The end of Delia Smith’s term as director of Norwich City

The end of Delia Smith’s tenure as director of Norwich City has been brought to the fore by the football club’s shareholders.

The celebrity chef’s name has been synonymous with the Canary Islands for over 25 years, as she is the joint majority shareholder with her husband Michael Wynn Jones.

A general meeting was held at Carrow Road on Wednesday evening where shareholders could vote on the takeover by Norfolk Holdings, a group led by American businessman Mark Attanasio.

Principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, who co-founded the California investment firm Crescent Capital Group, he joined the club’s board two years ago after acquiring a minority stake.

City announced two months ago that an agreement had been reached for Norfolk Holdings to take majority control of the club, if approved.

As a result of the meeting, Smith and Wynn Jones will step down as directors, although they will continue to attend games regularly as honorary life presidents. They won’t make any money on the transaction.

They are both in their 80s and live near Stowmarket in Suffolk. They joined the club’s board in November 1996, providing an initial cash injection of £2 million during a period of financial turmoil.

They became majority shareholders in 1998 and their eventful 26 years in management saw six promotions, six relegations, two play-off finals and 15 managers.

Their nephew, Tom Smith, will remain a director alongside Zoe Webber and Attanasio, and the American’s business partner, Richard Ressler, will join the board. Norfolk Holdings will also be able to appoint another director.

The Canary Islands Authority recently revealed a pre-tax loss of £14.4 million for the 2023-24 financial yearbut they started the championship season well after a busy summer full of changes that brought Denmark head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup to the club.

1996

Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones will join the Norwich City board on November 28, months after previous owner Robert Chase left amid financial turmoil at the club.

1998

The pair became joint majority shareholders, having purchased a year earlier 42% of the shares of long-time director Geoffrey Watling, who was 80 and struggling with health problems.

2002

City came within a whisker of returning to the top flight after reaching the Division One play-off final under manager Nigel Worthington, losing 4-2 on penalties to Birmingham at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

2004

Inspired by the signing of Darren Huckerby, the Canaries are aiming to win the title and return the club to the Premier League for the first time since 1995. However, it only lasts one season.

2009

Relegation to League One leaves City in the third tier for the first time in 50 years, and the club is close go to administration.

2010

A terrible 7-1 defeat to Colchester on the opening day means the Canaries are outplayed by opposing manager Paul Lambert. A Celtic legend inspires a remarkable turnaround and a League One title fight.

2011

Lambert continues to work his magic as the likes of Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan make their way to second place in the Championship and a surprise promotion to the Premier League.

2014

After two seasons of stable mid-table position in the top flight, City were relegated under Neil Adams after Chris Hughton was sacked with five games remaining.

2015

Norwich lifted their spirits, inspired by the mid-season arrival of young Scottish manager Alex Neil, to beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in the play-off final at Wembley. Once again, it only lasts one season at the top level and City become known as the yo-yo club.

2019

German coach Daniel Farke leads a remarkable charge to the league title, but promotion was followed by immediate relegation from the Premier League in a season disrupted by the pandemic.

2021

Farke is eyeing another championship triumph in a campaign played largely behind closed doors. The decline comes as City’s self-funded financial model once again struggles to compete in the top flight.

2022

The beginning of a new era begins with the acquisition in September 2022 of a minority stake in the club by a group led by businessman Mark Attanasio. The American, the main owner of the American baseball team Milwaukee Brewers, becomes the director.

2024

With the blessing of Smith and Wynn Jones, Attanasio Norfolk Holdings Group agrees to take majority control club.