DARREN Eadie believes the Canaries are on course to end their eight-game winless run with a derby-day victory over Ipswich at the weekend - and he should know.

DARREN Eadie believes the Canaries are on course to end their eight-game winless run with a derby-day victory over Ipswich at the weekend - and he should know.

The last time City were so poor was at the end of the 1994-95 season, when a run of seven defeats was followed by a final day draw at home to Aston Villa - form which was enough to condemn them to life in the second tier for the following eight seasons.

Eadie was part of that team and knows what everyone associated with Norwich City is going through - but believes the next few days could prove to be a major turning point in this season's fortunes.

Ipswich at home on Sunday is followed two days later by Championship front-runners Watford at Carrow Road. It's a tall order, but Eadie believes the combination of a derby plus a new manager could equal change.

“Something like the derby game can completely turn your whole season around,” said Eadie. “The fans will be behind the team and they will be behind the new manager.

“I do think that if they can get a win on Sunday, or even a draw, it will make an awful lot of difference to the rest of the season.

“It usually happens when a new man comes in that things change, but equally I don't think anybody should read anything into it if it doesn't happen right away.

“But as far as this season goes then no, there is no better way to start off.”

Eadie remembers the 1994-95 campaign well, particularly the death throes which dropped City into the relegation zone when any reasonable run of form, even for a struggling team, would have meant survival.

“It's a horrible situation to be in,” he said. “But it's a situation in which managers really come into their own. If things are going well for you then the wins come easily, but when things are going badly, then equally the defeats come easily too.

“It really is your worst nightmare going on a run like that because it's so difficult to get out of.

“The only way to do it, to restore confidence, is by winning games so it's a Catch 22 situation.

“Something like the derby can help you do that simply because of the nature of the fixture. It really can switch that quickly, depending on the results and the way you get them.

“There's no reason it shouldn't be any different this Sunday. Over the years Norwich have always seemed to play better against teams in form, and Ipswich and Watford are obviously both doing well.

“It's a good time to play these teams - they might be thinking that we'll be an easy touch. Four points out of these two games would be a great start for Glenn Roeder.”

Eadie admitted Roeder's appointment had taken him by surprise.

“I didn't see that one coming at all,” he said.