Owners express disappointment

Last updated : 25 September 2006 By Rick Lamb
As has become customary in these situations of late, Norwich City's joint majority shareholders, the husband and wife team of Michael Wynn Jones and Delia Smith, have gone public on their feelings about recent performances.

The statement criticises the performance of Nigel Worthington's team at Plymouth on Saturday and demands an improvement in upcoming games. The last thing it represents is the cliched 'vote of confidence'.

Smith and Wynn Jones have previously been unstinting in their belief in the power of continuity at the top, publicly debunking myths about Worthington on several occasions when things have not been going well. In this instance, the 'expectation' that performances will improve in subsequent matches seems distinctly more threatening.

Norwich's next match is televised against Burnley on Sunday, which will bring extra pressure onto the team and the management. Another failure in a high-profile clash could prove the final straw for Worthington.

The statement in full, published on the club's website, reads:

"We and the Board are deeply disappointed by the lack of passion and commitment in the team's performance on Saturday, and wish to apologise particularly to the 776 loyal supporters who undertook the long and arduous journey to Plymouth, but also to all our fans who have given us such wonderful support. You deserve more.

"We are determined to achieve success at Norwich City, and to that end we expect this situation to be rectified at our next home game on Sunday and at our next away game. We rely on our manager and squad to do this not only on behalf of our supporters but for the long-term future of the Club."