We have muttered before how every event this autumn and beyond will now, inevitably, be seen through the prism that is Peter Cullum.
Whatever his true intentions are, the perception is that Britain's 40th richest man is sat somewhere out there in deepest Kent with a ?20 million cheque burning a hole in his back pocket. A cheque with Glenn Roeder's name on it.
The fact that it's not for ?11 million and not got Delia Smith's name on it is one problem; the fact that there isn't another with AXA's name on it might be another.
We have, again, been round these blocks before, so we'll skip that bit; take it as read that Cullum's offer – first delivered this time last year – was ?20 million into Glenn's grateful palm. And the control of the club would be his.
It is a position from which the 'King Of Deals' has not budged. Or at least, not as far as anyone can tell. The last line appeared to be the old 'You know where I am…' routine; that he was no more than a phone call away; his original terms still sat on the table.
As a big few days in Norwich City's recent history looms – the chance to first cement their place in the top half of the Championship table with a victory at Barnsley on Saturday followed by the publication of the latest set of annual accounts towards the middle of next week – so the shadow of PC won't shift. It may even lengthen.
But it is probably worth viewing both this weekend's game and next week's accounts through Cullum's eyes; or at least with a Cullum head on. What does it all mean in terms of the games people having been playing of late?
Barnsley first. Let's for one moment dare to dream that Norwich repeat their Oakwell success of last year; that City finish the weekend, say, ninth. On 12 points. And all with an away trip to Southampton to come on the Tuesday night. Two games against two clubs in the bottom three.
Pick up a point at St Mary's. Eighth going into the home game against Derby at the end of the week. Seventh come the Sunday. One place outside the play-offs.
When Peter Cullum first arrived at Norwich's door, they were five points adrift at the bottom of the Championship table and going nowhere other than League One. On the field, if not off it, they were at their lowest ebb for nigh-on a generation. They were friendless and alone; vulnerable; ripe.
And, to Cullum's mind, in desperate need of a ?20 million injection. Into Roeder's playing budget. The club he got for free; Dela Smith's 61.2% shareholding – and that enjoyed by every other little Canary shareholder out there – came as part of the deal. As did a presumption that AXA and friends wouldn't demand an immediate return on their securitisation deal if there was a change of ownership. But, heh, you've got ?1.7 billion to your name…. they can be sorted.
Fine. But 12 months on, as the Canaries head into a big week games-wise, one simple question needs to be asked. Is Norwich City Football Club worth more in October, 2008, than it was in October, 2007?
Er, yes. Isn't it?
A year ago and you wouldn't have touched the club with a barge pole. It was a Leeds all over; a Leicester waiting to happen; a Southampton in disguise.
Now, however, and the world has changed. Yes, it may have needed a 92nd minute winner from Lee Croft to transform the club's position almost overnight. But right now it is not a football club staring at the abyss; it's one looking up, not down.
And as such – and given what lies at the end of that play-off rainbow – has the price of Delia Smith's shares (and those of you, you and you…) gone up or down in value?
These are the questions you need to be thinking of; talks of takeovers are afoot; your owners are 'actively' seeking new investors. One of which may or may not be the UK's 40th richest man. It could be a collection of quite rich Norfolk men, who knows?
But as far as the No1 takeover pin-up is concerned, how will he be perceived if he returns to the table this autumn refusing to budge from that initial offer? If the 'King Of Deals' doesn't, in part, start to recognise that the club he courted last year isn't a different beast this year, then how does that play with the punters?
Now, Norwich could lose the next three games and Cullum can point to the fact that the club is no further forward than it was last year. But, again, that merely proves what a fickle beast football is; why it defies every business logic and formula all these people bring to the table. It all comes down to Crofty remembering he's got a left foot at a little after 4.48pm last Saturday afternoon…
As for the accounts, Norwich will be seen to be living beyond their means. As the chief executive has already admitted. They are paying wages that they can't afford.
The key words there are three… will, be and seen. That whilst the accounts are, in theory, sent to just the club's shareholders, the world and his wife knows what's in them. They are widely publicised; there's Press briefings; front page headlines; TV crews, the works. And an Annual General Meeting to follow; one called at a time and a place of your convenience.
Cullum – or another from that, say, Marcus Evans-type jungle – takes Norwich City 'private' (ie buys all the shares and drops the statutory obligations that go with being a Plc) and this could be the last time any of us get to poke our nose into the 2007-2008 'directors emoulements' and every other little gem therein.
And certainly, for a potential private concern that is merely the 'football division' of Towergate, there will be no 'previous' of Cullum and Co opening themselves up to questions from the floor at any packed AGM; nine times out of ten, these people don't do Q&As; no-one will ever get to ask Marcus Evans why he's had his executive box redecorated with white leather walls and mirrors.
The counter argument is, of course, that who cares? You got that much cash to splash on my favourite football club, do what you want; get us into the Premiership and we don't care; we've got our noses in the trough of the Promised Land.
But as a big, big week looms – and the shadow of Peter Cullum continues to linger – at least be aware of the arguments. Have a think before you give your club away for nothing.
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