I''d imagine that most of them, like myself have no particular love for the majority shareholders. Most of their failings are through incompetence rather than actively seeking to fleece the club. If that was their aim, they''d be long gone by now. Things seem to be moving in the right direction, time will tell.What are we supposed to do? Not turn up and let the Barclay be taken over by the occasionally politely clapping drones that have infested the rest of the ground? That''s a whole new thread though, the reason the ground is so quiet on 3 sides now is because the working class, particularly young men have been priced out of football. I remember when the river end made noise! A generation has already been lost, with another well on the way. [quote user="Cluck"]The answer? Bring on board another luvvie to boost her ''popularity'' in media circles. You couldn''t make it up.[/quote]Assuming your deliberately belligerent assumption is correct, how does that impact on the fortunes of NCFC in any way?The way I see it we''ve got an addition to the board who is very much a Norfolk man, if not Norfolk born. From what little I know of him outside his media persona, he appears to be a decent bloke with a very British sense of fair play.Put bluntly, he ain''t about to be any part of anything that shafts the supporters. In my opinion [;)]

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"][quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"][quote user="The Butler"]

Surprising though that Blackburn  Rovers, those star of the Prem have now got a 300million investment (by someone who has never been in Lancs) and quote"is in for the long term" and we get a PR man back on the board.[:D]

[/quote]

Funny how clubs like: Coventry, Leicester, Derby County, Watford, Bristol City and QPR can obtain the new investment.

Why would a serious investor, invest millions into NCFC Plc., without an effective say?  This is the problem when you have a majority shareholder in a company. 

[/quote]

Afraid this is pretty much a nonsense. For starters it has got nothing to do with NCFC being unusual in having majority shareholders. That is the case with most football clubs. They are PLCs with majority shareholders.

[/quote]

I didn''t say Norwich was unusual in having majority shareholders. What I questioned was the expectation people have of serious investment (via share purchase not loans)  which leaves the new investor as a minority shareholder (in an unlisted company) and no effective say. 

 

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

Coventry? A takeover effectively forced on the club because it was hours away from administration. See also Southampton...

Leicester? Again, a takeover, with as yet no investment.

Bristol City? Unless I''ve got it wrong, investment by the existing owners.

QPR? A takeover.

Derby? Last time I looked the complaint was that new "investors" hadn''t actually invested...


[/quote]

Coventry - didnt Ranson and co get a majority of the shares?

Leicester - wasn''t there a recent takeover of the majority from Mandric (or however you spell his name)

Bristol City - majority bought out by Lansdown

QPR - majority bought out by the F1 guy and Mittal

Derby - majority bought out by some Yanks? May not have enough money to push the club forward but thats a different issue.

 

I''ll add Southampton - majority bought out by the Swiss guy who has just died.

Crystal Palace - ground and club (majority) bought recently

 

 

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="Herb"][quote user="Cluck"]

Yes indeed Tangers.......

The door swung open perfectly for the re-born ''saviour''.... and like sheep her gullible followers have all but forgotten the terrible damage done during her tenure.... all on the back of a season in Division Three.[/quote]

I assume by "her gullible followers" you mean the supporters who turn up to support their team on a Saturday?
I''d imagine that most of them, like myself have no particular love for the majority shareholders. Most of their failings are through incompetence rather than actively seeking to fleece the club. [/quote]

Thats why Bowkett - McNally and Lambert must be left to run the club.

[nutty nigel 7,506]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"][quote user="Mello Yello"]

It is Delia''s Norwich City.....

Look East announced it as so, when they said that Stephen (her very good chum) had been appointed as a Director yesterday evening.

And Look East, are a factual news programme....

 

 

 

So there.

[/quote]

little old Naaaarrrwwichhh!  Please dont thrash us.

silence from Bowkett - McNally - Philips says it all

 

[/quote]

What does it say Tangie? Just some of it if you don''t want to tell us all it says [:-*]

And to put it into context please remind me what issues there wasn''t silence from this Phillips chappie[:^)]

In fact who is he? What does he add to the board? What special qualities does he have which have saved him from being another "Fry of little old Naaarrrwwichhh" [:^)]

 

 

[TIL 1010 4,717]

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"][quote user="Mello Yello"]

It is Delia''s Norwich City.....

Look East announced it as so, when they said that Stephen (her very good chum) had been appointed as a Director yesterday evening.

And Look East, are a factual news programme....

 

 

 

So there.

[/quote]

little old Naaaarrrwwichhh!  Please dont thrash us.

silence from Bowkett - McNally - Philips says it all

 

[/quote]

What does it say Tangie? Just some of it if you don''t want to tell us all it says [:-*]

And to put it into context please remind me what issues there wasn''t silence from this Phillips chappie[:^)]

In fact who is he? What does he add to the board? What special qualities does he have which have saved him from being another "Fry of little old Naaarrrwwichhh" [:^)]

 

 

[/quote]

Jeeezzuss Nutty are you having trouble with the fish fingers tonight.Whatever are you up to at this time of the morning after the hard strenuous shift i saw you put in at the Club earlier.[;)]

[nutty nigel 7,506]

Found a nice Arrdee Butchers gammon steak in the fridge! Beats fish fingers!! And then I had that little copy and paste job to do[;)]

 

[. 0]

[quote user="Herb"][quote user="Cluck"]Yes indeed Tangers.......The door swung open perfectly for the re-born ''saviour''.... and like sheep her gullible followers have all but forgotten the terrible damage done during her tenure.... all on the back of a season in Division Three.[/quote]1...I assume by "her gullible followers" you mean the supporters who turn up to support their team on a Saturday?I''d imagine that most of them, like myself have no particular love for the majority shareholders. Most of their failings are through incompetence rather than actively seeking to fleece the club. If that was their aim, they''d be long gone by now. Things seem to be moving in the right direction, time will tell.What are we supposed to do? Not turn up and let the Barclay be taken over by the occasionally politely clapping drones that have infested the rest of the ground? That''s a whole new thread though, the reason the ground is so quiet on 3 sides now is because the working class, particularly young men have been priced out of football. I remember when the river end made noise! A generation has already been lost, with another well on the way. [quote user="Cluck"]The answer? Bring on board another luvvie to boost her ''popularity'' in media circles. You couldn''t make it up.[/quote]

1.....Assuming your deliberately belligerent assumption is correct, how does that impact on the fortunes of NCFC in any way?2...The way I see it we''ve got an addition to the board who is very much a Norfolk man, if not Norfolk born. From what little I know of him outside his media persona, he appears to be a decent bloke with a very British sense of fair play.Put bluntly, he ain''t about to be any part of anything that shafts the supporters. In my opinion [;)][/quote] This actually my point.  Stephen Fry will not help the image or progress of NCFC in any way.... but it will help luvvie-fy Delia Smith''s personal club ambitions yet further. This may please those who buy into this whole celebrity obsession... but I have supported NCFC since 1962 for the football, not it''s media image. Serious business investors won''t touch this set up with a barge pole as long as this wetness prevails.True that he is a Norfolk man and I have nothing whatsoever against him.... but we get back to celebrity ''sentiment'' here once again. As a traditional supporter I basically don''t want to know what goes on within the club and it''s boardroom or hear glib media soundbites from a grey suit . My interest relates solely to what happens on the pitch and the quality (not necessarily the success) of the football played. Apart from the odd deliberately provocative comment I couldn''t at this time be more happy with our manager or the players he has brought in.Of course Smith isn''t deliberately fleecing the club... but neither is she doing it any good. Her tenure has been a disaster and yet on the back of one successful season in Division Three all seems to be forgiven. She continues to milk the brand she has cynically created at the expense of it''s local roots.As for ''boycotting games''... it''s too late now as the luvvie-fication of NCFC is endemic... it''s character totally changed. I still maintain that the 16000 vociferous supporters of the pre-Smith days made more noise than the full houses we have now... and kept the likes of South and Chase on their toes. Smith has had a free hand basking in her media driven ''saviour'' role which would never have happened before. No-one dare protest for fear of upsetting the woman who so selflessly saved our club from apparent oblivion.....By ''gullible followers'' I refer to the ''new breed'' of

supporter who have no knowledge or affection for the original ethos of

NCFC..... which is it''s connection with Norwich the City and the wider

County. Personally I would rather have a basic old ground and a team of

triers than a fancy dan stadium/kitchen complex filled with a bunch of

luvvies. Of course the greater proportion of support remains ''local''.... but I would say their edge has been blunted by those very polite ''spectators'' you mentioned.... and as we all know cold water is far more dominant than hot.I may be an old fart in your eyes... but ''new'' isn''t always ''best'' and at least I have lived through both to be able to form an opinion.

[nutty nigel 7,506]

I can''t believe I just read a sensible, fair minded and reasonable post from Nora! I can identify with many parts of it[:O]

But where we are still poles apart is that while Nora see''s the changes at our club, since the good old days that she fondly remembers, as being down to Smith and her luvvies I see them as a reflection of the changes to the game as a whole. These changes are reflected at many clubs throughout the top two divisions. Get rid of the cook and her luvvies and you won''t get another Big Bob or Sir Arthur, football in the top two divisions has long sinced moved out of the reach of the likes of them.

 

[CambridgeCanary 0]

Cluck,

I disagree with your conclusions (and I go back nearly as far as you as a fan) but I do respect and appreciate the logic which you apply and I am happy to agree to differ  in a comradely way.

What  I most appreciate is you taking a calm and rational approach to explaining your point of view rather than using the bile drenched invective you more usually resort to.   There are many of us who enjoy vigorous debate and your views deserve a proper hearing and not to be masked by vindictiveness.

[. 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

I can''t believe I just read a sensible, fair minded and reasonable post from Nora! I can identify with many parts of it[:O]

But where we are still poles apart is that while Nora see''s the changes at our club, since the good old days that she fondly remembers, as being down to Smith and her luvvies I see them as a reflection of the changes to the game as a whole. These changes are reflected at many clubs throughout the top two divisions. Get rid of the cook and her luvvies and you won''t get another Big Bob or Sir Arthur, football in the top two divisions has long sinced moved out of the reach of the likes of them.

 

[/quote]Herb caught me on a bad day......  [:)]I won''t try to argue my point further except to say that no other club outside of the top echelon has had it''s character changed so much other than NCFC in recent years. As a life long Norwich City supporter this troubles me greatly. Just a personal view.... and proof I hope that despite everything I am as big as fan as anyone else on here.Now bugger off and leave me alone.....

[. 0]

[quote user="CambridgeCanary"]

Cluck,

I disagree with your conclusions (and I go back nearly as far as you as a fan) but I do respect and appreciate the logic which you apply and I am happy to agree to differ  in a comradely way.

What  I most appreciate is you taking a calm and rational approach to explaining your point of view rather than using the bile drenched invective you more usually resort to.   There are many of us who enjoy vigorous debate and your views deserve a proper hearing and not to be masked by vindictiveness.

[/quote]Cambridge... I''ve said many times on here that I am just a cartoon character trying to raise a wry smile.... or ridicule the pretentious. I am as passionate about my club as anyone else, but enjoy the relief from reality the pompous Cluck gives me. It''s just a bit of fun with fellow fans.... made all the more enjoyable when people take me on.You wouldn''t want to deny me that pleasure would you?   [:)]

[nutty nigel 7,506]

[quote user="Cluck"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

I can''t believe I just read a sensible, fair minded and reasonable post from Nora! I can identify with many parts of it[:O]

But where we are still poles apart is that while Nora see''s the changes at our club, since the good old days that she fondly remembers, as being down to Smith and her luvvies I see them as a reflection of the changes to the game as a whole. These changes are reflected at many clubs throughout the top two divisions. Get rid of the cook and her luvvies and you won''t get another Big Bob or Sir Arthur, football in the top two divisions has long sinced moved out of the reach of the likes of them.

 

[/quote]

Herb caught me on a bad day......  [:)]

I won''t try to argue my point further except to say that no other club outside of the top echelon has had it''s character changed so much other than NCFC in recent years. As a life long Norwich City supporter this troubles me greatly. Just a personal view.... and proof I hope that despite everything I am as big as fan as anyone else on here.

Now bugger off and leave me alone.....
[/quote]

Before I bugger off you won''t be surprised to learn that I disagree entirely with your conclusions. The first club I ever remember changing more than our club has in the last 15 years was Oxford United in the early 80''s. But since then scores of clubs have lost their old identities to a far greater degree than ours.

The time Delia Smith has been at our club coincides with the time football in this country has undergone a huge change. You may miss the old days, I do in a way but like plenty about what we have now. Where we totally differ is that you blame footballs changes on Delia Smith where I believe she has done well to keep what identity we have left despite the huge changes in the game.

 

[PurpleCanary 5,553]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

The time Delia Smith has been at our club coincides with the time football in this country has undergone a huge change. You may miss the old days, I do in a way but like plenty about what we have now. Where we totally differ is that you blame footballs changes on Delia Smith where I believe she has done well to keep what identity we have left despite the huge changes in the game.

 

[/quote]---I think that is spot on, and especially the idea that Smith and Jones

have at least tried to keep NCFC true to its roots while other clubs

have moved away from theirs. Indeed there are posters here who have

argued that they care too much about the Norfolk heritage and should

simply sell out to the highest bidder no matter what the would-be

owner''s feeling - or lack of it - for the club''s history and tradition.

As to why football has changed since the war, which it has, that is simple. Society

has changed, and sport reflects society. Anyone who follows cricket

knows that. The only way to change sport back is to change society back.

[The Butler 0]

NN said"The time Delia Smith has been at our club coincides with the time football in this country has undergone a huge change.

So you blame her not just for the ills of NCFC but the whole of football accross the world!!

That''s a bit extreme even for you.

You will be agreeing whole heartedly with Cluck and becoming a Purist next[;)]

[nutty nigel 7,506]

Oh right Butler...

It was all a joke again [;)]

 

[. 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Cluck"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

I can''t believe I just read a sensible, fair minded and reasonable post from Nora! I can identify with many parts of it[:O]

But where we are still poles apart is that while Nora see''s the changes at our club, since the good old days that she fondly remembers, as being down to Smith and her luvvies I see them as a reflection of the changes to the game as a whole. These changes are reflected at many clubs throughout the top two divisions. Get rid of the cook and her luvvies and you won''t get another Big Bob or Sir Arthur, football in the top two divisions has long sinced moved out of the reach of the likes of them.

 

[/quote]Herb caught me on a bad day......  [:)]I won''t try to argue my point further except to say that no other club outside of the top echelon has had it''s character changed so much other than NCFC in recent years. As a life long Norwich City supporter this troubles me greatly. Just a personal view.... and proof I hope that despite everything I am as big as fan as anyone else on here.Now bugger off and leave me alone..... [/quote]

Before I bugger off you won''t be surprised to learn that I disagree entirely with your conclusions. The first club I ever remember changing more than our club has in the last 15 years was Oxford United in the early 80''s. But since then scores of clubs have lost their old identities to a far greater degree than ours.

The time Delia Smith has been at our club coincides with the time football in this country has undergone a huge change. You may miss the old days, I do in a way but like plenty about what we have now. Where we totally differ is that you blame footballs changes on Delia Smith where I believe she has done well to keep what identity we have left despite the huge changes in the game.

 

[/quote]I''m afraid you represent pretty much everything that is wrong with NCFC these days... and society in general. The sycophantic mind-set of New Labour lives on in you... unfortunately.Very few clubs outside of the Premiership have undergone such radical change as NCFC... and I doubt you could name more than the odd board member of the clubs outside of the ''top'' (and I use that word advisedly) league.  As with any organisation.... no-one should ever become bigger than the whole. Well.... now we have two of them.

[morty 0]

Quite disturbingly, I am starting to come round to Cluck''s point of view on this.Has Norwich City been turned into an ego trip by Delia, and is it tainting her decisions on what is right for the club? I do not deny what she has done for the club, in financial terms, and it is obvious that the board, as a collective, have dropped some awful clangers in recent years.But does "little old Norwich" suit her better? When interviewed on TV she seems to have a pessimistic view on our chances of ever being a "big" club, is this pragmatism or wishful thinking?Frankly, the further I give it thought, the less clear I am on what the core issues are regarding relative success and the identity of our club.

[. 0]

[quote user="morty"]Quite disturbingly, I am starting to come round to Cluck''s point of view on this.Has Norwich City been turned into an ego trip by Delia, and is it tainting her decisions on what is right for the club? I do not deny what she has done for the club, in financial terms, and it is obvious that the board, as a collective, have dropped some awful clangers in recent years.But does "little old Norwich" suit her better? When interviewed on TV she seems to have a pessimistic view on our chances of ever being a "big" club, is this pragmatism or wishful thinking?Frankly, the further I give it thought, the less clear I am on what the core issues are regarding relative success and the identity of our club.[/quote]Take your loyalty to the club come what may out of this and it all begins become clear..... NCFC is simply a shop window for Delia Smith''s media ego.... and now she''s got a new line to sell in her luvvie celebrity friend Stephen Fry.You state ''for what she has done for the club''.... but what does that actually mean? Smith got an absolute bargain when City became available and changing her colours from blue and white, seamlessly created her cynical ''saviour'' status. NCFC did not need ''saving'' by anyone... it just needed investment.  Had a more astute buyer come along (instead the hand-picked Smith) I think we would have a very team to support right now... and dear old Geoffrey Watling''s bequest may have been better used.Smith has the club of the size she needs.... and that is the long and short of it.

[nutty nigel 7,506]

Nora''s back[:|]

 Bill Shankly once famously said : -

 "At a football club, there''s a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don''t come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques."

But that was then. In those days Nora so fondly remembers from her days in the stand.

Of course it was never strictly true but it was fair to say that how the money was found by the folk who signed the cheques was irrelevent to the fans. If their club brought players that did well then the board were good. If the players were rubbish and didn''t get replaced the board were bad. The fans would accuse them of lining their own pockets at the expense of the team. Those disgraceful chants towards Geoffrey Watling in the 60''s and Sir Arthur in the 70''s are testament to that. But very few fans of any clubs could tell you, or even cared, who owned the shares.

Of course the difference now is that it''s very relevant who owns the shares. The rich list of football owners is studied alongside the league tables and top goal scorers. So the trinity has become whatever a trinity with four members is called[:S]

Bill Shankly must be spinning in his grave!

 

[morty 0]

[quote user="Cluck"][quote user="morty"]Quite disturbingly, I am starting to come round to Cluck''s point of view on this.Has Norwich City been turned into an ego trip by Delia, and is it tainting her decisions on what is right for the club? I do not deny what she has done for the club, in financial terms, and it is obvious that the board, as a collective, have dropped some awful clangers in recent years.But does "little old Norwich" suit her better? When interviewed on TV she seems to have a pessimistic view on our chances of ever being a "big" club, is this pragmatism or wishful thinking?Frankly, the further I give it thought, the less clear I am on what the core issues are regarding relative success and the identity of our club.[/quote]Take your loyalty to the club come what may out of this and it all begins become clear..... NCFC is simply a shop window for Delia Smith''s media ego.... and now she''s got a new line to sell in her luvvie celebrity friend Stephen Fry.You state ''for what she has done for the club''.... but what does that actually mean? Smith got an absolute bargain when City became available and changing her colours from blue and white, seamlessly created her cynical ''saviour'' status. NCFC did not need ''saving'' by anyone... it just needed investment.  Had a more astute buyer come along (instead the hand-picked Smith) I think we would have a very team to support right now... and dear old Geoffrey Watling''s bequest may have been better used.Smith has the club of the size she needs.... and that is the long and short of it.[/quote]Yes, but a more astute buyer didn''t come along, or did they, we have no way of knowing. As far as I remember, we were in the crapper, and if we didn''t have her money somebody would have been pulling the chain.I do not subscribe to the theory that she is the antichrist, nor the theory that she is manipulative for her own means. Obviously, in recent years she has been extremely misguided, a situation now hopefully put right by McNally.I think the club feels like it is heading in the right direction now, and I fully support Delia''s decision not to hand control over to some faceless Johnny Foreigner consortium.I don''t think all of this is as black and white as some people would see it, and personal prejudice certainly clouds a lot of people''s views on this subject.