City fans say end of Delia's reign 'inevitable'

Jacob Bowles says the time had sadly come for Delia Smith to stand down as Norwich City director

Fans have been reacting to the announcement that Delia Smith has ended her 28-year tenure as director of Norwich City FC.

The celebrity chef’s name has been synonymous with the Canaries, as a joint majority shareholder alongside her husband, Michael Wynn Jones.

Robin Sainty, chairman of the Canaries Trust supporters' group, which also has shares in the club, said the announcement of the pair leaving the board was "bittersweet".

Smith and Wynn Jones have been made honorary life presidents of the club.

Robin Sainty of the Canaries Trust says the club owes a massive debt to the former directors

"I'm excited about the take-over. We've had meetings with Mark Attanasio and I've been really impressed with what he has to say," Mr Sainty said.

"But obviously the club owes a massive debt to Delia and Michael. There wouldn't be a club without them.

"While they haven't always got things right, and I don't think anybody ever does, they've been fantastic for Norwich City."

Jack Williams says the couple have been "fantastic custodians for the club"

Fan Jack Williams, 31, from Great Yarmouth, said it was a sad day for Norwich City football club.

"They were such a staple of the club. I've only ever known Delia and her husband.

"They've been fantastic custodians for the club, so it will be sad, but you've got to look to the future now."

He hoped the new chairman would steer the team towards "promotion and the Premiership, the Promised land, which is what every Canary would want".

But first, Mr Williams would like to see more stability in the Championship League first.

"I think the squad's not ready yet for Premier League football," he said.

"So I think another season in the Championships, a good push for the play-offs, and then I think, hopefully next season if we've got the tools, and hopefully the new chairman delivers that for us, then we've got a real chance of getting to the Premier League."

Michael Wright commends Delia and her husband Wynn Jones, but says now is the time for her to step down

Michael Wright, from Norwich has been a fan since 1959.

"They did a good job but I think it's the right time," he said of Smith and Wynn Jones stepping down.

"It's time for a change. The style of players has been a lot better than it has been with the new manager and some of the players he's bought in, so I'm quite enjoying it.

"Last year was quite dismal."

Jacob Bowles, who works at On the Stall City, a shop selling preloved Norwich City clothing, described the change as the end of an era.

"The inevitable is here. Bit emotional, but good luck to Delia for getting six promotions on her CV. Incredible."

He said modern football now requires a different type of manager, and perhaps one with deeper pockets.

"A new ownership will make a difference, invest in a few players, get the gamble right, and it will pay off, hopefully."

Norfolk Holdings, a group led by US businessman Mark Attanasio, will now run the club after shareholders voted for Norfolk Holdings to takeover.

The principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, Attanasio co-founded the California-based investment firm Crescent Capital Group and joined City's board two years ago after acquiring a minority shareholding.