David Cuffley Darren Huckerby today looked forward to his Norwich City first team recall and insisted there had been no fall-out with manager Glenn Roeder.Huckerby plays in tomorrow's Championship home game against Barnsley - his first league start since December 29 - admitting he has probably not played well enough so far this season to earn a new contract.

David Cuffley

Darren Huckerby today looked forward to his Norwich City first team recall and insisted there had been no fall-out with manager Glenn Roeder.

Huckerby plays in tomorrow's Championship home game against Barnsley - his first league start since December 29 - admitting he has probably not played well enough so far this season to earn a new contract.

But the 31-year-old double player of the year winner rubbished suggestions of any disharmony between him and Roeder, who for his part insisted he had always found Huckerby to be “a truthful young man”.

Huckerby, who has not even figured in Roeder's 16 for three of the last six games, said: “The fact of the matter is I've had no fall-out with the manager whatsoever. I read things that I've fallen out with every manager I've ever played for. I can honestly say I've never fallen out with any of them.

“Maybe I've said things at certain times that have been seen as controversial, but a lot of the time it's the truth and I think people would rather hear that than some spiel about 'Oh no, everything's great'. So maybe I get picked out because you boys seem to make headlines out of the stuff I say, but I'm happy with the contribution I've made at this club.

“If you ask any manager I've played for, I think they will say I'm a joy to work with. I work hard, I try my best every week and I'm a very good professional. I've had disagreements with managers but I would never say I've fallen out with any of them.”

He added: “I want to play for this club and whatever chance I get I'll play. If it's off the bench or starting, that's the manager's decision.

“I don't think I really need to show what I can do but I've got to get a level of consistency that I've shown over the last four years but I haven't had this season.

“I've had issues this season and hopefully I'm getting over them now and I want to give it my best shot to the end of the season.”

Huckerby said his relationship with City supporters remained very good.

“We've been on a long journey together and hopefully it will continue a little bit longer but I'm not silly,” he said.

“Would I offer me a new contract at the minute? Probably not, because I don't probably deserve one.”

Agent Phil Smith claimed three weeks ago that Huckerby would be moving on in the summer, but the player argued: “Sometimes my agent does things - he's got my best interests at heart but sometimes he doesn't think when he says things.

“He's doing his job. Realistically, I could sign for somebody else now. I haven't had a contract offer, so he's probably doing his job.

“Everybody knows I speak the truth and I'll be here to the end of the season, whatever happens.

“Me and the manager have spoken. It's clear what the situation is. There's no problem there. People try to make things out that aren't there. The fact of the matter last week is the gaffer didn't want to pick me. That's all it was.”

Roeder said there were no problems in his dealings with Huckerby.

“He's come in to see me a few times and it's completely opposite to what his agent's saying, so they're speaking a different language,” he said.

“He's told me he'll be here for the last game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday, so I haven't found Hucks to be anything other than a truthful young man.

“Yet his agent has come out and said he'll be playing in America.”

Roeder said it was too early to talk about next season.

“We've got a job to do here first. It's my job that people don't get too relaxed about the place. There's still a big job to do here this season - lots of games, lots of points,” he said.

“At the appropriate time, we'll talk about next season and that's not just Hucks.”