Nottingham City Council has been working with Nottingham Forest to promote Nottingham's international standing for sport by creating a link with a leading football city in China.

The city of Hangzhou is a major regional capital, close to Ningbo and Shanghai, and is already cooperating with Nottingham to bring a major exhibition of silk to the Castle Museum in 2012. Hangzhou is also aiming to be one of China's top football cities, and wants Nottingham Forest FC to help them by working closely with their team 'Hangzhou Green Town'.

Earlier this week the City Council hosted senior officials from the Hangzhou Sports Bureau to a series of meetings including detailed discussions on sports development at the Nottingham Forest City Ground. Mark Arthur, the Chief Executive of Forest, hosted the group, and provided them with a tour of all of the clubs training facilities. The group also met the manager Billy Davies, and watched the first team in a lively coaching session.

The day ended with an agreement to undertake a series of exchanges with a view to possibly taking the Nottingham Forest first team to China for a pre season tour in the future. The first step will involve Forest in sending youth team coaches over next spring to work for two weeks with 'Green Towns' young players. Nottingham Forest has also been invited to send their Academy team for a series of friendly matches in October 2010.

Councillor Alan Clark, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Regeneration at Nottingham City Council, said: "The city of Hangzhou is one of the leading centres for sport in China, and aims to be a top city for soccer. The link will build our existing relationships with China and promote even more co-operation on other aspects."

Nottingham Forest, who are also keen supporters of Nottingham's 2018 World Cup bid, are committed to building long term links in China. Mark Arthur explained "Nottingham Forest are committed to supporting the City and the Universities in promoting Nottingham internationally, and in this case building on existing education, business and cultural links in the Zhejiang province where the University of Nottingham has its campus".

Source: My Nottingham

Editor: Paul