A better future is within our grasp

John Wilkinson, NCISA

Like all Canary fans I have enjoyed the amazing turnaround in fortunes since that fateful first day of this season at Carrow Road.

It was almost unreal that day. In less than fifteen minutes we went from the excitement and anticipation of a fresh start with the pre-match crowd waving canary colours and singing of our favourite chants to total dismay and disbelief and the realisation that the humiliation suffered at Charlton was to be repeated on an even greater scale. Those who found themselves in charge of the well-being of our club needed to make an immediate correct judgement of the situation and actions to be taken.

Five months on it seems that both football matters and the day-to-day running of club affairs are in safe and able hands but none of us on the terraces should underestimate the difficulties facing our club and football clubs in general in this modern age.

It is the very nature of football that sustained success on the field of play requires money in apparently increasing enormous proportions and even then there is no guarantee that you have a winning team. If a team finds success then it draws in additional sponsorship, more TV coverage, increased sales of merchandise and an increased fan base. To maintain additional finance football success must continue hence increased expenditure in the transfer market and a larger wages bill.

I know I state the obvious, but not all teams can win trophies and promotion and unless club income and expenditure are well managed then disaster and administration can follow. Will we ever see a time again when all teams start the season on zero points?

It used to be the clubs in the lower divisions, who lived day-to-day from hand to mouth, that would face administration but living beyond your means is coming home to roost in the Premiership with the failure to pay wages, taxes and transfer fees on time being but a sign of a growing problem. Even the biggest clubs with worldwide fan bases have debts which are almost beyond the comprehension of us ordinary fans.

At Norwich City level, fans who are shareholders and attend the Annual General Meeting in February have a responsibility to examine the running of Norwich City as a sustainable business which faces a difficult financial situation in 2010.

Shareholders will then face the paradox that is modern football and will wish to demonstrate in a practical way their support for Paul Lambert who has shown that a better future is within our grasp.