Norwich City fans held a minute's applause to pay tribute to legend Duncan Forbes.

%image(14647596, type="article-full", alt="Fans at the Man U and Norwich match paid tribute to legend Duncan Forbes. Picture: Connor Southwell")

The plan had been to hold a silence to salute the Canary hero before the Carrow Road clash with Manchester United,

But there was spontaneous applause around the stadium after the announcer had recounted on the 33 years of service he had given to the Canaries.

An emotional rendition of club anthem On The Ball City was also dedicated to the much-loved centre back and there were also specially made banners in the Barclay Stand.

The match day programme, the OTBC, was a special edition in honour of the City legend who featured on the front cover.

%image(14647597, type="article-full", alt="Duncan Forbes had positions at Norwich City for 33 years. Picture: Archant Library")

City players wore a black armband as a mark of respect.

Ahead of the game, supporters were asked to make their way into the ground well in advance of the kick-off, to allow ample time to find their seats and pay their respects.

On Twitter, fans also poured out tribute to the talismanic defender.

Joy Parry tweeted: "#RIP #DuncanForbes - a great footballer, determined, inspirational & one of the #Canaries best loved players. He was ever present for most of the early years I supported

%image(14576123, type="article-full", alt="Duncan Forbes holding aloft the Division Two trophy at City Hall in 1972 Picture: Archant")

@NorwichCityFC said: "Most of all, he always seemed a genuinely nice man.#ncfc"

Scott Steward-Smith said: "I met Duncan Forbes a couple of times as he lived near me. Always said good morning with a smile on his face. Lovely guy. #ncfc"

Forbes died on Wednesday at the age of 78, surrounded by his family, at the Heartsease care home where he was living.

Forbes was a dedicated player and later a club official.

%image(14647598, type="article-full", alt="A fan reads the match programme before the Premier League match at Carrow Road, Norwich. PA Photo. Picture date: Sunday October 27, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Norwich. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.")

On a list of stunning achievements, Forbes was the captain when Norwich won promotion to the first division for the first time in 1972.

And as a hugely popular player among fans and players alike, Forbes was voted the fourth winner of the Barry Butler Trophy, the fans' award for player of the year, in 1970.

On leaving Norwich, Forbes played for Great Yarmouth town and then joined Diss Town as player-coach but returned to Carrow Road within a year and joined the Canaries commercial staff.

He then became the team's chief scout in 1988, a position he held for 13 years before retirement in 2001.