FORGOTTEN MAN WIL BATTLE ON

NORWICH striker Aaron Wilbraham has revealed he turned down several loan offers throughout the season to stay and fight for a first-team place at Carrow Road.

The 32-year-old has struggled to break into Paul Lambert’s side due to the form of fellow front-men Simeon Jackson, Steve Morison and Grant Holt.

But the former MK Dons forward, who scored his first goal of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham, is adamant he remains a vital part of the Canaries first-team squad.

“I’ve always felt part of the team,” he said.

“I’ve never felt I’m not involved and that’s one thing the manager is good at. He keeps everyone involved and no one feels out of it.”

Wilbraham also admitted he wasn’t the only player given the chance to leave Norfolk in search of regular football but the whole squad wants to remain part of the feel-good factor at Norwich.

Special

He said: “There has been offers from teams throughout the season for a few other players as well, but you want to stay in the Premier League and you want to do well.

“Everyone is disappointed when they don’t play but we all stick together and that is something special that we’ve got here.

“Everyone who doesn’t play is always wishing the lads who are starting well. I think we’ve got a real togetherness at the club.”

Norwich boss Lambert has proved very adept at rotating his squad, with 25 players used so far this season.

And Wilbraham is prepared to wait for his opportunities after breaking his Premier League duck at Craven Cottage.

“Squad rotation what the manager good at,” he said.

“It’s not just me who has to wait. There’s a whole load of players in the squad who miss out and who don’t even get on the bench.

“Obviously it’s what you want to do, you want to score goals as a striker, but it doesn’t make me a Premier League striker because I have only scored one goal.

“I’ll just keep waiting for my chance and when I get it I’ll do my best.” is is