Michael Bailey Colchester United chairman Robbie Cowling has continued to stoke the flames ahead of their tribunal date with Norwich City - by urging officials to make an example of the Canaries.

Michael Bailey

Colchester United chairman Robbie Cowling has continued to stoke the flames ahead of their tribunal date with Norwich City - by urging officials to make an example of the Canaries.

The two clubs are headed for a date in front of a Football League disciplinary commission after failing to agree compensation for Paul Lambert, Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa's move to Carrow Road in August.

The tribunal is expected to be heard at the end of January and has the power to set the level of compensation for Norwich to pay, deduct points - even expel the club from the league.

What the panel can do and will do are two different things, but despite United hoping for a seven-figure compensation package, Cowling believes the Canaries should also be deducted points.

Cowling said: “There are two key issues for us. The first is that Colchester United need to be compensated for what has happened.

“The second is that football has to sort itself out a bit and this is a chance for the authorities to do that and set an example. Football has to decide and our opinion is that a points deduction is fair, because they have damaged us.”

Aidy Boothroyd arrived at Cuckoo Farm in September as Lambert's replacement and has continued the good work on the pitch, but Cowling believes the whole affair was damaging to the club.

“We feel we have been damaged and we want to make sure that we're properly compensated for what has happened,” added Cowling. “But I don't think we ever will be, because to back any manager is an expensive thing to do. They naturally want different players and that costs money.

“I have allowed Aidy to bring in his own players but with that comes different wage bills. We got the best person we could have possibly hoped for in appointing Aidy.

“But the upset that was caused when Paul left, despite Joe Dunne doing a great on job in caretaker charge, was considerable and Norwich need to compensate us for that.

“And what is apparent is that Norwich have gained dramatically from what has happened.”

The Colchester chairman maintains the whole affair could have been settled without the need for an independent panel - and had been flexible with what made up the compensation given to the Us.

“We felt it could be settled,” Cowling told the Daily Gazette. “I wanted to go to Paul Lambert with the idea of a money plus players agreement. I don't want to elaborate any more than that but we were declined the chance to do that by Norwich City and we were not allowed to speak to him.”