Regardless of how Norwich City fans felt about former owners Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones, it was clear that there were huge shoes to fill when the pair began selling their interests at Carrow Road in April 2024.

Smith and Jones sold shares to Norfolk FB Holdings, which is managed by American tycoon Mark Attanasio, and then reduced their stake to 10% a year later, stepping off from the board.

It marked the end of 28 years of ownership, which had seen many ups and downs. The couple oversaw six promotions, six relegations, and 15 managers, but as is typical in the last years of any owner’s tenure, things began to deteriorate.

The promotions under Daniel Farke resulted in rather lacklustre attempts at survival, and as the club began to plateau in the Championship once more, it was widely assumed that the club required a new direction, which is where Mark Attanasio stepped in as majority stakeholder.

Norwich City fan pundit is optimistic about the club’s direction under Mark Attanasio

That is not to imply that things have gone smoothly since the Norfolk FB Holdings group became the primary stakeholder. The Canaries ended 13th in 2024/25 under Johannes Hoff Thorup, and the start to last season under Liam Manning was catastrophic.

But things are beginning to look up at Carrow Road once more. Last season’s signings were mostly good. Especially in January, when players such as Mohamed Toure, Ali Ahmed, and Paris Maghoma joined.

Most importantly, however, the team appears to be in good hands under head coach Philippe Clement, who managed a spectacular rise up the league after taking over a second-bottom club in November, bringing them to ninth position.

Zeke Downes, a Norwich fan commentator, is pleased with the present ownership and optimistic about the club’s long-term prospects, including a return to the Premier League.”I’m pretty pleased with our ownership now,” he remarked. “I think they are very open and honest about where we are as a club and what they want to achieve, and that there is money there to be spent.””I believe the club is in a good position and the right people are leading it forward.”We’ve made a lot of signings under them, and the most of them have been solid — average or better. Some relationships have not been successful, but this is natural.Overall, though, I’m really pleased with the ownership, and I’m confident that this time around, with the right manager and players, we can really kick on.”

Norwich have been known as one of the best Championship teams in recent years, but their supremacy has waned somewhat following their return to the second division in 2022.

Ahead of their fifth consecutive second-tier campaign, Carrow Road officials will be hoping Philippe Clement can lead them back to the Premier League and possibly keep them there.

Norwich City will be a frightening prospect next season under Philippe Clement.

Downes and the bulk of the Norwich crowd have every right to be optimistic about what the Canaries can do in Philippe Clement’s first full season in charge at Carrow Road, especially if they continue where they left off in the second half of last season.

Only Southampton had more Championship points than Norwich in 2026, with Clement’s side collecting 44 in 22 games. Additionally, only Millwall conceded less goals than Norwich during that same period.

The aforementioned January transfer window will urge that, in the Belgian head coaches’ second window in charge at Carrow Road, more of the club’s new faces ahead of next season may have an immediate influence, as Toure, Ahmed, and Maghoma have.

The standard in the second division is poised to be one of the greatest it has been in a long time, with relegated Premier League sides vying for promotion against some well-backed former top-flight clubs.

Norwich have previously won competitive Championship seasons and will be hoping to do it again under Clement next year.