Norwich City midfielder Simon Lappin has never had it so good at Carrow Road.

After seeing three different managers come and go with the Canaries, one of whom banished him from his first team plans, the 27-year-old has become an integral member of manager Paul Lambert’s squad, culminating in the reward of a two-year extension to his contract earlier this month.

As one of the players that was with the club during its lowest ebb in League One, to be challenging at the top end of the Championship is particularly sweet for Lappin, who helped set up City’s crucial last-minute equaliser against Cardiff City on Saturday.

“The manager has shown a bit of faith in me and I want to reward that,” he said. “I’m here for another couple of years and it’s great to be part of the club and where it’s going.

“As a footballer you are going to have ups and downs at clubs but I just take the positives.

“It’s great to be part of the club here and hopefully we can keep driving on. We’ll keep working hard at it and who knows where we can go before the end of the season?”

With City set to taste two consecutive defeats during the same season for the first time under Lambert on Saturday, the Norwich boss turned to Lappin with strict instructions to get the ball into the box at every opportunity.

It was Lappin’s delivery that caused the confusion that led to Russell Martin’s equaliser, although he believes Norwich deserved to take all three points because of the level of their performance, which had the Welsh side pegged back into their own half for long periods.

“Everyone can probably see that we probably deserved to win the way we played but if we keep putting on performances like that then we’ve got a good chance,” he said.

“I was told to just basically get the ball in the box. I think it was Wes (Hoolahan) that slipped me in and then after a couple of ricochets Russell has stuck it in.

“He is claiming that he meant that but I’m not so sure that he did! But we’re slightly disappointed that we didn’t win the game.”

Lappin paid tribute to Russell Martin’s lung bursting display down the right flank and hopes Lambert’s attacking policy gets what it deserves at the end of the campaign.

“Russ has been doing that all season – he has been outstanding. He has got a great engine and he has got his reward with another goal,” he said.

“The manager has said that he wants us to play that way on the front foot. That’s the way it will remain.

“We’ve got that belief in our squad and as long as we keep that then we have got a chance.

“We’re riding high at the moment and all the boys are loving being part of that.”

While it was not one of his most effective displays, Saturday marked the end of Henri Lansbury’s loan spell with City although Lappin hopes the club can sort out an extension with parent club Arsenal.

“He is a fantastic player. You would need to speak to the manager about that but he has fitted in very well,” said Lappin.

“You want players like that in your side and hopefully he will be here.”