RUDD AND THUNDER
Norwich reject hungry for revenge
DECLAN RUDD is gunning for revenge over the club that “got rid” of him four years ago.
The Preston shot stopper spent six seasons as Norwich’s back- up keeper between 2009 and 2016.
North End travel to Carrow Road today and for Rudd, who is from nearby Diss, the Canaries will always hold a place in his heart.
But that will mean nothing when the first whistle blows.
He said: “It isn’t difficult to want to beat them.
“It’s always in the back of your mind that you were there and they got rid of you. We will be going there looking for the win.
“But it was a great time when I was involved with the club. It’s my boyhood club.”
There will be 1,000 home fans present as part of a test event to see if crowds can come back soon.
Rudd added: “You’ll be able to hear that Norfolk accent for sure and it’s good to have some fans back in.
“It’s one of the first games I always look for when the fixtures come out.
“I have a lot of family and friends who are Norwich fans – and it means I don’t have to drive 250 miles to see my family.”
The game also doubles as another Carrow Road return for Preston boss Alex Neil, who was in charge of the Canaries between 2015 and 2017, and is hoping to take advantage of the fact Norwich are still getting used to life in the second tier after a season in the Premier League.
The Scot, who guided them to promotion in his first season, said: “I think back to my time there really fondly. It’s tough when you come back down. It’s difficult changing that mentality, as you’re used to losing games.
“They have one of the strongest squads and have probably spent more than when they went up.”
Norwich won on their return to the Championship with a 1- 0 victory at Huddersfield, where Teemu Pukki provided the assist for Adam Idah.
New £ 5million Canaries striker Jordan Hugill will be itching to get off the mark and score against his old side, with Pukki saying: “I like him and we’ll all get a lot of minutes this year, so we need everyone to be ready whenever we get the chance to play.
“Everyone wants to play and everyone wants to score goals.
“But all of us are team players so whenever the team is winning we are happy, even if the other guy scores.”