DAVID CUFFLEY Skipper Adam Drury is as keen as any Norwich City fan to see new signings walk through the door at Carrow Road - and just as eager to consign an unhappy season to history.

DAVID CUFFLEY

Skipper Adam Drury is as keen as any Norwich City fan to see new signings walk through the door at Carrow Road - and just as eager to consign an unhappy season to history.

The 28-year-old full-back regained the captaincy of the Canaries last summer but his campaign was punctuated by injury problems while he and his colleagues could finish no higher than 16th in the Coca-Cola Championship.

However, confident that his fitness worries are at last behind him and armed with a new four-year contract, City's longest-serving player is looking at his seventh full season with the club as an opportunity for a fresh start and for manager Peter Grant to introduce fresh faces.

Other than new deals for existing players - among them Drury and veteran Dion Dublin - Grant has yet to unveil his first summer signing, though Crewe full-back Jon Otsemobor looks certain to be one new arrival.

Drury will certainly roll out the welcome mat.

He said: “Everyone knows we need new faces, just to freshen up the place more than anything.

“The gaffer gets to bring his own players in and basically have his own team now. We need new players because we've had injuries last season and people have had to move about. I don't think we kept the same side very often. In this league you need consistency, people playing week in, week out and the same team on the pitch if you can. New faces will help us do that and strengthen the team.

“That season's gone now, gone for everyone. We've got a fresh start and a new season to look forward to.

“It's a fresh start for everyone - players, management, fans and I hope we can all be pushing in the right direction.”

Drury, who has made 260 senior appearances for the club since his debut in 2001, could push that total well beyond 400 if he holds his place over the next four years.

He said: “I'm delighted with the contract. It took a bit of time but I want to be part of this club. I want to help it move forward. I've always said that and it's brilliant that I can stay here for four more years and give something back to the club.

“The club have been brilliant to me, the fans have been great and I love it here. The club deserves to be higher up the league and in the division above and I want to be part of trying to get it there.”

Drury was in the wars last season, when he had surgery on both ankles and had extensive dental work after a collision with West Bromwich Albion's Zoltan Gera on Easter Monday. He also landed on his back at Luton when he tumbled over an advertising board - and made an early exit from the final match at Sheffield Wednesday wearing a neck brace. The ankles had further attention at the end of the season, he said.

“I've had a bit more treatment the first two weeks after the end of the season. I had to go and see someone and have injections done, which has now cleared up the problem totally. Now I'm back running and doing the work. And I've got some nice new white teeth now so everything's good.”