It's not easy being green - at least that's what Kermit the Frog used to sing.And Norwich City have not found life easy in green, either.Since the Canaries' two-tone green away kit was introduced at the start of their 2004-05 Premiership campaign, they have failed to win a single match in 12 attempts while wearing it.

It's not easy being green - at least that's what Kermit the Frog used to sing.

And Norwich City have not found life easy in green, either.

Since the Canaries' two-tone green away kit was introduced at the start of their 2004-05 Premiership campaign, they have failed to win a single match in 12 attempts while wearing it.

Saturday's 4-1 thrashing at Crystal Palace was just the latest in a sad sequence of below-par Coca-Cola Championship performances in the subtly striped shirt.

Only a 1-1 draw at Hull has broken this season's losing sequence in green, with previous defeats coming at Southampton, Watford, Wolves and Derby. All of City's five away wins have come in first-choice yellow.

Last season, City registered three draws and three defeats in six Premiership outings in their change strip, but victory has proved elusive.

So fans will not be sorry to learn that the current away strip, which under the terms of their Lotus sponsorship has one more scheduled outing at Cardiff on April 22, will be replaced in the summer.

A string of theories and excuses have already been advanced to explain City's failure to mount a promotion challenge this season -

in all they have been beaten 16 times in league matches - so fans will perhaps not read too much into their choice of shirts.

But while Nigel Worthington's team have proved equally capable of getting hammered in yellow - notably the 4-0 defeat at Reading in January - have their drab alternative colours contributed to their poor campaign?

According to experts, dark and neutral hues of green, such as fir needles, are associated with solidity, reliability and durability - but not winning football matches.

Image and colour analyst Brenda Bowler, based at Drayton, said: “The eye doesn't have to adjust to see green. The eye doesn't have to do anything. It's part of nature, very restful.

“That doesn't strike me as very good for a football team. It isn't stimulating in any way. You don't want to have a restful colour.

“Yellow is more stimulating and good for the intellect. That's why a lot of classroom walls are being painted yellow - and why my office wall is yellow.”

Manchester United quickly ditched grey as a change kit in 1996, halfway through a Premiership match.

After going 3-0 down at half-time in a game at Southampton, United changed their shirts for the second half. They still lost

3-1, but manager Alex Ferguson put the result down to the inability of his players to pick each other out in the new grey strip.

Said Brenda: “If you remember, Manchester United had a grey kit and changed it at half-time because they said nobody could see the team. Red, their usual colour, is much more vibrant.”

While City enjoyed more success in a solid green away kit during their Nationwide League title-winning season of 2003-04, notably winning 4-0 at Derby, fans will not be too sorry that the current away strip is on the way out.

Will Hoy, brand marketing manager, confirmed: “The away kit is changing at the end of the season. It's reached the end of its two-year cycle and we are looking at different designs. We will be revealing the new strip to our supporters in April or May.”

No decision had been taken on whether green would feature in the kit, he said.