Business as usual for one of men who let club down

Chris Lakey

The agonies of relegation are still fresh in the mind for thousands of Norwich City fans - but for one player it appears that it's business as usual.

On-loan striker David Mooney was one of the guilty men at the weekend as City surrendered their Championship status with barely a whimper at Charlton.

The Irishman fulfilled his duties at the club's annual open day on Monday, but as soon as his autograph duties were over he was away to his parent club Reading - where he hopes for a remarkable change of fortune as he bids for a place in Steve Coppell's promotion-chasing Championship play-offs squad.

"I am back in training with Reading today," said Mooney. "We have a massive game against Burnley in the first leg of the play-offs on Saturday and I might get a chance. I have been told that there's no issue with clearance or transfer windows.

"I am a Reading player, I am finished with Norwich so I am able to play, if selected.

"The play-offs is the kind of game where you want to have strikers on the bench, especially for the second leg of the semi-final against Burnley, so the manager here might put me in.

"It's been a frustrating time for me here at Reading. I haven't played a league game for them yet so to come into the team for the play-offs and play a part would be amazing for me.

"So I will go in and train hard for the rest of the week, see if I can impress Steve Coppell and get a place in the squad or the team.

"I feel fit after playing in those games for Norwich and my confidence is high having scored a couple of goals."

Mooney notched three goals in eight starts for Norwich, but says there is a big gap between top and bottom.

"I feel I did well at Norwich and that was the first decent run of games I had since I came to England," he said.

"I know there is a leap in standard - Reading are fourth in the table, Norwich were in the bottom three and have been relegated, so there is a gap there but I feel I can deliver for Reading."