Chadwick may need shoulder operation

Norwich City winger Luke Chadwick may face weeks on the sidelines if he has an operation to solve his recurring shoulder problem.

The 27-year-old had to be taken off in the Canaries 5-1 reserve drubbing against Ipswich on Monday night after falling awkwardly and dislocating his shoulder.

Chadwick made a strong Canaries' reserve side to top up his fitness, having last played for the first team three weeks ago against Blackpool.

His recent absence was to protect his long-standing shoulder injury which has caused the winger problems throughout his career, and although Chadwick was able to pop the joint back on the pitch and did no lasting damage, both the City midfielder and coaching staff may now look to solve the problem once and for all with an operation.

If that was to be the case, it would rule out Chadwick for several weeks.

First team coach Paul Stephenson said: “It's quite ironic because Lee (Clark) had said to us 'take Chaddy off in the next couple of minutes' and then 20 seconds later - bang, it goes.

“It's just unfortunate for the lad. He has been trying to play through it. It's just unfortunate for him it's happened at that time. He had a little run with it and beat his man but the way he landed was funny.

“What he's got to do now is work hard on his rehab - whatever he needs. Does he need an op or does he just need to strengthen it? We'll just take it from there.”

Even taking Chadwick out of the equation, there was little to cheer Canary followers after Monday night's reserve derby defeat, which saw a strong City fight struggle to put up a fight against Town's second string.

“I've never seen that coming. I've got to say the lad's attitude and application has been spot on since I came to the club.

“Great performance at Peterborough, everybody right at it, great attitude, hard running off the ball, on the ball. In training, great attitude as well. But last night, just wasn't there.

“We started the first 10 minutes not bad, but I was really disappointed with the way we seemed to crumble after they scored. We didn't show the fight and desire which is going to be required at this football club.

“We want these guys to pressurise the first team boys, but on that performance they're not going to pressurise them all season.

“The previous games at Peterborough and Reading behind closed doors we had a really good response from them. They really had a go. We should have won at Reading as well, we missed four or five gilt-edged chances.

“We had some chances last night as well that we didn't take and it could've been tighter. It was just overall - the closing down and the hard work ethic that we really require at this club with the situation we're in. We're not going to move up the table unless we do that.

“Apparently that was the seventh time Ipswich have beaten us on the trot and that has got to change. I'm not having that. I'm not going to let them across the way come and take the points away from our backyard, so there will be some changes after that. Whatever it will be we'll have to sit down and come to the right decision.”

But Stephenson did have a word in support of Michael Spillane who received a straight red card for his challenge on Michael Synnott.

“It was a block tackle but his momentum has carried him through into the lad. They have both hit the ball at the same time and I think Michael was a bit unlucky with it. But it was one of the few tackles we had all night and we got punished for it.”