One former Norwich City boss sympathised with under-fire boss Nigel Worthington yesterday but admitted: “The only sure thing if you're a football manager is getting the sack.

One former Norwich City boss sympathised with under-fire boss Nigel Worthington yesterday but admitted: “The only sure thing if you're a football manager is getting the sack.”

Ken Brown, dismissed by chairman Robert Chase and his board in 1987 when his side were struggling at the wrong end of Division One, said he was surprised by the wording of the statement issued yesterday by Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones, but said there was no such thing as job security for football bosses.

The majority shareholders apologised to fans for the team's display in the 3-1 defeat at Plymouth, lamented the lack of commitment during the game and appear to have given Worthington just two games to arrest the Canaries' slide down the Coca-Cola Championship table.

If City fail to deliver against Burnley on Sunday and at Queen's Park Rangers on October 14, the implication is that they will make changes, though their statement stopped short of saying so.

Said Brown: “I missed the last two games because I was on holiday and I understand they haven't played well, but it's rather unusual the way this statement is worded because even if they win the next two games, does that mean everything's all right? And I'm not sure how it can be seen as a warning to the players. They can't exactly sack them all.

“It's not fair for me to comment further without knowing what's happening on the inside of the club. Only they will know why they've chosen to make this statement at this stage of the season.

“But you go into the job knowing the one thing that is inevitable is that you will sooner or later get the sack. It's just a matter of how and where and when.

“I suppose it is a bit surprising because I don't think this Norwich board has really sacked anyone. They seem quite nice people to work with and I wish I'd been able to work with them. With Robert Chase, you wouldn't have stood a chance.”

MANAGERIAL CASUALTIES 2006-07

Aug 29 - Niall Quinn (Sunderland)

Aug 30 - Dave Penney (Doncaster)

Sep 8 - Mark McGhee (Brighton)

Sep 18 - Bryan Robson (West Brom)

Sep 19 - Gary Waddock (QPR), Kevin Blackwell (Leeds)

Sep 25 - Nigel Spackman (Millwall)