Paul Warne is targeting a Championship double – survival for Rotherham United and promotion for his boyhood club Norwich City.

Warne’s battlers lost 2-1 to the Canaries ahead of the international break, but the son of Norfolk is convinced both clubs will have something to celebrate at the end of the season.

“I would like to see them go up. I couldn’t say that before the game,” he said. “One of my mates texted me and said, ‘Knowing what you are like with Norwich if you went 1-0 you would take your keeper off’ which is not true. Now it’s finished I wish them all the best.

“If Norwich have their best day and we have our best day, we’re always going to struggle.

“They’re a formidable side but I thought our lads were great. I shook hands with all the Norwich players and 75pc of them told me we deserved more out of the game and I told the lads that.

“If we can keep that level of performance up we can collect enough points to have an amazing season. I believe we have enough and we are doing the best we can to get the most out of this group.

“We were playing the top of the league and we have given it everything. What more can you ask?

“I’m an emotional guy and when I was speaking to the lads I broke down a little bit. You know about my family situation and I am not afraid to be open with them.

“They know how much this game meant to me. Every game, but I asked them to perform for people I love. So it makes me proud.”

Warne’s advice to the Canaries is to forget what title rivals Sheffield United or Leeds can muster down the stretch. Norwich resume their Championship promotion push at Middlesbrough in a late kick off on March 30, after the Yorkshire duo have played 3pm home games.

“Will they ever get a better chance? I don’t know,” he said. “Whether Leeds or Sheffield United slip off a touch, I don’t know.

“They are injury free, they play the same XI virtually every week and they have quality on the bench desperate to get in. The points they are picking up away from home is unbelievable.

“They caused us problems Sheffield United didn’t (the previous week) but in fairness that was a 10-man game and they probably took their foot off the gas.”