IPSWICH star Fabian Wilnis told for the first time today how Norwich fans bombarded him with hate mail.Wilnis, 35, turned up the heat before Sunday's live-on-Sky derby clash and admitted he expects a hostile reception from the Carrow Road crowd.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH star Fabian Wilnis told for the first time today how Norwich fans bombarded him with hate mail.

Wilnis, 35, turned up the heat before Sunday's live-on-Sky derby clash and admitted he expects a hostile reception from the Carrow Road crowd.

On his last trip across the border, almost two years ago, he condemned the Premiership-bound Canaries' survival chances in a scathing attack just minutes after Town's 3-1 defeat.

The Dutch full-back put the boot in when he claimed afterwards: “Even if Norwich do go up they will just come straight back down again. They would need about 15 new players to have any chance at all.”

Angry Canary fans retaliated with a barrage of hate mail, some of it so vicious that Wilnis considered calling in the police.

He said today: “This is the first time I have spoken about it. I have never even said anything to the manager, my team-mates or my friends.

“At the time it was terrible. There were nasty letters every day for a while and it was so bad that I thought of getting the police involved.

“But then I decided that would not be necessary. I decided just to let things cool down.

“I would definitely call it hate mail. It was way over the top, but then I thought to myself 'It's only letters, it will blow over'.

“I know what I said after the game, but my comments were made in the heat of the moment.

“Sometimes after a defeat the disappointment just takes over. It was certainly never my intention to show any disrespect to the club.”

Wilnis has moved to calm the situation by agreeing to an interview being published in Sunday's official matchday programme.

But he admitted: “I don't think they will give me a warm welcome at Carrow Road. I wouldn't be surprised if their fans gave me a hard time. I expect it - but I'm man enough to take it.

“At the time it was horrible, but as far as I am concerned it is in the past, although I doubt if the Norwich fans have forgotten.

“I destroyed the letters a long time ago.

“If I was a young guy in my early 20s it might affect me on Sunday - but not at my age.”