City midfielder Simon Lappin has spoken of his desire to stay and fight for his place.The former St Mirren player, who celebrates his 25th birthday on Friday, featured at Carrow Road as City's second string drew 1-1 with Colchester United reserves on Monday night and is determined to get back into boss Glenn Roeder's first team plans.

City midfielder Simon Lappin has spoken of his desire to stay and fight for his place.

The former St Mirren player, who celebrates his 25th birthday on Friday, featured at Carrow Road as City's second string drew 1-1 with Colchester United reserves on Monday night and is determined to get back into boss Glenn Roeder's first team plans.

The Scot is determined to follow in the footsteps of David Marshall, rather than Ian Murray, and carve himself out a future at Norwich.

“I'm very happy here,” Lappin told the club's official website. “Obviously I would like to be playing - that's when you are happiest - but it's a fantastic club, the facilities are second to none and I want to be a part of it.

“I'm training away and working hard, that's all I can do. If I keep working hard and performing in the reserve games then we'll see what happens. I'll just keep my head down and get on with things.

“Whether the manager wants me to be a part of it, we'll have to wait and see, but I'll keep working hard in training and in games when I'm called upon and we'll see where it takes me.”

Lappin has seen several of his fellow Peter Grant signings have their contracts at Norwich terminated recently, and although it remains unclear where the left-sided player features in Roeder's plans, getting in a competitive game of football was certainly what the doctor ordered.

“It was just good to get a game under my belt again. It has been about six weeks since the last reserve game against Ipswich, which isn't ideal, but I was glad to get a run-out as I'm quite short of match fitness, so it was good to get out there again.

“I thought I did okay. There are things to work on but the main thing for me was to get the 90 minutes and get my fitness back up.

“I prefer to play in midfield. I've said all along that I prefer to play there but I've been called upon to play left-back at times and if the manager sees me in his plans to play in the team, I'll play anywhere and I'll give my all if I get given the chance.”