Chris Lakey Matty Pattison's roller-coaster of a ride at Norwich City looks set to continue for a while yet.The South African-born midfielder was in, then out, of Bryan Gunn's team at the end of last season, but just as it looked like he was on his way out of Carrow Road in the summer, the City boss put him in the touring party to Scotland and gave him the opportunity to stake his claim for a place next season.

Chris Lakey

Matty Pattison's roller-coaster of a ride at Norwich City looks set to continue for a while yet.

The South African-born midfielder was in, then out, of Bryan Gunn's team at the end of last season, but just as it looked like he was on his way out of Carrow Road in the summer, the City boss put him in the touring party to Scotland and gave him the opportunity to stake his claim for a place next season.

Pattison's tour was interrupted by the birth of his first child, Molly, in midweek - but the call of nature which necessitated a rush back to Newcastle to be with his girlfriend may have inadvertently put him in the physio's room for much of

this week.

The 22-year-old missed training on Friday and lasted just 29 minutes of Saturday's friendly at Airdrie, a pulled calf muscle spelling a premature end to what he hoped would be the first 90 minutes of pre-season.

"I just noticed a tight calf today," he explained. "I don't know if it's because I had a little break up in my training because I just went straight into the game, but I just have to get over it now.

"I've done quite a bit of driving here and there. I had to drive from Norwich up to Scotland and back to Newcastle again so there was quite a lot of break-ups there so I obviously didn't get the same sort of thing as the other lads and didn't really get the chance to settle in."

Pattison is clearly in a happier frame of mind than he was a couple of months ago, having spoken to Gunn in the immediate aftermath of relegation and then again when the dust had settled.

"Yes, it's going well," he said. "It's just a pity here - I could have done with a full 90 today, to have got it under my belt, but it's going well so hopefully I can get fit for the next game next week."

Asked whether he expected to be part of Gunn's plans he replied: "I hope so, I can only wait and see, but I hope so."

The next target is to be ready for perhaps a minor role when Manchester United send a team to Carrow Road next weekend.

"According to the physio it's just a slight strain, so it's maybe five or six days off so I can only make the bench for the Man Utd game and get back in there," he said.

The injury apart Pattison believes the trip to Scotland has been a worthwhile exercise.

"It's been good so far," he said. "Training's been good and it's been sharp, so hopefully we can keep it going for the next couple of weeks.

"It was a nice set-up up at St Andrews, nice and relaxing, it worked out well and training was good. The new lads have settled straight in, they're great lads and hopefully there's a few more to come as well."