Norwich City: Delia Smith tackles 'boo-boys overwhelming the good fans'
- Published
Mark Attanasio (left) will join Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones as co-majority shareholder when the deal is rubber-stamped in the coming days
Norwich City majority shareholder Delia Smith says negative supporters are harming the club.
The Canaries are 14th in the Championship table with seven wins from their opening 18 matches.
"To have that negativity there, all the good supporters get overwhelmed by the 'boo-boys' with the loudest voices," said Smith.
She was speaking after the club's annual general meeting at Carrow Road.
Smith and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones have been majority shareholders at Norwich since 1995, but will be joined as co-owners by US businessman Mark Attanasio when the deal is rubber-stamped in the coming days.
Wynn-Jones said it was a "no-brainer" to bring Milwaukee Brewers baseball team owner Attanasio on to the board, while Smith paid tribute to City's former sporting director Stuart Webber for his role in the deal.
"I have to praise Stuart and executive director Zoe Webber for having the intelligence and the nous to go and find some investment," she said.
"We had four people on the list and we looked at it all very carefully; we chose Mark and we all got on so well.
"The other thing we've gained is somebody with the experience of another sport."
Mark Attanasio said having three head coaches in the space of a couple of years was "not something you see in American sports"
City fans have been frustrated by recent performances under head coach David Wagner despite winning two of their past three games.
On Tuesday, Norwich surrendered a two-goal lead at Watford to lose 3-2, leaving the team seven points off the play-off places.
"I feel really, really strongly that if I was a footballer and I walked out on that pitch with all that negativity, I wouldn't be able to play," Smith said.
"OK, we've got 20% whingers, but 80% fantastic supporters and I love them dearly."
Attanasio was also present at the meeting which included a question and answer session from shareholders once the formal business was complete.
He said one of his jobs was to bring more money into the club.
"We're not really looking for big loans from other parties because then they have that hammer on you," he said.
"In terms of equity investments - if you had a passive partner who had a lot of capital on a very long term basis, we would consider it in the context of what was best for this franchise."
Delia Smith refused to be drawn on the future of head coach David Wagner
Attanasio was at Vicarage Road for Tuesday's defeat and he said it was up to the club's sporting director Ben Knapper to decide the future of under-pressure Wagner.
"I don't know much about this sport, but all of our deficiencies of this club were laid bare that night," said the American.
"Frankly, it's not just the coaching; it's somewhat uniquely British to say 'coach out'. In just about two years we've had three coaches and that is not something you see in American sports.
"I think we should all give Ben a chance to assess things and make moves that are going to be strategic and I'm convinced he will make the right decision."
Smith also refused to be drawn on the future but made it clear she hopes the team's German boss can be the one to turn things around.
"I have no crystal ball; I have no idea at all. I know that football goes up and down and I think Mark is surprised that we keep changing managers," the celebrity chef said.
"My dream is to have a manager for the long term, so I hope he's right; that's all I can say."
Full interviews with Mark Attanasio, Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones feature on the latest edition of The Scrimmage podcast, available at BBC Sounds