Millwall loanee Ben Marshall is backing Norwich City for promotion, but rejected a bit-part role in the Canaries’ Championship push.

Marshall linked up with Millwall on loan in January and is ineligible to face his parent club this weekend at the Den.

The 27-year-old could have remained with Daniel Farke’s squad over the exciting run in but had made only two league starts following his summer signing from Wolves.

“They’ve done a lot of things for me, Norwich, I’m not going to say anything bad about them,” he said. “When I was there I’m sure you can speak to most of the lads and the staff – they would say I was really good around the dressing room and played my part.

“I’m nearly 28 and I was one of the older ones. I felt like I could put my arm around them, when they needed that.

“I did feel part of it. But on the flip side, I’m not like a puppet – just there to be good around the dressing room and expect me to be happy, because I want to play football games. That is what I was stressing.

“They were stressing they wanted me to stay, but mainly because I was good around the dressing room. For me, that told me I might need to try and leave.

“It’s nothing to do with Norwich – the players or the staff.

“I sat there watching the (Leeds) game wanting them to win, because they are decent lads. Sometimes that click doesn’t happen and you’ve got to be professional about it – not going in and kicking off. Just be honest, that if I can go and get games I’ll probably prefer that.”

Marshall impressed on loan at the Lions last season but opted to sign for the Canaries when he left Wolves.

“Once last season finished I just went on holiday with my family,” said Marshall, speaking to the South London Press. “I wanted to switch off for two or three weeks and not think about anything, really. The top and bottom of it is that I ended up at Norwich.

“Even still to this day I don’t know exactly what went on.

“It was just like ‘we’ve accepted a bid from Norwich’. I think it was a lot more (money). As a football club you are not going to take less, it’s as simple as that.

“It was my only option at the time. I didn’t want to stay at Wolves. I thought it was a good option – and it is. Norwich is a massive club. To be able to sign a four-year contract was big for me.”