CITY boss Bryan Gunn and striker Grant Holt both offered apologies to the stunned Norwich faithful after the Canaries slumped to an embarrassing 7-1 home defeat to Colchester United in their League One curtain-raiser.
Goals from Platt (2), Lisbie (2), Fox, Perkins and Vernon against a solitary reply by Cody McDonald ensured City suffered what is thought to be the heaviest home defeat in their history.
City fell behind in shocking fashion after only ten minutes when Jon Otsemobor totally mishit a looping back pass into the box and Michael Theoklitos was caught in no man's land, the ball bouncing over his head and allowing former Canary Kevin Lisbie to roll it into the empty net.
And within two minutes the Canaries were in disarray as Theoklitos spilled a weak shot from Lisbie invitingly into the path of Clive Platt and he fired a low shot home.
A terrible first half for the Norwich defence got worse on 19 minutes when they conceded a third. Simon Hackney's cross from the left eluded everyone in the six-yard box before falling to Platt. arriving at the far post to slam home United's third.
David Fox compounded an embarrassing start to League One life for City when he swept home a superb 25-yard free kick past a helpless Theoklitos to make it 4-0 three minutes later.
There was still time for the first half to get worse as in the 38th minute a long throw from Marc Tierney was flicked on by Platt and Lisbie made it five with a simple loopong header over Theoklitos from close range.
Substitute Cody McDonald reduced the arrears when he latched on to Holt's nod-down and blasted a low shot in through the 'keeper's legs in the 71st minute.
But it took Colchester just five minutes to restore their advantage when sub David Perkins powered in a stunning 22-yard half-volley.
And they completed what is thought to be City's worst home defeat ever when Scott Vernon slotted home the seventh in the dying seconds after Izzet cut the ball back from the right.
City Boss Bryan Gunn told First News: "It's very disappointing and embarrassing that we're starting here with a 7-1 defeat, you sit in the changing room and wonder why it got to that stage. We just didn't apply ourselves correctly in the first 20 minutes, Colchester got on top of us and competed very well.
"I'm big enough to know how unhappy the fans are and it's up to me, the coaching staff and the players to apologise and most importantly, make sure it never happens again this season. We've got 45 games now and we must make sure this never happens again. The build-up to the game was good, pre-season was excellent and fitness levels were right - now we have to start again.
"Tomorrow we'll sit down and have a look at the DVD of the game, and that will bring back some bad memories for the players. Hopefully we'll get a reaction from that on Tuesday night.
Speaking to canaries.co.uk after the match, Norwich striker Grant Holt said: "If you give goals away like that, there's no chance of you getting back in the game. We feel disappointed but more so for the fans who came and saw us put on a performance like that.
"Of course we owe the supporters an apology, we gave cheap goals away and we were sloppy all over the park. I don't think it's complacency, I just think it's one of those days - we have to bounce back now and look ahead to Tuesday night and it's up to us now. I can understand that people were frustrated today, you come and watch a match and then you get that.
"We have to apologise for what happened today, that's fair enough, but I'm sure over the next few weeks you'll see a different sort of team and hopefully there'll be different scenes".
16.58 - Referee Shoebridge blows the final whistle on today's preceedings here at Carrow Road. Very much a game to forget for City, not how we envisaged the start to League One life. A chance to put things right comes on Tuesday night in the first round of the Carling Cup away to Yeovil.
16.55 - With only seconds of normal time to play Vernon taps home Colchester's seventh of the afternoon. Izzet beat Doherty on the right-edge of the penalty area, on the slide beat Theoklitos to the ball, cutting it back to fellow sub Scott Vernon to tap in. City fans head for the exit, having understandably seen enough.
16.53 - Clever free-kick move by City, after Tudur Jones was felled ten yards outside the box to the left. McDonald shaped to shot but slid to the ball to the left of the wall for Michael Nelson but he shot straight at Williams, should have been the other way round.
16.50 - McDonald goes down appealing for a penalty but Shoebridge is having none of it. A fantastic ball from Grant Holt between the centre-halves set Cody away, his pace got him to the ball first. He checked back and was then knocked to the ground from behind just inside the area, at 6-1 with five minutes to go, even a sympathy penalty would do.
16.48 - Lovely turn from young midfielder Tom Adeyemi inside the area from a Drury pass, got his body in, let it run through his legs but he couldn't beat Williams with a slide-rule finish.
16.40 - Sub David Perkins restores Colchester's five-goal margin with a spectacular half-volley from about 22 yards out.
16.39 - Long ball from defence catches the City defence out and Vernon gets in between Doherty and Nelson but Theoklitos has his angles right to save low down.
16.38 - Grant Holt heads over and then Tom Adeyemi whistles a shot a yard or two wide of the post from just outside the area.
16.37 - "WE'VE SCORED CODY MC'SHOULDBEASTARTER HAS SCORED." briang0604
16.36 - Hope, a small glimmer of hope! Cody McDonald pulls one back on 72 minutes. Whaley's downward header fed McDonald, who took the ball off the head of the stooping Patrick Baldwin, set himself and fired between the legs of Ben Williams.
16.35 - Last change by Lambert, Kem Izzet, brother of Muzzy replaces Ashley Vincent.
16.33 - A long ball forward from Otsemobor causes confusion in the U's defence and Grant Holt trying to capitalise is pulled all over the place and belated Shoebridge awards City a free-kick, think he was trying to let it go and see whether any advantage came out of it. Whaley strikes the free-kick from 20 yards into the wall and Tudur Jones' follow-up shot is skewed wide.
16.31 - Second change of the afternoon from Paul Lambert - introducing the white-haired David Perkins in place of Simon Hackney.
16.30 - Colchester's David Fox is booked for attempting to take a quick free-kick without referee Shoebridge's consent. His second attempt, this time at goal, sails over Theoklitos' bar.
16.29 - Sub McDonald forces Williams into a save low down to his right at his near post.
16.26 - Gary Doherty joins Tierney is the referee's notebook for a robust aerial challenge from behind on Lisbie, whose makes way for Scott Vernon.
16.24 - Marc Tierney's name is taken by the referee for pushing Hoolahan after conceding a free-kick. That free-kick is met by Grant Holt and deflected over for a corner. Tudur Jones meets Whaley's corner from the right but straight at Williams, who beats the effort away. Scott Vernon is preparing to come on for the visitors.
16.23 - Matt Gill and Chris Martin are the men to make way for Adeyemi and McDonald.
16.22 - Looks like a double change is imminent - Tom Adeyemi will be joined McDonald.
16.20 - Hoolahan forces a corner for City, his deep cross aimed at Whaley is turned behind on the slide by Tierney. While we wait for the corner, I spy young Cody McDonald getting ready to come on. Gill's corner from the right is headed over by Gary Doherty. Today's attendance is announced as 25,217.
16.18 - Nice interchange in centre midfield by City, Hoolahan threading a ball through for Whaley, but Williams sliding out just gets there first.
16.13 - Another good chance for the visitors, Lisbie breaks free down the right this time, goes to the bylines and cuts a ball low back for Vincent, but on the slide the midfield shoots over from around the penalty spot.
16.11 - "
16.10 - Immediately the visitors respond, Lisbie breaking free down the middle but Doherty recovers to dispossess the striker inside the area.
16.09 - We're back underway at Carrow Road for the second half. City straight on the attack, Holt crossing from the right, but comes to nothing.
16.06 - City players are back out in full compliment, looks like no changes to be made at half-time.
15.53 - The half-time whistle blows on opening day at Carrow Road to a chorus of boo's.
15.50 - Owain Tudur Jones curls over for City. Three minutes of injury-time to be played.
15.49 - Shot-cum-cross fired in by Ashley Vincent, it takes a nick off off Drury and Lisbie thankfully can't quite connect with the header.
15.45 - "Living down in Somerset, it's been nigh-on impossible to get to see the team for years, but I have bought tickets to proudly take my two young sons to see my football team on Tuesday night at Yeovil. It's now filling me with dread..." zummerzet
15.43 - Just when you think it can't get any worse, Colchester make it five and it is that man Kevin Lisbie again with it. A long throw-in from the left by Tierney is flicked on at the near post by Platt and Lisbie steals in ahead of Nelson to head past Theoklitos from close range.
15.41 - Referee interjects at a throw-in to have a word with Lee Beevers who just threw Chris Martin to the floor. Since the ball was out of play, it will be a City throw-in. Matt Gills winds up and sends in a long throw and loud shouts for a handball as a shot comes in, referee Shoebridge waves his arms in front of him to dispel the shouts.
15.36 - It is my sad duty to report halliday7875 that this is happening. Such a bright start by City but four goals in 12 minutes I think it was though.
15.35 - "This really can not be happening...can it? One bright spot, we are still above Southampton." halliday7875
15.32 - Hoolahan twisting and turning in the corner, wins a corner. Gill's deep corner from the left is met by the rising Gary Doherty but he can't keep his header down and it goes over.
15.30 - "Wow, I am glad I hurried home from my grandmother to catch the game online..." chrisalmera
15.28 - Small break in play as two fans run on to the pitch to vent their frustrations, security halt their progress and they are ejected.
15.27 - David Fox curls home the U's fourth of the afternoon, 22 minutes in. Fox taking over free-kick duties from Hammond, right-footed over the wall.
15.24 - Colchester make it three. Free-kick from the left from Simon Hackney, missing everyone and Clive Platt coming in far post rams home the third, 19 minutes in.
15.18 - Joy unconfined for the travelling Colchester fans, Clive Platt taps home to give the U's a 2-0 lead. Lisbie beat Doherty on the edge of the area and sent in a low shot that Theoklitos at full-stretch can only parry, for Platt, first on the scene to tap in.
15.15 - Colchester lead at Carrow Road, despite City's great start. Kevin Lisbie is the scorer. Otsemobor misconnects with a backpass intended for Theoklitos, sending back a high bouncing ball, Lisbie beats the Australian 'keeper to it and rolls the ball in to the empty net.
15.14 - Hoolahan at the heart of everything for City, the wee Irishman spins and turns just inside his own half before releasing Martin away down the left with a flighted pass. The young striker's cross is too deep for Whaley though. City fans appreciative the endeavour of Holt, G.Holt, okay, Grant Holt chasing down a ball forward and hassling Williams who tries to shield it out for a goal kick.
15.11 - Memories of Wigan as Otsemobor uses his blistering pace to good effect down the right, getting to the byline but this week fails to pick out a man with his cross. City keep the pressure up with several crosses and Hoolahan forces a corner with Marc Tierney having to make a decisive header in front of Grant Holt. Incidently Gary Holt is among the Colchester subs today. Hoolahan's corner from the right is claimed by Ben Williams in the Colchester goal.
15.10 - Great take from Michael Theoklitos, coming to claim a high hanging cross from the right.
15.07 - Captain Dean Hammond curls the second free-kick from 25 yards high over the City bar.
15.05 - We're underway at Carrow Road, the season has begun. Colchester instantly win back-to-back free-kicks.
MINUTE'S APPLAUSE: In memory of Sir Bobby Robson
15.00 - The cast have been auditioned and called, the scene has been set here at Carrow Road, there is an audience of over 25,000 in the theatre, how many do we have from home? Are you ready for the curtain to raise on Norwich City 2009-10 season?
14.52 - There have been two games already played in League One today, Gillingham beat Swindon 5-0 and Southampton drew 1-1 at home to Millwall.
14.36 - We caught up with the gaffer a little while ago regarding the teams and he had this to say: "Now with seven subs as well, we have opportunities to have more people on the bench to come on and be match winners."
Bryan Gunn has paired new signing Grant Holt with Chris Martin and sees it as an exciting pairing: "They worked well together last week against Wigan, although we played a slightly different formation with a 4-3-3, looking more at a 4-4-2 to start with today.
"Obviously we watched Colchester watched in pre-season and they are going to be a very rugged side, very organised. We'll have to try and break them down and the best way to do that is to have two strikers, getting the ball in to wide areas and getting crosses in to Grant Holt and Chris Martin is in good goal scoring form at the moment so we have got high hopes for that pairing today."
For the full exclusive interview with Bryan Gunn, log on or sign-up to the new Canaries Player.
Team news from Carrow Road:
CITY: Theoklitos, Otsemobor, Drury, Gill (Adeyemi 58), Nelson, Tudur Jones, Holt, Whaley, Doherty (c), Hoolahan, Martin (McDonald 58). Subs not used: Cureton, Spillane, Lappin , Alnwick (GK), Maric.
Colchester: Williams, Beevers, Okuonghae, Baldwin, Vincent (Izzet 70), Hammond (c), Platt, Hackney (Perkins 66), Fox, Lisbie (Vernon 63), Tierney. Subs not used: Maybury, Cousins (GK), Holt, Thomas.
