- Delia Smith: Saving the club versus “prudence with ambition” explained.
- From Huckerby’s arrival to infamous speeches: Delia’s Norwich City legacy.
- Hero or villain? Analysing Delialong and passionate Carrow Road stewardship.
As part of an ongoing feature, we look at Norwich City figures and ask a seemingly simple question – Hero or villain?
Delia
Delia was an icon even before she became the main figurehead of the Norwich City board. She was the ultimate no-frills cook, closer to Mary Berry than to the boisterousness of Jamie Oliver or the no-holds-barred aggression of Gordon Ramsay.
The good
I will never forget it. It was Boxing Day and the moment we didn’t think would happen came true – Darren Huckerby was brought onto the pitch as a signed Norwich City player.
If it had been just that one action, Delia would be up there with me as a Norwich icon. But the fact she helped save the club from administration can’t be ignored.
While it is tempting to dismiss Norwich City during her tenure as a “yo-yo” club, she managed to get the team past the point of Championship mediocrity.
The bad
Depending on your viewpoint, the infamous “Where are you? Let’s have you” speech was either an iconic moment or the purest of cringe. It was definitely memorable, like seeing a prim auntie get drunk at a wedding and cut loose during Dancing Queen.
While that arguably has ruined fan interactions, there has been some criticism of how her Norwich City board operated under a ‘prudence with ambition’ approach.
It was undoubtedly in response to financial issues facing clubs such as Leeds or Portsmouth that almost faced ruin due to overspending and mismanagement.
But it did also mean some points where the team felt blunted when it should have been given more support.
This was not helped when sporting director Stuart Webber promised “guns and tanks” for Daniel Farke’s second promotion. Instead the team received the equivalent of party streamers, colanders for helmets and a poorly-constructed soap box car.
On balance…
Delia (alongside her husband Michael Wynn-Jones) leaves behind a Norwich City legacy to be proud of.
This is a club with a great track record on social issues, with community projects such as the Canaries Mental Health Trust producing some amazing work.
While arguments could be made that this meant we lost opportunities due to the board’s risk-averse approach, what can’t be argued is the passion that went behind her stewardship that has given Mark Attanasio a platform to build on.
Let’s be having you indeed.
Verdict: Hero
