Nowich overtook Leeds United to go to the top of Division One on Saturday but the result has been overshadowed by claims that the club is in serious financial difficulties.
Sunday’s News of the World claimed that Paul Lambert’s club are on the verge of administration triggering a furious denial from the club.
Celtic’s issues last week with the Daily Record pale into insignificance compared to the reaction from Norwich to the News of the World story.
A legal letter has been sent to the newspaper publishers and reproduced on the Canaries website.
In summary the letter states: “Our client is not on the brink of administration.
“Our client is not teetering on the brink of financial meltdown.
“Our client will not go into administration by Thursday 28 January 2010 (or any other date) if they cannot find major (or any) new investors.
“Neither Ernst Young or KPMG nor any other person or firm has been “called in” as a potential administrator; and
“Our client does not desperately need new investment to stave off administration.”
The website demanded: “In the circumstances, our client requires the following:
“ 1. A full apology in wording to be agreed, to be published in at least as prominent a position in the next edition of the “News of the World” and on the NOTW website; in the same quantity as the offending Article.
“ 2. Payment of a substantial sum in damages
“ 3. Payment of all legal costs incurred to date
“ 4. An undertaking not to republish the article or repeat its allegations.
“Should you fail to satisfy these requirements our client will commence an action for defamation. We expect the immediate withdrawal of the Article from your websites and your full response within 7 day.”
Going to the top of the league looks like a side issue compared to the language used in that letter!
Lambert has done a fantastic job on Norwich with 25,000 watching their win over Brentford which almost aggregates the entire weekend attendances of the SPL outwith the Rangers-Hearts match.
After a troubled start to his management career at Livingston and Wycombe and a controversial departure from Colchester the former Celtic skipper is starting to enjoy the success he had as a player.
Promotion now looks likely for Norwich, after their clash with the News of the World keeping hold of their manager could be the club’s biggest challenge.
