LET'S be 'avin you! But let's not be 'avin those nail-biting derby games.That is the chant from Delia Smith today ahead of Ipswich's crunch game at Brighton tomorrow - one of the football fans you would expect to be less likely to welcome the Tractor Boys to the Premiership.
LET'S be 'avin you in the Premiership - but let's not be 'avin those nail-biting derby games!
That is the message of support from Norwich City Football Club director Delia Smith today, ahead of Ipswich's crunch game at Brighton tomorrow - one of the football fans you would expect to be less likely to welcome the Tractor Boys to the Premiership.
The celebrity chef, and former Blues fan, has told The Evening Star she wishes Ipswich all the best - but hopes the East Anglian rivals don't cross paths next year.
Most die-hard Norwich fans say the chance of an East Anglian derby is one of the only good things about Town's possible promotion chances.
But Delia - famed this year for her rant of “Let's be 'avin you” and “Where are you?” at the Carrow Road fans - disagrees.
She said: “I would definitely like to see Ipswich and Norwich both in the Premiership next year but I don't like derbies.
“I haven't missed those games one bit this year.
“They are always such nail-biting affairs and while Norwich may have got the better of them last season, we have been on the end of some dire ones in the past.
“Promotion would be excellent for Ipswich.
“I'm a Norwich fan but a lot of my dearest friends are Ipswich supporters who will be going to the match and have told me how they are feeling.
“We are all biting our fingernails, we are in the same boat in that respect.”
Treading carefully, Delia refused to make predictions for Town's game on the south coast, or Norwich's remaining games against Birmingham and Fulham.
She said: “Nobody knows in football.
“Strange twists and turns are what make the game what it is and that unfortunately means you never know. I just can't say one way or the other.”
The Norwich stalwart says she will not be watching Ipswich's game with The Seagulls as she is relaxing at her home in Great Finborough.
She said: “Unfortunately I've got all my family coming to mine on Sunday so I'm not watching the game live. We might record it and watch it afterwards though.”
WEBLINK:
www.itfc.co.uk
Are you an Ipswich fan who hopes to see Ipswich and Norwich playing against each other in the Premiership next year? Or would you like to see the Canaries relegated? What was your most memorable East Anglian derby? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
September 1997 (Division One) Norwich 2 Ipswich 1
February 1998 (Division One) Ipswich 5 Norwich 0
October 1998 (Division One) Ipswich 0 Norwich 1
April 1999 (Division One) Norwich 0 Ipswich 0
November 1999 (Division One) Norwich 0 Ipswich 0
March 2000 (Division One) Ipswich 0 Norwich 2
September 2002 (Division One) Ipswich 1 Norwich 1
March 2003 (Division One) Norwich 0 Ipswich 2
December 2003 (Division One) Ipswich 0 Norwich 2
March 2004 (Division One) Norwich 3 Ipswich 1
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here