CHRIS LAKEY Peter Grant has called on his players to adopt a derby match spirit - for every game.

CHRIS LAKEY

Peter Grant has called on his players to adopt a derby match spirit - for every game.

It may be stretching the imagination to say Norwich against Colchester is a derby clash in its truest form, but the new boss wants his men to adopt that mindset against their fellow East Anglians.

"I look at every one as a local derby," he said. "I want to win every game, it doesn't bother me who we're playing.

"Supporters always have that local pride and I know how much that means to everybody out there.

"I have seen that when Ipswich were here and I know what that's like, you always have that pride there is no doubt about that. I will try and make sure there is that pride in every game we play.

"I don't want it to be, 'it's a local derby, let's play with that passion, let's play with a bit of pride'.

"I expect that every day, that's the least I expect so don't worry about the opposition. Respect them but never worry about them. I look around our dressing room and I wouldn't swap many players for the opposition's, not just Colchester, I'm talking about anybody in the division."

Colchester would presumably be unwilling to swap either, occupying as they do a very tidy 10th spot in the table - eight places but only two points ahead of City.

They've already scored one derby success - the biggest of their season - when they beat Ipswich 1-0 at Layer Road, but Grant says he is not surprised at the way they have started the campaign.

"Not really, I have known Colchester for a few years now," he said. "I played against them at Bournemouth and it was always a very difficult place to go. You knew the type of game you were going to get. The games always seemed to be played at 100mph at their place and they are no different now.

"If you have a confident team you end up with a good team because players are playing without fear and playing with that freshness, coming out of the division and saying, 'bring it on'.

"It's a fantastic attitude to have and they will think they have achieved a lot and done ever so well. They will be looking forward to coming here tomorrow night."