The launch of Norwich City's new home kit confirms that the Canaries are now mixing it with England's biggest clubs, that is the view of the club's chief executive David McNally.

McNally was joined by the club's joint-majority shareholders Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones as the 2012/13 home kit - with a different style collar and a new yellow streak on the shorts - was launched at Carrow Road yesterday afternoon.

Some supporters have questioned the need for a new home kit, following the popularity of this season's yellow strip - which McNally confirmed had sold more than double the best selling shirt in the club's history.

But he insisted the new kit was simply a result of the high profile the club is now enjoying.

'When I joined the football club the supporters said to me, 'we are a big football club',' McNally said.

'Let me tell you, big football clubs change their kit every year. If we are a big football club then we have to act like a big football club.

'If we don't, we are at a competitive disadvantage to other big football clubs and the vast majority of supporters prefer the kit to change every year.

'There will be some, I'm sure, who will say they would prefer us not to, possibly for economic reasons and I have every sympathy there, but if every other big football club is changing their kit every year, we can't put ourselves at a competitive disadvantage.'

Alongside the kit launch the club also announced a three-year extension of their main sponsorship deal with insurance giants, Aviva, through to July 2016.

Wes Hoolahan, Russell Martin, Steve Morison, Elliott Bennett, Anthony Pilkington and captain Grant Holt were the players chosen to model the new Errea kit, which was once again launched with a video the club hopes will go 'viral' on the internet.

The same tactic last summer proved hugely successful and this year the services of famous club director Stephen Fry were used - all the way from New Zealand.

McNally continued: 'Last year's went down particularly well but this year Stephen was very keen to help in any way he could and when you've got 4.2m followers on Twitter you have some weight.

'So we've got someone who is acting truly as an ambassador for us and so we were keen to involve him in any shape or form we could, despite the fact that he's filming The Hobbit in New Zealand.

'But the other thing was we wanted to get the supporters more involved, which is why the 'pass it on' theme starts from today and I'm sure the supporters will have great fun with sending in their videos of their football skills and passing it on.'

david.freezer@archant.co.uk