Jason Jarrett has become the second of last season's misfits to leave Carrow Road with a stinging parting shot for Canaries boss Nigel Worthington.

By CHRIS LAKEY

Jason Jarrett yesterday became the second of last season's misfits to leave Carrow Road with a stinging parting shot for Canaries boss Nigel Worthington.

Jarrett, 26, ended a wasted year as a Norwich City player by blasting Worthington and, like Simon Charlton less than a fortnight ago, claiming he had been unfairly treated.

Charlton had claimed he was “an easy target” for the axe when things weren't going well, while Jarrett was hardly around long enough for that sort of treatment, with his year at Carrow Road punctuated by two loan spells.

The most recent was a spell at Preston which was subject to a permanent deal at the end of the season - an agreement which, according to their chairman, was confirmed yesterday. City will receive a loan fee of £30,000, with a further undisclosed sum payable to the Canaries when the permanent deal goes through.

It brought to an end a miserable spell in Norfolk for Jarrett, who claimed he saw the signs early on.

“After the first two months it was obvious something was not right,” Jarrett said yesterday. “And there was always only going to be one winner.”

Jarrett helped Wigan into the Premiership a year ago but then turned his back on Paul Jewell's side and headed to Carrow Road. It was seen as something of a coup, with Worthington seemingly finding the perfect replacement for midfielder Damien Francis - who had gone the other way and signed for Wigan.

But Jarrett was to start just six league games for the Canaries.

“When I got there I was looking forward to it,” said Jarrett. “I turned down Wigan because of the potential at Norwich. I had a good pre-season and things were going well, but as soon as the season got into full swing I was not given a chance.

“I was given the odd game and then I was back in the stands again.

“Obviously the team was struggling and I was coming in and that was always difficult as well.

“I don't think the manager helped really either.”

Jarrett spent most of the early part of the season on the subs' bench and was farmed out on loan to Plymouth in November. He made seven starts for Argyle and then started just three more games for City - his longest run in the team - before going on loan to Preston for the rest of the season at the beginning of March.

“It is no secret it was a difficult time at Norwich,” said Jarrett. “I will be completely honest - I am glad to leave Norwich. It was inevitable.

“I don't think I had a fair crack of the whip. I don't want to go into details but obviously the manager brought me in and said I would be a big part of the team and it didn't work out, which surprised me a little bit.”

Jarrett finished the season on something of a high, as Preston reached the play-offs, but although he played in the first leg of the semi-final against Leeds, which ended 1-1, he was dropped for the second leg, which saw Leeds go through after a 2-0 win at Deepdale.

But Preston boss Billy Davies had obviously seen enough of Jarrett in his nine Preston starts to ask him to stay.

“I am looking forward to next season,” added Jarrett. “In some ways I am sad to leave Norwich because the lads there were brilliant and it was disappointing that I wasn't able to show the Norwich fans what I was made of.”

Preston chairman Derek Shaw said the signing of Jarrett, and Kelvin Wilson from Notts County, was enabled by the sale of Chris Lucketti to newly-promoted Sheffield United for £300,000.

“All three of those deals will definitely happen,” he said. “Chris Lucketti is 35 next birthday, he's been a terrific servant to Preston North End but the space in the wage budget and the money we will receive, £300,000, that enabled us to bring in young Kelvin Wilson.

“Kelvin's 14 years younger than Chris and hopefully good for the future of PNE.”