It happened a week ago and is of less import than Norwich’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea earlier today. But just the same, the Guardian’s David Lacey recalls one of the more blood-curdling public outbursts in recent memory, this one coming last Saturday from celebrity chef / longtime Canaries benefactor Delia Smith.

Like Boudicca rousing the Iceni before they sacked Colchester Ms Smith strode on to the pitch at half-time, microphone in hand, to get the crowd back behind the team. “Where are you?,” she yelled. “Let’s be having you. Come on.”

If this sounded a bit like a pub landlady at chuck ing-out time, it was purely coincidental. Either way Ms Smith remained unapologetic. “My message was a totally spontaneous appeal from the heart,” she said.

Unhappily, in football, love rarely conquers all. Norwich’s defence retains the properties of a kitchen colander and after having a player sent off they lost to a goal in stoppage time from Robbie Fowler. Maybe it would have worked had Norwich been playing Colchester.

Either way the idea of majority shareholders, chairmen or whatever whooping up the home fans during a match is unlikely to catch on. Delia got away with it because she is popular at Carrow Road, having done much to rescue the club from penury, and is a national treasure anyway.

True, a previous chairman of Norwich City, Robert Chase, also did much to stir supporters’ passions. He, however, ended with up mass demonstrations demanding he leave.