Michael Nelson endured a nightmare return to Carrow Road with his new team-mates – but took some small consolation in the reception he got from his former club.

The Iron centre-back, who helped Norwich secure promotion and the League One title last season, made a permanent switch to Glanford Park in January thanks to the offer of regular first team football. But there was little Nelson could do to stem the tide as Scunthorpe were hammered by City's automatic promotion chasers.

'It was nice – singing my name towards the end,' admitted Nelson. 'Whether they would have been if we were 6-0 up I'm not so sure. It's easy for them to give me a good reception when they're sitting five or six up! But it is nice to come back and feel like you've been appreciated. All the boys, and I spoke to Paul Lambert after the game and he was very complimentary.

'So it was nice to come back and see a few people, but it's a case of just concentrating on trying to keep Scunthorpe in the league now.'

Nelson saw friend and former team-mate Grant Holt help himself to a hat-trick, as well as watching the hosts dominate all over the pitch – both before and after Paul Reid's first-half red card.

Alan Knill took over the Scunthorpe hot seat on Thursday, and Nelson is hoping things will turn around under the new boss.

'Norwich kept the ball for long periods when we had 11 on the pitch, and going down to 10 it was just going to lengthen the time that they were going to keep the ball,' said Nelson. 'If you keep banging on the door then eventually they are going to go in, and that was the case.

'It's massively disappointing. To get beat six any day of the week is going to hurt. Obviously the fact we went down to 10 men was not a great thing and probably influenced the scoreline, but it's one of those things.

'We have got to try and pick ourselves up and try and move on, and I'm sure the new manager and staff will come in and stamp their mark this week.'