Isaac Hayden is targeting a third successive promotion out of the Championship with Norwich City having put pen to paper on a season-long loan deal at the Canaries.
The 27-year-old defensive midfielder, who started his career off at Arsenal, got promoted out of the Championship in 2015/16, with Hull City, before then signing permanently for Newcastle United where he achieved promotion from the second tier once more and then went on to play 118 games for the Magpies in the top flight.
On signing his deal at Norwich, Isaac said: “I am absolutely delighted. This is a fantastic club. It is well run, it has got a good structure and the stadium and the fan base is good. I have looked at the squad and the squad is more than capable of getting out of the division straight away and that is why I am here, to try and help with that.
“It is going to be difficult. We know what the Championship is like, it is a lot of games and a lot of football, but I have spoken to Stuart Webber and the manager about what they want to achieve this season, and winning the division is obviously the aim. I have been in the Championship two seasons and got promoted twice, so I kind of want to keep that run going and get promoted again.”
Isaac added that head coach Dean Smith was a big factor behind his decision to join Norwich.
“He called me straight away,” added Isaac. “That was pretty early on after the season had finished and he saw that I was out of the picture at Newcastle. He asked would I be interested. I had spoken to him a few times before and he always struck me as somebody who was trying to do the right things and doing things very well at football clubs. I was keen to get back playing regular football and thought this was a great opportunity for me to do so.
“I think experience-wise, I have certainly grown in my time at Newcastle. I have some fantastic memories; it was a fantastic six years, but it is time to move on and have a fresh challenge which I am looking forward to. Hopefully I can help the squad with that experience I have and go straight back up to the Premier League where this club belongs.”
Despite having spent all his playing career in the top two divisions of English football, Isaac has only played at Carrow Road once. It is experience is something he is excited about doing again in a Yellow and Green shirt.
“I am really looking forward playing in front of the supporters at Carrow Road,” he said. “Every time I have seen games, or watched it on TV, it has always been a great atmosphere. The team always has a good following and a great support, whether that has been in the Championship or the Premier League, so I have got no doubt this season that they (the supporters) will be right behind the team and I will enjoy playing there.”