Football club 'will not tolerate' abuse from fans

Some Norwich fans protested outside the directors' entrance of Carrow Road after their team's loss to Hull on 1 November

The "personal abuse" directed at players and their families has been criticised as Norwich City prepare for another high-pressure game.

Hundreds of fans protested outside Carrow Road last Saturday as The Canaries' miserable Championship season continued with a 2-0 defeat.

Liam Manning's side ended a run of six successive losses with a 1-1 midweek draw at Sheffield Wednesday but remain in the relegation zone ahead of Leicester City's visit on Saturday.

A club spokesman said: "The club would like to remind supporters that it will not tolerate abusive behaviour towards its players, their families and staff, or behaviour that has a detrimental impact on other supporters."

Norwich are 22nd in the table and four points adrift of safety before the visit of mid-table Leicester.

Just two wins in 14 games has set alarm bells ringing about the club potentially slipping into the third tier for just the second time in 66 years.

Last weekend's loss to Hull was preceded by a small protest but followed by much larger and angrier crowds outside the stadium.

City are appealing for restraint to be shown this weekend though, after reports that a small number of people allowed their temper to boil over, leaving some of the players' families scared as they left the stadium.

The statement continued: "Following our most recent home fixture against Hull City, a small number of supporters directed personal abuse towards several of our players and their families.

"All at the football club understand the frustration felt from supporters during this period.

"Supporters have every right to show their emotions towards the club, be that love and support, or anger and frustration, but please do it in the right way."

Some Canaries supporters also gathered outside the South Stand entrance used by players and their families after the defeat to Hull

A very small protest also happened during the first half of the Hull match, when five tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch.

That was seemingly aimed at anger about a proposed revamp of Carrow Road that would have forced 3,000 season-ticket holders to move seats.

However, majority shareholder Mark Attanasio had told BBC Radio Norfolk that he had put those plans "on pause" three days earlier.

The statement concluded: "It is a criminal offence to throw objects onto the field of play.

"Anyone found to have done so will be removed from the stadium and reported to the police, as well as being referred to the club's sanction panel, where a ban may be imposed."