As a player or a supporter you can't beat a local derby, whether it's the build up in the week or the game itself it's what we all love.

It is the first game we look for when the fixtures come out in mid June!

As a player it doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing it's all people want to talk to you about and if I had a pound for every time I heard the sentence 'it's our biggest and most important game of the season' before every derby I played in I'd be quite a wealthy man.

I played in eight East Anglian derbies winning five, drawing two and losing just the one, back in 2003.

I think it's fair to say it was quite a kind fixture for me over the years.

I don't know why but I preferred playing down at Portman Road rather than at Carrow Road, maybe it was because there wasn't as much pressure on us when we travelled down the A140 as there was when we entertained them at Carrow Road with it being full of expectant supporters.

MORE: Players need to embrace the intensity of a derbyOut of the four games I played against Ipswich at Portman Road we won three of those games and had I not missed an absolute sitter back in October 1998 in my very first East Anglian derby it would have been a magnificent four wins out of four. How I managed to miss from about a yard out, sliding in at the far post after a quite superb cross from Darren Eadie goodness only knows.

I just loved beating them there in front of their own fans especially after the likes of Fabian Wilnis had been shouting his mouth off in the build up, about what they were going to do to us and how they were by far the superior of the two teams.

My two goals back in March 2000 gave me more pleasure than any of the other 94 I scored for Norwich City. I'm just gutted that they were the only goals I scored for Norwich against the old enemy.

Eastern Daily Press: Iwan Roberts celebrates with Chris Llewellyn. Picture: ArchantIwan Roberts celebrates with Chris Llewellyn. Picture: Archant

The last two East Anglian derbies have ended up 1-1, I would not be surprised if this game on Sunday goes the same way. I get the feeling it's going to be a tight affair with not too many goals.

Mick McCarthy's men are the Championships third top scorers but have lost three of their last four games after a promising start to the season and after last weekend's results Norwich leapfrogged over them to 8th.

Daniel Farke's men are in fine form and have won their last four away games beating some very strong teams on their way, so they won't be afraid of travelling the 43 miles to Portman Road.

He will have witnessed many Borussia Dortmund v Schalke derbies over the years and I imagine they are very passionate affairs, so I'm sure even though this will be his first East Anglian derby he'll know exactly what to expect come midday on Sunday.

Eastern Daily Press: Iwan Roberts salutes City's travelling supporters after making it 2-0 against Ipswich in 2000. Picture: ArchantIwan Roberts salutes City's travelling supporters after making it 2-0 against Ipswich in 2000. Picture: Archant

I was gutted for my good friend Darren Huckerby last week when he told me that he'd lost his position with the club's U23s.

MORE: Hucks will always be welcome backAs disappointed as Hucks was at the decision he understood and took it all so well, and as he said to me 'that's football sadly'.

He loved his job of improving and helping the youngsters at the club and one things for sure you'll do really well to find an ex-Norwich player who is more passionate, loyal and cares about the Canaries more than Darren Huckerby.