Stuart Webber has been at Norwich City for over four years but when the sporting director speaks, Canaries fans still hang on his every word.

Honesty and transparency was the promise from the Welshman when he arrived in 2017, which he has stayed true to through good times and bad.

At the moment praise is flying in from all quarters after a dominant Championship title triumph. It was only 10 months ago when the world seemed a much darker place for all at City though.

“When we get relegated, it becomes a lonely place,” Webber reflected on Premier League relegation, speaking at Colney yesterday.

“There’s a saying that ‘success has a thousand fathers and failure is an orphan’.

“Well last summer, I was an orphan, for sure. This summer, a load of people want to be my father again!”

Yet another classic Webber line, a turn of phrase combining poignancy and a touch of good humour, but delivered with the sincerity of a man totally invested in trying to succeed in his role.

Whether it was last summer and telling those seeking a scapegoat to blame him for relegation and admitting it felt like he’d sent Daniel Farke “to war without a gun”, or joking that he “could have punched about 1,500 people in the face” as he stuck up for Tim Krul during 2018-19, Webber doesn’t tend to sugar-coat his answers.

That direct delivery and brutal honesty sometimes takes supporters by surprise, in a sport full of bland quotes and top bosses trying to avoid scrutiny.

So when the 37-year-old former Liverpool academy recruitment chief just opened the door slightly to the possibility of staying beyond his current contract expiration of 2022, it’s only added to the optimism of promotion joy.

Combined with reassurance that a new deal for Farke is likely this summer, Webber insists City fans have nothing to worry about in that regard, pointing to the duo’s track record and regular comments about being intent on leaving with the club in a healthy state.

Both will move on eventually. If they can keep a self-funded club like Norwich in the Premier League, playing the expansive brand of ‘Farkeball’ football, then they will more than likely be making significant jumps up the football pyramid.

However, achieving that after an unprecedented year of behind-closed-doors football brought about by a global pandemic, which has lost the Canaries over £30million in expected income, will not be easy.

Does that mean one of the ‘crown jewels’ could be sold off? Webber’s honest enough to admit that, yes, at least one is likely to go. Whether that’s one of, or all, of Max Aarons, Emi Buendia or Todd Cantwell remains to be seen.

City have set out their stall on this. They don’t have to sell but if a big bid comes in from a much bigger club, those star players have earned the opportunity to make the decision if it’s the right move for them.

It’s clear that with around £15m already committed to completing the permanent signings of loanees Ben Gibson and Dimitris Giannoulis, there won’t be loads more to spend unless there is a sale – comparatively to the majority of clubs with wealthy benefactors, at least.

That isn’t necessarily surprising news for City fans but they’ve heard it, as the saying goes, from the horse’s mouth. There are not many clubs where the top brass can provide such open communication.

Webber can’t tell supporters and the media everything. When speaking about multi-million-pound transfers there are some things that have to remain between senior staff, players and their representatives. The Premier League is a high pressured and extremely competitive world.

That openness has earned Webber and Farke trust though, bolstered even further by absolutely nailing an immediate return to the top flight, shaking off the relegation hangover with impressive consistency, a defensive tweak, leadership and good work in the transfer market.

As with many of City’s players, they have proved that they should be working at a higher level than the Championship, which adds a huge element of intrigue to seeing what can be achieved this time, with the painful lessons of 2019-20 still fresh.

Webber has warned that the Euros, the financial impact of the pandemic and the consequences of Brexit could all lead to a slow start to the transfer market. He is guaranteed a busy few months ahead as new faces arrive, the loan stable is rearranged, the next academy cohort is teed up and those deemed surplus-to-requirements are moved on.

However, his latest interviews will have assured Canaries fans that he remains hungry for the challenge and determined to remain on an upward trajectory.

- You can watch our full interview with Webber in the video above