Roberts issues Canaries striker plea

Former Norwich star Iwan Roberts claims the contract stand-off between the club and Grant Holt could be 'lose, lose for everybody'.

Roberts, who enjoyed a successful spell at Carrow Road when he helped the side win promotion to the Premier League in the past has been an interested observer at the recent goings on at the club with regards to Holt's future. The 31-year-old, who was top scorer last term as Norwich secured a 12th-placed finish in their first season back in the Premier League, has handed in a transfer request because he wants a new three-year deal which the club are unwilling to sanction. Roberts feels that Holt's departure would be a massive blow to Chris Hughton as he bids to help the Canaries progress next season following Paul Lambert's departure to Aston Villa, while he does not feel the player really wants to leave the club where he has picked up three Player of the Year awards. He told the Pink 'un: "It is a lose, lose for everybody. I felt the whole thing could have been handled better by the club and Holty's agent, to be fair. "You don't want to wash your dirty linen in public; especially Norwich, that is not a club where they do that. Players rarely ask for a transfer here. "They either get sold on or their contracts run out. I think the only man who will be able to retrieve it is Chris Hughton. It is just a shame that it has come to this because he wants to finish his career here. "I've met him a couple of times. He is an honest lad, a down-to-earth lad and he is no big time Charlie. He only just moved his family down and bought a house last year so that shows how committed he has been to the football club. "Hopefully, Chris wants to keep him because you don't want to lose your best players and he is someone who is guaranteed to score you 10 or 15 goals in the Premier League. He is a vital part of the team."