Norwich City fans on Stuart Webber's women's team comments

The Canaries' sporting director spoke about the club's women's side during a press briefing and was asked about the success of the recent fixture at Carrow Road.

He said: "I thought it was great because it brought a completely new fanbase to the stadium to see what this business offers.

"There are plans to maybe have two games here next year. But we also have to remember it’s like a new club being formed and it costs a lot of money to put a game on here."

But later in the interview, speaking to The Athletic, he said that the quality was "really poor" adding "that’s not being unfair, it’s just factually correct".

And some fans were upset that he admitted it was "the first women’s game I’ve been to, because it’s not an interest to me. I don’t mind admitting that".

His comments came after City's women's side won the County Cup beating Mulbarton 3-0 on Saturday night. It was the club's only silverware this season.

Canaries Trust chairman, Robin Sainty, said Webber's comments had caused upset and anger among those who have volunteered to increase the profile of the Canaries' women.

He said: "These comments are a kick in the teeth to the players and people who have worked themselves to exhaustion to build the team's profile.

Robin Sainty, chairman of the Canaries Trust (Image: Robin Sainty)

"The players have just won a cup and now they've had to read that.

"This has been a massive season for them, their first as part of the club, they've made significant progress.

"People don't expect to see the Lionesses or Women's Super League standard, that's not where the club is at.

Norwich City women celebrate winning the County Cup (Image: Richard Brown)

"While I don't think he meant to come across as blunt as he has, it was really unnecessary.

"Everyone who went to the game at Carrow Road was massively entertained and will know there was talent on that pitch.

"Webber's comments won't impact anyone who was there, but those who are thinking about going might be swayed.

Norwich City's women's team in action (Image: Newsquest)

"It just gives ammunition to those who are against it."

City fan Ellie Luxton, echoed Mr Sainty's comments saying she was worried Webber's words would put women off the sport.

City fan Ellie Luxton says Webber's comments made her reconsider her support for the club (Image: Ellie Luxton)

She said: "I was shocked. Everyone has an opinion but it's such a weird thing to say.

"Why knock them down now after they've just played their first match at Carrow Road.

"Not everything needs to be said - he should be intelligent enough to know that.

"I have always felt comfortable at Norwich and I've never heard sexist comments - it's a diverse crowd and that's really good.

"So why is he making comments when he knows a large section of the fans are women?

Norwich City's women's side celebrate a goal (Image: Newsquest)

"I only became a football fan when I started playing at uni and I went to the Women's Euro final and it was one of the best days of my life.

"He should know women will play football and can play football regardless of what he says.

"It's so important that young women play sport and comments like this from a high profile figure do no good."

A Norwich City spokesman said Webber was fully in support of the women's team and had organised a number of initiatives to support them including arranging for them to train at Colney twice a week.

Webber's comments in full

Norwich City sporting director, Stuart Webber (Image: Denise Bradley/Newsquest)

"I thought it was great because it brought a completely new fanbase to the stadium to see what this business offers.

"There are plans to maybe have two games here next year. But we also have to remember it’s like a new club being formed and it costs a lot of money to put a game on here.

"We have to keep the demand because it doesn’t work if we have 1,500 people [at Carrow Road]. That’s not good for the pitch to be used. Flo Allen [general manager] has done some incredible work and she’s a real rising star.

"It’s like taking a Sunday League team and trying to make them a Premier League team. It’s a really slow journey. Just because they’ve got our badge, you can’t compare.

"That game [against Ashford Town in the domestic fourth tier], we can say it was exciting but if we want to talk about quality, it was really poor. That’s not being unfair, it’s just factually correct.

"We’ve got to organically build it. We don’t want to go too fast then people get turned off, just to try to win a popularity contest on Twitter.

"That was the first women’s game I’ve been to, because it’s not an interest to me. I don’t mind admitting that.

"I love working with Flo and helping her, but that’s because it’s Flo. Women’s football, I do not watch it.

"It’s of zero interest to me in terms of on the telly because I watch enough men’s football and if I’m not watching that, I want to watch other sports. It’s a choice, which I think should be OK.

"We’re not going to get Carrow Road full for the women’s team with 40-to-60-year-old drunk men. It’s about recognising that and going after who it is for.

"My son loved it — the atmosphere, music being on during the game — but that’s not for everyone; I wouldn’t want to watch a Premier League game and there’s music playing during a throw-in.

"For the girls, it was amazing. They were living their dream. They aren’t professionals. They were maybe working in the police that morning, and then running out like a hero to that crowd. Those are pictures and memories they’ll take to their grave."

• Webber was speaking to The Athletic

Analysis

This newspaper doesn't believe Stuart Webber is a sexist as some have been saying on social media.

His round of media interviews last week were largely a success. 

Unlike some senior figures in the game, he does speak candidly and honestly. Not all the fans will like that but at least he tells the truth. 

His views on the abuse he has received from a small section of the fans were fascinating and he cleverly told his side of the story. It is an issue in the game which deserves to be spoken about and investigated. 

But his comments on the female game, released over the weekend, have not gone down well.

The women's game is booming and it was brilliant to see the Norwich City team play at Carrow Road for the first time earlier this year.

And Webber's support of that growth should be recognised. 

His comments are, however, ill-judged and awfully timed. Perhaps the sporting director should have kept some of them to himself and focussed on the very positive moves around the women's game at the club?