Sam Williams The Canaries' recent poor results may be just a blip on an impressive record under Glenn Roeder, but the team is being held back by one glaring factor according to a group of university professors - the colour of their shirts.

Sam Williams

The Canaries' recent poor results may be just a blip on an impressive record under Glenn Roeder, but the team are being held back by one glaring factor according to a group of university professors - the colour of their shirts.

Academics at the University of Plymouth and Durham University claim club colours have a clear impact on footballing glory, with those with home strips in yellow coming bottom of the pile.

But bosses at Norwich City Football Club have dismissed the findings and say there are no plans to switch colours.

And the Brazilian national football team have certainly not suffered by wearing yellow shirts over the years with a record breaking five World Cups to their name.

The research team analysed thousands of wins, draws and defeats since the second world war.

They found that those teams whose home strip was red were the most likely to win at home, borne out by the successes of the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal over the years.

The academics say our deep-rooted biological response to the colour red may give a psychological advantage to players on the field and could prove a bigger draw to fans, increasing supporter numbers and therefore club coffers.

Dr Russell Hill, from Durham University, said: "It is certainly true that the influx of wealthy foreign owners has changed the resources available to some teams, and this should result in increased success, regardless of their shirt colour.

"Nevertheless, in close matches where teams are evenly balanced, we still predict that wearing red could tip the balance between success and failure and the red advantage will still persist."

But Norwich City officials said wearing yellow had not harmed their past successes and they had no intention of replacing their much-loved home kit.

Despite a dire start to the season and recent losses to Coventry, Leicester and Blackpool, the Canaries' strip has not yet ruled out a place in the promotion playoffs - mathematically at least.

A spokesman said: "We're very proud of our distinctive yellow shirts and certainly have no plans to change our home strip to red.

"We wore yellow when we won the Championship title by eight clear points in 2004 and it didn't seem to do us any harm then.

"The argument that more fans may be attracted to following teams wearing red doesn't explain why next season the fantastically loyal Yellow Army looks set to once again match or exceed the attendances of most other Football League clubs, whether they wear red, blue or any other colour.

"Finally, wearing yellow doesn't seem to have hurt the fortunes of Brazil, who have won five World Cups whilst arguably playing

some of the most beautiful football ever seen in the history of the

game. Come on you yellows!"

Kathy Blake, secretary of the Norwich City Independent Supporters' Association, dismissed the brainboxes' findings as rubbish. She added: "Lots of successful teams have worn yellow, such as previous Liverpool and Arsenal teams on away games, and they did alright."

Ü Well, should it be "Come on you Reds!" at Carrow Road? Or do you still prefer mellow yellow? Write to Evening News Letters, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE or email eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk or log on to eveningnews24.co.uk/forums