Paul Lambert insisted taking flak from the Norwich City supporters who used to worship him is a small price to pay for guiding Aston Villa to the brink of Premier League safety.

Lambert completed a league and cup double at Carrow Road against his former employers whilst pushing the Canaries further into the mire.

The City Hall of Famer was barracked whenever he took the acclaim of the travelling support and the Scot accepted the manner of his acrimonious departure will always taint his Norwich legacy.

'This is a fabulous club, don't think otherwise, with a terrific fan base and Chris Hughton is a terrific manager, no two ways about it. I had great times when I was here with the crowd but things move on,' he said. 'You can hear Aston Villa fans asking me to wave. They are my fans, that is where my allegiance is but I don't think anything should blight the relationship I had with the Norwich fans.

'The Norwich crowd were fantastic with me but things happen, it went sour, and you have to move on. That's football. I've had it most of my career. When Norwich went to Colchester there was that sort of reaction as well. I've had it in moments of my career and thankfully I have mostly come out winning.'

Lambert hailed the class of Agbonlahor, who has had to take second billing behind Christian Benteke for most of this season.

'I thought Westy's (Ashley Westwood) pass was absolutely top drawer and Gabby has been on fire for most of this season,' he said. 'With him, Benteke and (Andreas) Weimann we have goals in us. He has pace and power. In modern day football if you have that combination it is a terrific weapon. Gabby's speed is an absolute threat. I think breaking Dwight Yorke's (club goalscoring) record is a fantastic achievement. He has been at the football club his whole career.

'He has a great rapport with the crowd. Its very rare to have someone stay at a football club for that length of time. I think he is enjoying his football. He revels playing in it and he has so much to offer.'

Lambert refused to accept Villa have done enough to survive after moving onto 40 points - five clear of third-from-bottom Wigan.

'I don't know if we are safe. Everybody was saying we were dead and buried and we were not going to do it and we were too young but we are playing ever so well,' he said.