Norwich City head coach Dean Smith was really impressed with the facilities the club has at The Nest following his first visit to the complex on Monday.
The Nest, named after the club’s former ground, is multi-million-pound complex located in Horsford near Norwich International Airport. It was completed in March 2021 and is the home of the club’s Community Sports Foundation.
It includes a floodlit 3G pitch, high-quality grass pitches, cafes, conference and event spaces and superb catering facilities, all of which help the CSF do some amazing community programmes that improve the health and well-being of many people in the Norwich and East Anglian area.
“The facilities are really impressive,” said Dean. “I knew about The Nest, but I don’t think it is until you come here and experience it and see what they have got that it really impresses you.
“It is what I have come to expect from the two-and-a-half months at the club, because it is a community-based club and we certainly are engaging with them from what I am seeing.”
Speaking about the importance of using the popularity of football to improve the community around them, Dean added: “It is very important. The popularity and the exposure that we get with Premier League football is a chance for us to get voices and messages out there which includes diversity, inclusion and engagement with others.
“It touches everybody. There are all kinds of people who come here and are welcomed and it is great to be a part of.”
Dean says the players are also really supportive of what the CSF do and hope to visit The Nest sometimes soon as well to engage an interact with members of the community.
“They are really supportive of it,” he said. “It has been tough because of the Covid-19 measures, certainly over the last 18 months to two years, but it always never ceases to amaze me when you bring players to places like this and they become engaged with the people who are here. The players don’t stop then, they continue to want to be a part of that and I can’t wait to get the players up here again.”