Lambert upset over Norwich comments

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has continued his war of words with Norwich City chairman Alan Bowkett.

Lambert left Norwich for Villa Park at the end of last season, and on Saturday will welcome the Canaries for the first time since his departure.

Bowkett reportedly made claims at a fans’ forum in September that Lambert had left all of his previous clubs in a similar manner.

But the 43-year-old responded tersely when asked about those claims.

“I don’t know because I’ve never spoken to the chairman for about three years,” Lambert told reporters.

“Perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration, maybe two. It’s a good chunk of time. Why? That’s football. Let him talk. We will see what happens.

“Could I have handled leaving Norwich any differently? Me, not at all. I took advice from the LMA and I know what is going on.”

Lambert and Norwich City are suing one another for breach of contract, with the outcome due to be decided by a Premier League manager’s tribunal.

“It will be in the hands of a Premier League manager’s tribunal and hopefully it will be sorted. But I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve got nothing to hide,” he said.

“When you leave a club, especially after what we’d done, you’d think we’d be made to feel welcome. But it doesn’t always transpire that way. I look back at the three years with pride.

“It was an incredible part of my life which I’ll never forget and the crowd were magic with me.

“Football moves on but I’ll never forget the time there. I loved my time there but I don’t think I’ll be made welcome to go back, that’s for sure.”