Delia Smith reveals admiration for Portsmouth fans as she takes another pop at Norwich supporters

Delia Smith has had another pop at Norwich City’s support - only this time she’s used Pompey fans’ example to get her message across.

The well-respected cook and TV presenter, who is a majority shareholder of the Canaries alongside her husband Michael Wynn-Jones, famously took to the Carrow Road pitch at half-time against Manchester City in 2005 to get the home supporters going.

After seeing them stunned into silence after their team let an early 2-0 lead slip, she shouted into the public address system: ‘This is a message for possibly the best supporters in the world. We need a 12th man here. Where are you? Where are you? Let's be having you! Come on!’

Now, more than 17 years on from that unforgettable moment, Smith has spoken out again about the support the Championship side have been getting. 

Her latest outburst came following the club’s latest annual general meeting at Carrow Road. It wasn’t on the pitch in front of 24,302 fans. Rather it was said to BBC Norfolk as she addressed the growing frustration among Canaries fans.

And, to make her point, Smith highlighted her admiration for the loyalty Pompey fans always demonstrate towards their team. She said: ‘I feel really, really strongly that if I was a footballer and I walked out onto that pitch with all that negativity I wouldn’t be able to play, I wouldn’t.

‘I remember the days that we used to go to Portsmouth and Portsmouth would cheer their team. If they were losing 6-0, Portsmouth would be cheering and cheering and driving their team on. To have that negativity, with all the good people there, all the people who are supporters, they get overwhelmed by this sort of, the boo boys who have the loudest voices. 

‘Okay, we’ve got 20-per-cent whingers and 80-per-cent fantastic supporters and I love them dearly.’

Heading into their game at Bristol City today, Norwich currently sit 14th in the Championship table - seven points off the play-off places. David Wagner’s side have just seven wins from their 18 league games played to date and let slip a 2-0 lead against Watford on Tuesday night to lose 3-2.

Pompey last played Norwich in January 2019, when an Andre Green goal handed the Blues a 1-0 FA Cup third-round win at Carrow Road. The Canaries last travelled to Fratton Park in May, 2011. The visitors won 1-0 that night as they booked their return to the Premier League.