Norwich City's Delia Smith targeted by Ipswich fans ahead of derby clash

Norwich City's Delia Smith targeted by Ipswich fans ahead of derby clash

Delia Smith's car was targetted on her way to watch Ipswich vs Norwich

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Dan Falvey

By Dan Falvey


Published: 16/12/2023

- 14:40

Updated: 16/12/2023

- 15:39

The majority shareholder's car was pelted with flares and beer cans

Norwich City's majority shareholder Delia Smith was targeted with flares and beer cans by angry fans as she arrived in Ipswich for the East Anglia derby.

The celebrity chef, who took over Norwich City's in 1996, appeared shaken after her car was attacked on her way to the match.


As the car approached Portman Road, Ipswich fans started hurling flares and beer cans at the vehicle.

The historic grudge fixture kicked off in the Championship at 12.30pm.

Ipswich fans waved flares as they sought to intimidate their rivals

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Smith was travelling with her husband Michael Wynn-Jones in a grey BMW behind a police escort.

Officers were left trying to hold back fans from the car.

It is understood Smith's car directly followed the Norwich team bus to the stadium.

Ipswich fans had likely turned out in a bid to intimidate the opposition team, rather than Smith's car behind it.

Delia Smith's car followed the Norwich coach into the ground

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It was the first time the two teams had played each other in four years

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The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with Ipswich taking the lead before having to come back to salvage a point after Jonathan Rowe put two in the net.

Rowe's goals came either side of the break for City while Nathan Broadhead and Wes Burns were the Ipswich scorers.

Ipswich dominated the first half and should have been ahead by at least three goals.

Broadhead spurned the chance to put the home side ahead in the 20th minute when he danced round a couple of tackles to leave him one on one with Angus Gunn in the Norwich goal, before he put his shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

The Wales international was in the thick of the action moments later when he picked up a cross from Burns but he fired the ball just the wrong side of the same post.

Town then spurned their third good opportunity to take the lead when Rowe’s loose touch was pounced on by Broadhead. He worked the ball inside to George Hirst who slipped it on to Burns, but he smashed his shot over the bar.

Broadhead made up for his earlier missed chances in the 34th minute when he found the target following Town’s first corner.

The ball was cleared from the Norwich six-yard area but, after Massimo Luongo headed it back into the danger area, Hirst flicked it on and Broadhead rammed the ball home.

Norwich struck back with their first shot on target through Rowe six minutes later.

His attempted scissor kick was initially blocked by Luke Woolfenden but it landed back at the City man’s feet and he managed to find the net much to the joy of the travelling 2,004 Norwich fans among the 29,611 inside the stadium.

The visitors then took the lead through the same scorer four minutes after the break. Town equalised through Burns on the hour-mark.

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