Derby boss and Norwich City nut Paul Warne admits facing the Canaries is always a special fixture, ahead of Saturday’s Championship duel.

Norfolk-bred Warne expects a big family contingent to travel to the East Midlands, but the Rams’ chief is out to spoil their day.

“It is always going to be a special fixture for me,” he said. “I played against Norwich loads of times, managed against them a number of times and it probably has more excitement in my family tree, that is the nicest way to put it. Most of my friends are Norwich fans, my uncles, my cousins are season ticket holders.

"I wasn’t. My Dad played non league until he was about 40 so I used to go and watch him and kick the ball into the nets at half-time. But then I got to the odd Norwich game, and that I loved. I had the old Poll Withey kit.

"I went to the cinema to watch ‘Escape to Victory’ and it was the best birthday I ever had. Yes, so all my family and my best friend live in Norwich, so that fixture has a lot of impetus for me when it comes out.

"Unfortunately I lost my uncle the other week, so it will make it a bit more difficult for my Mum to come. Most of my family and friends are coming or watching.”

Warne has had limited success against his boyhood club as a player or now coach. The former FA Vase winner with Diss has beaten City once in five attempts, and lost the other four meetings as a coach.

“That will always be my club but it isn’t as important to win as it is for the club I work at,” he said, speaking to Derby’s official site. “That was the same as a player. So when we played against Norwich, I want them to have a reasonably good season. But not better than the one I am at.

"You want to beat them, because the texts I get afterwards are better than the ones on the other side if I don’t win. The infatuation you have as a football fan does dilute. Now when I go home to my Mum’s I will always read the EDP and the North Norfolk News and read about Norwich, and during the season I will always look for the result.

"But the longer you are in football, and for me as a professional that is about 30 years, it does dilute. You’ll always have a romantic connection with one club but the more you are in football, regrettably, it does dilute."

Kieran Dowell's stunning free kick settled the last meeting between Derby and Norwich City in April 2021 (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Warne rated Norwich's 4-1 rout of Watford last weekend as their high point so far under Johannes Hoff Thorup.

"Probably had their best win and best performance (against Watford)," he said. "Like all the Championship clubs seem to do, they signed well in the summer. They obviously have (Josh) Sargent up front. From a Derby point of view I was hoping they were going to sell him in the summer.

"From a Norwich point of view I was quite pleased they kept him. But their full backs come inside, they can play. They have real mobility in the middle and like every Championship team if you stay off them they can control the ball, control the tempo, and they were excellent against Watford.

"From the outside, they probably feel they would like to have collected more points for how they have played. But 23 other clubs in this division would say the same."

Warne guided Derby to League One promotion last season and the Rams have won all three Championship home games so far, without conceding a goal, beating Middlesbrough, Bristol City and Cardiff City last time out at Pride Park.