Canaries new boy Robert Earnshaw has revealed just what was behind his late, late deadline day move to Carrow Road - and just why he has opted to drop down a division.

By CHRIS LAKEY

Canaries new boy Robert Earnshaw has revealed just what was behind his late, late deadline day move to Carrow Road - and just why he has opted to drop down a division.

The trail which City fans thought had gone cold suddenly warmed up again on Tuesday afternoon, when Earnshaw travelled across London from the hotel where West Brom were preparing to face Charlton on Tuesday evening to complete a permanent £3.5m move.

“I was with West Brom in a London hotel for the Charlton Athletic game when things started to move,” Earnshaw told a Welsh newspaper.

“I went to the Norwich City hotel across London as they were preparing for the Reading game and I had the medical there.”

A major factor in Earnshaw's decision was that regular first team football at Carrow Road could cement his place for Wales 2008 European Championship qualifying campaign, which begins in September.

“I have to be honest, a major deciding factor in the move was that I was not playing much club football,” he said. “How could I then stand a chance of playing for John Toshack's Wales?

“I must admit I was starting to worry about my international future and where it was all going to end up, and that was one of the major factors in moving. “It has hurt me to not be involved with the starting line-up with Wales.

“Thankfully though, I now have six months to establish myself at Norwich and some precious time to hopefully impress John Toshack before we start our European campaign.”

Earnshaw said his relationship with West Brom manager Bryan Robson had broken down.

“I was virtually rotting away at West Brom,” he said. “I don't know to this day why my face did not fit there because I gave my best every single time.

“But the manager hardly said a word to me from the day he arrived. There were reports that he gave me a DVD to help my game, but I can say I have received nothing from the manager or anybody else for that matter.

“Even yesterday when the Norwich deal was on, all he could bring himself to say to me was “it's up to you” and that was it.”

However, Earnshaw added: “I have no regrets about joining West Brom, because I feel I'm a better player for it.

“But it was clear that the manager didn't rate me or even like me for that matter. I have to say things got unpleasant for me - let's just say things were frosty, and I'm not talking about the weather.

“Yet I suppose it is another chapter in my life.

“Now I want to get on with the rest of my career, start scoring goals again and hopefully be in with a shout with Wales. I love my football and being treated as I was at West Brom still baffles me.

“I know I have got a lot to offer the game and I thought that last season - my first season in the Premiership - I did okay, but could have done better. I scored 17 goals in something like 26 starts but my face did not fit.

“But I'm not going to dwell on what became a nightmare for me. I've joined a club that wants me, the manager wants me, and you can rest assured that is quite a bit different to what I have experienced in the last year or so.

“It's time to get on with it now and I'm really looking forward to playing for Norwich. I can't help but notice that we have Cardiff City at Ninian Park in April - now that will be something.”