Town academy coach Steve Foley says the Norwich City board vetoed his appointment by new Canaries boss Neil Adams.
As reported on Thursday, the 60-year-old was set to return to Carrow Road as first-team coach on a three-year contract but the board, under fire from fans for installing Adams rather than a higher profile manager, refused to sanction the appointment, according to Foley.
"I’m devastated and embarrassed for myself and Neil,” he told The Sun. "I couldn’t believe this was happening, especially that they would undermine Neil on his first day.”
Yesterday, Ryman League Division One North side Needham Market, where Foley has been working as head coach alongside his Town role, confirmed his departure to Norwich before later withdrawing their statement and issuing another press release stating that he would now be staying at Bloomfields.
Foley previously worked at Carrow Road in a number of roles between 1996 and 2006, during which time he coached Adams, having initially been brought to the club by Mike Walker.
After his Norwich contract as Nigel Worthington's first-team coach was terminated following the 2005/06 campaign, Jim Magilton added the former Colchester United stalwart to his Town staff in a specialist skills coach role.
Foley left the Blues in 2010 during Roy Keane’s time as boss but was brought back to the club by academy director Bryan Klug as a youth development coach in the summer of 2012 working with 12-16-year-olds, while also coaching part-time with Needham Market.
Meanwhile, Adams is reported to want ex-Town boss and one-time Canaries striker Joe Royle as his director of football.