NORWICH SUED OVER BELLAMY SALE
Leisure Accessories of Norwich paid £12,000 for an executive box at Carrow Road and are now demanding the money back after the 21-year-old star left for Highfield Road for £6.5 million.
They say that majority shareholder Delia Smith had given them a 'categoric assurance' that the star player would not be sold. When the Wales international left, the firm gave up the box and demanded their money back, the club refused and legal proceedings are now underway.
A statement issued on behalf of Leisure Accessories boss Keith Larke said: "Mr Keith Larke is absent in Hong Kong. Despite this, his interest in the fortunes or, more accurately, misfortunes of the Canaries continues undiminished. Mr Larke believes changes are needed at Carrow Road and the club cannot continue to treat its fans with arrogant contempt."
Norwich are adamant that they have not broken any law and insist that they have always acted in the best interests of their fans.
"The club has received a claim from one of its box-holders claiming the return of the fee paid for the use of its executive box," said company secretary and solicitor Neil Doncaster.
"The claim is based on the sale of player Craig Bellamy. We will be defending this claim robustly as we consider that we have a responsibility to all of our supporters to do so."
Roy Blower, chairman of Norwich City Independent Supporters' Association said that the club could not be held to their statement and he would not be supporting the legal challenge.
"Most fans realise that clubs make speculative statements and then things change," said Blower.
"The club were quite surprised at the lack of outrage regarding the sale of Craig Bellamy. Many fans saw the club were in an invidious position.
"The loss of a star player had to be weighed against the revenue generated and the possibility of the European Commission ruling transfer fees illegal. To get that kind of money when they could have got nothing at all, and bearing in mind his injury record the previous season, was good business."
