Players Using Twitter - Good Or Bad?

Last updated : 26 April 2013 By Footy Mad - Editor

Former Toon manager Chris Hughton has warned footballers to be wary of social media after defender Ryan Bennett fell foul of his Twitter account.

Bennett has been disciplined by the club and charged with misconduct by the Football Association over comments made on the social network.

The 23-year-old has closed his account after being involved in some heated exchanges with supporters on the micro-blogging site, responding to one following Norwich's defeat at Arsenal with: "I'll finish you in a couple of seconds."

Hughton confirmed it would not affect him selecting Bennett for Saturday's encounter against Stoke but said: "We have a policy at the club (on social media)so it's been dealt with at club level.

"It is an issue which is being dealt with by the FA but it's a reminder to those who decide to go on Twitter that when somebody like Ryan Bennett, who is a smashing lad, can have a charge pending then it can happen to anybody.

"If there needs to be a warning to anybody then it's there."

Hughton believes players must realise that there are lines they cannot cross.

He said: "There is a responsibility for everybody that decides to have a Twitter account to what they say. They are individuals that are in the limelight and there are boundaries that they are not allowed to cross.

"It is difficult because those who go on it do so to put what they feel are things of interest that supporters might want to hear, but with that there come boundaries of what you can and what you cannot get involved in."

Hughton believes a win against Stoke would ensure Premier League safety for 13th-placed Norwich but has warned his side against any complacency on meeting a side who have become a stable force in the top flight.

"We're expecting a very tough game," said Hughton.

"It's always a real tough place to go.

"If we as a club are in a position where Stoke have been for the last seven years we would be delighted. The job (Stoke manager) Tony Pulis has done there has been tremendous. It's a model for teams like ourselves who have got promotion.

"What you definitely want is that type of stability, to become a mainstay in the division. It's always very difficult to become a top 10 team with the finances Premier League teams have but to have that stability is what we all want."

Norwich have recalled defender Leon Barnett from his loan spell at Cardiff as cover for centre-back Michael Turner who suffered a groin injury in the home win against Reading at the weekend and could be out for a fortnight.

Hughton will wait to decide whether to bring goalkeeper John Ruddy back into the squad following his five-month lay-off with a thigh injury.

Meanwhile, Hughton refused to say whether the club would be making Kei Kamara's loan spell at Carrow Road more permanent.

The Sierra Leone striker is due to return to his MLS club, Sporting Kansas, in two games time but while Kamara would like to extend his stay in the Premier League, Hughton said: "He is legally with us for the next two games and we have to make a decision on whether to make that a longer period.

"He's been very good on and off the pitch. When you bring in someone from overseas you are never quite sure but you have to back your judgement and he has settled in very quickly."