David Maidstone The start of a new home season and the need to not just regurgitate what every other columnist in the Pink Un has written. So what do I do? Well, NCISA represents all fans so I asked the ones on the Norwich City Message Board what they thought I should write about.

David Maidstone

The start of a new home season and the need to not just regurgitate what every other columnist in the Pink Un has written. So what do I do? Well, NCISA represents all fans so I asked the ones on the Norwich City Message Board what they thought I should write about.

In a totally unselective sample of 37 people on there it seemed that a dominant theme was criticism of the board and senior executives. This was summed up by “Father Ed” with “spend small get little” and a number of people concerned over whether the money is there to buy Championship class strikers.

On the whole people compliment how well run the club is with “Mr Canary” praising ticketing and the general logistics of match day. However, he has concerns over the running of the football side which tied in with “Thorny” who simply said “same circus, different clowns”.

There seems to still be support and trust for Glenn Roeder, although “Jamie” amongst others saw worrying tactics from Glenn in the opening games, comparing the substitutions at MK Dons with those of Worthington against Burnley in that final game.

The general mood seems reflective on two things: the striker that Glenn may bring in, and the performances over the early matches. “Ankles” saw a definite deadline that people will start voicing their opinions by October if these issues go against City, and calls for boardroom change so that new investors are able to offer help for January.

A final annoyance was voiced by “Deltic” who wants the players to stop talking a good game to the press but to actually deliver it on the pitch.

My own views, and of course I am always quick to give them on message boards, are fairly consistent.

Aspects of the club are brilliant and I feel we have the best sales director in the game with Andy Cullen, but the pressure on him and his team to deliver revenues must be intense with rising costs and no new money from other sources.

I have no personal gripe with Delia but I do feel that there are other ways of getting the investment we need, and yes I would prefer a more democratic board running the club I have loved for 40 years, and that does need a wider spread share ownership.

Unfortunately the downside of having a celebrity in the majority position is that dissent is often personalised and I know the Pink Un message board often has argument over argument with each side convinced of their righteousness. For those in favour of the status quo, those for change are either Ipswich fans, or easily led sheep. For those in favour of change the other side wear rose tinted glasses and are impressed by celebrity culture.

What is clear is that the advent of message boards has given a public platform for fans views in a wider way than the traditional letter to the editor approach.

It gives a snap shot of views and at the moment it gives a good barometer of the tide of opinion focussed against our board. So far it probably is still a vociferous growing minority, but as was highlighted by ankles, above, the next few weeks will determine how the tide ebbs or flows. Should it come in too far and too quickly, the question will be can the current board do a Canute?