Town captain Dara O’Shea says the Blues understand the significance of this weekend’s East Anglian derby with Norwich City at Portman Road.

The Canaries make the trip south of the border for the first meeting between the sides this season, with Town aiming to end their 16-year wait for a victory over their bitter rivals.

Eight defeats across a total of 14 matches make up that run since the Blues beat their neighbours 3-2 at Portman Road in April 2009.

O’Shea is preparing for his first taste of a derby, and says he has known about the magnitude of the rivalry since the moment he signed for the club.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I think excited is probably a bit of an understatement, to be honest.

“As soon as I signed for the club, you understand the history and the rivalry between the two clubs and it’s a derby you want to play in. I’m really looking forward to hopefully having the opportunity to do that on Sunday.

“The atmosphere is going to be loud. There’s going to be moments in the game where things are getting heated and it’s trying to bring that calmness to it.

“Like I keep going back to, trying to play the way we want to play, there will be times in the game when things probably aren’t going our way or maybe the opposite and it’s just trying to find the balance which is the key thing in these games.

“We’ve all played in derbies of somewhat in our career, so it’s trying to take the experience we have from them and bring them into the game on Sunday.

“In derbies you can probably get carried away a bit too much. For us this week, it’s trying to go out in as professional a way as we can.

“Obviously it is a massive game and there’s a lot that comes with it, but we’ve got to go into the game understanding that there’s going to be heated moments.

“It’s not always going to be plain sailing, and to bring a calmness to that as well and try and implement the way we want to play but still understand that there’s a lot going on in the game and around it.

“It’s understanding that before we go into the game and knowing that things aren’t always going to go the way you want them to go.”

O’Shea continued: “It’s important not to change too much. Myself being the captain now, I’m obviously one of the more vocal ones in the changing room, but I don’t think we need anything more than usual.

“The atmosphere is the atmosphere and every player can feel that. When you walk onto the pitch, you can feel the passion from the fans and you don’t need any more motivation than that.

“Obviously in the changing room it will be the same. We’ll have our bits to say and we’re trying to go into the game and play the way we want to play.

“Things can go out the window quickly in games like this, so it’s trying to bring the calmness to it and go out there and do what we want to do.

“I’ve been around football long enough and I’ve played enough games to understand that things can change quickly. It’s important to be calm, especially in these games and especially myself as a leader, you want to look calm to those other players and be assertive. With my demeanour, I'm quite like that anyway and what will be will be.”

Despite the last meeting between the Blues and Norwich coming just 18 months ago, there are only six players in each squad that have featured in an East Anglian derby.

The majority of Town players have played in similar matches elsewhere, though, and O’Shea is no different, having come up against West Bromwich Albion’s fierce rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers while with the Baggies.

“Derbies anywhere you go are always big, this one maybe more so especially,” O’Shea said. “Everyone in the squad has played in some sort of derby so they’re used to it although we all haven’t played in this derby, so lads will be fairly okay when it comes to this.

"The importance is massive for the town and for us and the pride of our people, so we’re going to go out and give our best account.

“I’ve played in derbies in my time, obviously they mean so much to the fans and especially this one too. I’ve seen everything online, I’ve spoken to the fans in and around the town and you know how much it means to them.

"The massive thing for us is being proud, putting that shirt on and doing our fans proud and our people proud. That’s going to be the main thing going into Sunday.”

Among the players to have put on the blue shirt against Norwich are George Hirst and Leif Davis, who are both likely to start once again at Portman Road on derby day.

O’Shea revealed the rest of the Town squad have taken some advice from the experience that the pair have in this fixture, along with the currently-injured Wes Burns who scored the Blues’ last goal against the Canaries.

“There’s only a small number of lads who have actually played in the derby so we’ll be using their knowledge and looking back at their time in the games,” he said.

“They’ve said it’s a great atmosphere first and foremost, you can feel that even walking around the town speaking to fans and you understand how much it means to the town. It’s something that I’m really relishing and really looking forward to.”

Asked if the likes of Hirst and Davis were more determined to right the wrongs of two years ago, O’Shea said: “Possibly, but everyone is. We understand the history that this club brings and how much it means to the fans to win this game.

“Everybody understands that, them maybe more so as they’ve been on the wrong end of it and they really want to rectify that. But for us as a group, the importance of this game and the pride it brings to the town is massive.

“For every one of us playing for this football club and living in the town, you can feel that and you really want to do that for the people here because the people are so great, so welcoming and so good to us. Whatever way we can repay them, make their week or month, is what we want to do.”

Supporters group Blue Action have prepared a coach greeting for when the Town squad arrive at Portman Road on Sunday morning, with similar welcomes having occurred for the last meeting and the promotion-winning clashes against Exeter City and Huddersfield Town.

News of the greeting was met with a mixed reaction from fans, but O’Shea agreed with manager Kieran McKenna in claiming it is only a positive move, particularly for the new players.

“I think it’s a great thing,” the 26-year-old said. “I know the club have had it previously before and the lads speak highly of it and I'm looking forward to it. There’s nothing better than seeing that passion from the fans, it really does help us as players.

“Our fans are amazing, every time we go to Portman Road or an away game, they’re always there in voice, they’re loud and they really show their passion. I think that’s going to be a nice welcome for us.

“There’s a lot of new lads as well who haven’t really experienced the fans as much as that, so it’s going to be something that we’re all looking forward to.”

During the last East Anglian derby, the Blues were beaten 1-0 at Carrow Road thanks to a free-kick from Marcelino Núñez.

In one of the biggest transfer stories of the summer, Núñez swapped yellow and green for blue and white in a move that sent shockwaves across East Anglia.

Asked how the midfielder is feeling ahead of the weekend, O’Shea said: “He’s been the same, nothing has changed. Marcelino is Marcelino, you speak to anyone and he’ll just stay the same as he always is.

“He’s really good to have around the group, he’s maybe not the loudest but he’s smiling all the time and it’s nice. The qualities he brings as well, he is really dangerous on the ball, he can win games and it’s important.

“We’re really happy to have him here and I think he’s settled in really well. The more games he plays for us, the more confidence he gets in himself. He’s going to be so important for us.”

Photo: TWTD

Dissboyitfc added 08:30 - Oct 4 Personally I'm not into the coach greeting, should we not win, its a stick scum supporters will use to bash us with, just my opinion, i live amongst them, sometimes the hatred from them is actually quite nasty, crosses the line! All for banter, should we win i have different greetings for different Norwich fans, ranging from just a smirk to a full blown wide up! COME ON YOU BLUES!!

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dirtydingusmagee added 13:08 - Oct 4 we have waited a long time to whack the canary's lets go all out and wipe the grins off there faces,weve had a couple of gutless performances against them we DONT want another this is a mighty match . COYB
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