Referee Andy D'Urso has been replaced for Norwich City's game at Coventry this afternoon.The Essex official incurred the wrath of City boss Glenn Roeder and assistant Lee Clark at Bristol City last season when he awarded the hosts a last-minute free-kick which led to a winning goal - a free-kick the City pair believed should have gone their way.

Referee Andy D'Urso has been replaced for Norwich City's game at Coventry this afternoon.

The Essex official incurred the wrath of City boss Glenn Roeder and assistant Lee Clark at Bristol City last season when he awarded the hosts a last-minute free-kick which led to a winning goal - a free-kick the City pair believed should have gone their way.

Their protests earned Roeder a suspended two-match touchline ban, but Clark has been banished to the stands - a punishment he serves at the Ricoh Arena this afternoon.

However, Roeder said City had nothing to do with the change, which will see Colin Webster take charge.

“I had no problem with it being Andy D'Urso at all,” he said. “It probably seemed a little bit odd, but you sometimes come to expect that. But for some reason I got told that the referee had been changed - and no reason was given.”

The Football League were unable to explain the change yesterday, although it seems likely it was simply down to common sense prevailing.

Clark's presence in the stands means Roeder will be in an unfamiliar position in the technical area at kick-off.

“Ideally I like to stay upstairs for the whole 90 minutes but the trouble if you don't come down in the second half, if the game is going well it is not a problem but if it's not going well spectators would get the wrong impression,” said Roeder.

“But the view is rubbish. You can't see your angles and what is going on on the far side.”