City talisman Darren Huckerby has called for players, staff and supporters to pull together as the club faces a massive crossroads. Huckerby, whose loyalty to former manager Nigel Worthington was without question, believes a united front must be adopted, and soon, otherwise matters on the pitch could spiral out of control.

City talisman Darren Huckerby today called for players, staff and supporters to pull together as the club faces a massive crossroads.

Huckerby, whose loyalty to former manager Nigel Worthington was without question, believes a united front must be adopted, and soon, otherwise matters on the pitch could spiral out of control.

The Canaries, who have managed just one point from their last five league matches, are showing the kind of form that spells disaster and Huckerby is desperate for the club not to get sucked into a possible relegation battle.

Whoever takes full-time charge of a team whose confidence must be at an all-time low clearly faces an uphill struggle to turn things round but Huckerby has also called for the players to show what they are really made of.

“It's very sad but he gave it his all to the very end,” said Huckerby, who valiantly tried to help save his ex-boss's neck in his hour of need despite carrying a niggling injury into the Burnley game.

“I think that the players laid down far too easily, which was very disappointing. They certainly need to stand up and be counted now.

“For whatever reason the performances have not been good enough and the manager has taken the brunt of it,” added Huckerby, whose career was rejuvenated under Worthington.

“I think that it will be good for all concerned to have a change, but changing the manager does not necessarily mean that we are going to start winning games.

“We have had some injuries, with Adam Drury and myself being out at the moment but there are still enough decent players at the club to be, with all respect, getting results against teams like Southend and Burnley.

“The bottom line is now that we need to start winning games. It doesn't matter who is in charge. If people think that just because the manager's gone that the mood at the club will change then they are wrong. If we don't start winning games then it will be the same as it has been.”

He added: “What we have got to do now is pull together. The fans, the players and the club have to be pulling in the same direction. The squad is low on confidence but we have got to start winning. We do not want to be sucked into any kind of relegation battle.”

The 30-year-old forward believes that City do have the players to turn things round and start heading in the right direction, despite currently occupying 17th place in the table.

At the start of the season City had been on form and at one point were second in the table and that is where Huckerby is determined to get back to.

“The club is at a crossroads at the minute and it's important that we now make positive steps forward,” he said.

“Whoever takes charge full-time will be under a lot of pressure and so too are the players. He will have to go with the players that he's got but the club's shown already through the summer that it is not prepared to spend big to bring players in and I doubt that will change come January.

“Saying that, we are still only five points off a top six place so there is still plenty of time to turn things round and we do have a good squad, albeit a bit short on numbers.

“Basically, it's the end of a chapter and whoever gets the job will be joining a wonderful club. The important thing is that they have got to bring some balance to the team.”