Dean Smith has defended Stuart Webber after the fallout from his national newspaper interview followed by a verbal run in with a pocket of Norwich City fans.

Smith made his first public comment on the events that unfolded before and after last weekend’s 3-0 Premier League defeat to Newcastle at his pre-match press call on Friday morning.

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This was Smith’s full transcript on the topic.

“Well, the only view I've got on it is the fact we are all pulling in the same direction, and we want the fans to be pulling in the same direction as well, because nobody likes to see their team getting beat. We need the support of the fans.

“There's been a word used around the football club a lot that we've seen, which is apathy. I've got an English ‘O’ level, but I had to go and look up the word apathy and it talks about the lack of interest. Well 27,000 are turning up every other week at Carrow Road. So there's no lack of interest when they're turning up week in, week out.

“One of the biggest reasons that myself and Craig Shakespeare came to this football club was the fact that the supporters, the playing staff, the sporting director, and the owners, fitted our values as well.

“Those values are a really important reason as to why we came to the football club. When you're going through a tough time it's even more important you stick together. We’re a one club county, for a large city, quite unique in some ways.

“We can’t afford to listen to noise away from here, which can happen sometimes with how we're doing on the pitch. I've worked with five different sporting directors and Stuart has certainly not disappointed me in his work ethic.

“(Does he still want to be here?) I think that 90pc figure mentioned in that article was 90pc of his time, not 90pc of his effort.

"Because if we probably look at the last four and a half years, he's probably worked 120pc of his time. He can give some of that back.

“Listen, I've not been here for the last four years, I can only judge on this season. He's not disappointed me in any way, shape or form. I enjoy working with him. He's got a drive. He's very direct, you know, in the way we deal with each other as well. It's something that I like.”