Firstly the well organised quotes of carrowroad.net have inspired this post, but I'm sure they won't disagree with me posting.
In January 2007, majority shareholder of Norwich City Football Club Delia Smith was quizzed by reporters about the prospect of new investment into the club. She had the following to say on the matter.
"The only way we would relinquish our shares is if somebody is going to put money into the football....Only if they put money into the squad - not if they buy our shares, we don't want money. It has to be that there is money for the squad, serious money for the squad."
Why then Mrs Smith, are the devoted passionate fans of Norwich City Football Club left scratching their heads to work out why negotiations with ideal new investor, namely Peter Cullum the insurance tycoon estimated to be worth in the region of £1.7bn have been "terminated with immediate effect".
I could run through quotes from this saga until this blog ran to the end of the page, the simple fact is Peter Cullum wanted to put £20m into Glenn Roeder's transfer kitty in exchange for controlling interest in the club. This may be seen as buying the club on the cheap, but it is at the same time exactly what Delia asked for. She has spoken in the past how she doesn't expect or want to earn money from the club, this has now been clearly revealed to be a lie. Brand Delia has increased dramatically through catering opportunities out of Carrow Road whilst the quality of football on the pitch has decreased steadily.
How you work out a deal right now is irrelevant, the facts are there. Cullum has the money and the intent to take the club on way beyond Delia's capabilities, therefore as a fan and as a businesswomen she should see this as the right time to call it a day.
Some clubs would happily be taken over by anyone with a sizable wedge, arms dealers, F1 magnates, Oil Tycoons. Norwich have the chance to be taken over and run by an incredibly wealthy, driven and passionate fan of the club.
That chance will only come around once.
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