The pain of relegation will keep us focused - Martin

Chris Martin believes the heartache of last season's relegation is more than enough to ensure Norwich City keep focused on the prize this campaign.

No matter what the result at Swindon Town this afternoon (3pm), the Canaries will have a healthy lead in the race for automatic promotion from League One.

And 20-goal striker Martin thinks the hurt of 12 months ago will ensure everyone focuses on getting the job done. He said: “I think we need to understand the heartache of what went on last year when we got relegated to this league, and to try and get something back to the fans and try to be back in the Championship, where we wall want to be. I think that's our motivation and that's what we should be focused on.”

Of course, rather than being at Carrow Road Martin spent last season on loan at Luton, whose 30-point deduction saw their own relegation.

But the Beccles 21-year-old is glad he got a chance at Norwich to prove he has grown up from the 18-year-old who burst onto the scene.

“It's a massive turnaround,” he acknowledges. “And that was my overall goal before going out on loan, to come back here as a different player, more experienced, and so far it has worked in my favour. I have matured as a person and as a player in that time - and long may it continue.”

Martin is part of a three-man City strikeforce that has plundered 61 goals this season, something it would have taken a brave fan to predict after the first three games this season.

“I don't think anyone could have predicted what has happened,” said Martin. “To achieve this from how we started I think that is the most astounding thing really, because after there games we had one point, and to have 78 now is a ridiculous statistic. But we know it is not over yet, there are 10 games to go and realistically we could lose all 10 and finish outside the play-offs.

“Hopefully we can get six or seven more wins to secure it.”