Boothroyd: No interest in Cranie

Coventry City manager Aidy Boothroyd has dismissed reports Norwich City have registered their interest in Martin Cranie. Reports had suggested the 23-year-old defender could be set to make the same move as former team-mate Elliott Ward and switch the Ricoh Arena for Carrow Road this summer.

Coventry City manager Aidy Boothroyd has dismissed reports Norwich City have registered their interest in Martin Cranie.

Reports had suggested the 23-year-old defender could be set to make the same move as former team-mate Elliott Ward and switch the Ricoh Arena for Carrow Road this summer.

However, Boothroyd said yesterday: “I have not had a single call and neither has the chairman, so as far as we are concerned it is just speculation and rumour which you get at this time of year.”

It was thought Norwich manager Paul Lambert may see Cranie as the ideal recruit following the summer departures of Gary Doherty, Michael Spillane and David Stephens.

A former England Under-21 international, Cranie can play at right-back or centre-back, but played nearly an hour in midfield in Coventry's goalless pre-season draw at Hinckley United on Saturday at the weekend, after playing half an hour in a friendly at Nuneaton last Wednesday.

Yeovil-born Cranie began his career in the same Southampton Academy side as Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale, before joining Portsmouth in the summer of 2007 - during which he was also linked with the Canaries.

He joined Coventry last August and made 42 senior appearances in all competitions, scoring once.