CITY'S Academy stars received a major boost in the build-up to Saturday's FA Youth Cup Quarter-final at Manchester City when Dion Dublin spent a day working with them and giving the youngsters advice.

The former England, Manchester United and Norwich star took part in training at Colney with Ricky Martin's side and then held a question and answer session at Carrow Road.

Exclusively speaking to canaries.co.uk, Dublin said he had been hugely impressed with the attitude of the young players and that returning to his former club felt just like coming home.

"I really enjoyed it, all the boys seemed to fully absorb what they were hearing and they took it all on board," the former City striker said. "The boys were really intense, which was really great to see - their application to the training session was some of the best I've ever seen from young footballers. Whether that was something to do with me being there, I don't know and it doesn't really matter - I was just very impressed with what I saw.

"I always thought Norwich had some promising young players and the Club had a bright future ahead of it, and that was clear in what I saw from the boys. I was around the place for a long while, so I could clearly see that. I explained to the boys that not everyone always makes it, but even if you're an average player but you have a big heart and the will to work hard, you can really go places. I also said to them that this Saturday's FA Youth Cup game against Manchester City could be the biggest game of their individual careers."

The afternoon saw Dion and the Academy squad move to Carrow Road, where an intense question and answer session took place. Asked what he thought about being quizzed by the fledgling Canaries, Dion told First News he'd fully enjoyed the experience: "All the youngsters were extremely attentive in the question and answer session, and I shared some of my experiences with them. I told them how I got to where I did, starting out with nothing and I told them that they're in a much better position than I was.

"They were really in the zone, asking some fantastic questions and they seemed to take it all in. I talked to them about their conduct as a player and about how they're seen by people away from football - they really wouldn't let me go, and they even collared me in the car park to ask me more questions that they might not have wanted to ask in front of other people - how to improve their skills, things like that. I was throughly impressed with all the Academy lads, they came across as very nice young men who really want to win the game on Saturday."

The 39-year-old played his final game for Norwich on May 4 last year, in Norwich's 4-1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsbrough. On returning to his former Club's training centre and ground, Dion said coming back felt just like he hadn't left at all. "It was strange, but nice at the same time. It was strange because it was really quiet and the first team were away at QPR, but I managed to catch up with a few of the staff members. It was really nice to come back, it felt just like home and as if I'd never been away."

Academy Manager Ricky Martin oversaw the day and said it had been a great experience all round. "Dion is a great role model, and that's something he established when he was a player here. I'm really pleased that he could come along and we could take advantage of his experience, because he's a fantastic inspiration to the Academy players.

"The lads conducted themselves really well and showed high levels of maturity, really taking on the advice which Dion gave them. They asked some very interesting, and also relevant questions, and were fully engrossed in the day.  When Dion left the Club, we kept in touch and he said that he'd always help us out in any shape or form, so I was delighted when he agreed to come back - it's the perfect time to give the boys a motivational talk before their big game against Manchester City this Saturday."

And Academy 'keeper Declan Rudd speaking ahead of Saturday's quarter-final added to the edorsements: "It was brilliant. Obviously Dion is not only a Norwich City legend but a football legend as well, so he inspired a lot of our players, and to be honest after the day that we had with him we just wanted that game to be that night, we were just buzzing."