LEE Croft has admitted none of City's squad feel their place in the team is 100 per cent safe after seeing Darren Huckerby left out at the weekend.

Hucks' omission from the squad which beat Preston 1-0 at the weekend raised several eyebrows, particularly post-match when boss Glenn Roeder revealed the 31-year-old had been available for selection.

Roeder instead opted to use on-loan Chelsea youngster Ryan Bertrand on the left, with last season's player of the year not even making the substitutes' bench.

And Croft said seeing someone of Huckerby's ilk sat in the stands had left no one in any doubt that a place in the first team could not be taken for granted.

"We know what Hucks can do," said Croft. "He hasn't been playing recently and he wasn't involved on Saturday, so it does make you realise that it doesn't matter who you are, you're not going to play if you're not doing well.

"Not that Hucks hasn't been playing well, but the manager makes his decision and you've just got to make sure you're part of his plans."

Croft himself is now peering over his shoulder a little more than he would have done a week ago thanks to the arrival of Reading teenager James Henry on loan.

With Luke Chadwick still sidelined after undergoing shoulder surgery, Croft had little if any competition for the right-wing berth.

But the arrival of England Under 19 international Henry has given Croft some food for thought, with the player needing to continue his recent good form if he is to keep his place on the right side of midfield.

"It's good," said Croft, happy to see new faces arrive at Carrow Road. "It's healthy competition. To be honest, I don't think anyone rests on their laurels here anyway. The gaffer has brought new players in now and that spices it up even more.

"You know someone else can play there now. No one takes their place for granted, and I'm sure the new players coming in will add to that. Everyone will need to make sure they're on top of their game."

Croft has certainly been on top of his game since Roeder arrived as manager in November. The winger has been the preferred choice in the team since the City boss opted to go for the one-winger option both home and away, and has rewarded his manager with a string of outstanding performances.

"I'm enjoying it," added Croft. "I'm enjoying my football. And I think everyone is, especially when the results are going the way they are and the way we're playing. We're playing some good football and winning games. You can't really ask for much more and I'm just enjoying having a part to play and doing as well as I can.

"It's been a few good weeks. We had a really good week last week with the three points away at Southampton and then the three points at home against Preston. It's been a really good week and things are moving in the right direction and we've just got to continue it."

City's recent run of 11 league games unbeaten has not gone unnoticed, with national media beginning to pick-up on form which has lifted the Canaries out of the basement and into midtable, closer to the play-offs than the relegation zone.

"I said that if we could get on a little run you never know what could happen," said Croft. "I said that a month back, maybe even longer. Luckily we've put some results together. We've worked hard on the training ground, we've gone into games and started well and we've gone and picked up results away from home as well as at home.

"And maybe some of our results have not been what they should have been; Leicester at home we warranted a win, Crystal Palace away on New Year's Day we played really well and didn't get the win, so things are looking up."