Former double Norwich City title winner Christoph Zimmermann has admitted the Carrow Road support was a special part of his memorable Canaries’ spell. 

Zimmermann returned to Germany last summer and is now part of Bundesliga 2 leaders SV Darmstadt’s promotion bid. 

The hugely popular centre back won two title medals under mentor Daniel Farke in green and yellow but his impact on the wider community was even greater. 

Zimmermann’s bond with the club’s fan base remains strong. 

“You don't celebrate with the fans after the games and say thank you for the support like in Germany to the same extent in England,” he said. “Under Farke, we started doing a few rounds after the game to say thank you. 

"That was extremely well received and created a strong bond between the players and the fans.  

“Saying thank you after the game, taking a little time for the fans in front of the stadium, chatting a bit, taking a picture, giving an autograph so that the fans realize that they are part of the whole – I lived that. But there was something else. 

“Norwich City has a regular charity partner, the community sports foundation (CSF). As a player, you often have appointments. Sometimes training with children, sometimes going to the hospital at Christmas, sometimes calling older season ticket holders and asking how things are going. 

"We also went to a children's hospice. That was hard. What do you say to the children, some of whom only have six months to live? How are you? Certainly not. Something like that is extremely grounding.  

“And it's also a great experience to put a smile on these children's faces. I was always very involved in these actions. Our job doesn't stop on the football field, we also have a responsibility off the field.” 

The 29-year-old, quoted in a festive interview for regional magazine portal, Hessenschau, picked out two memorable matches in his Norwich career. 

“I played my first league game in Fulham at Craven Cottage. It was the start of the season and the stadium was full,” he said. “Fulham had declared promotion as a goal, and Norwich have often played a good role in the second division.

"I came from the regional league, previously played for Schalke II in front of 400 spectators, it was electrifying for me. Certainly one of the most special games I've ever played. Fulham had extremely fast wingers on both sides, but we made it 1-1 just before the end. So there was a happy ending. 

“The atmosphere (at Carrow Road) was generally good, it was always sold out, with many of the 27,000 seats went to season ticket holders. I watched a game against Manchester City injured in the stands. We scored to go 1-0 up, but I still thought that at some point they would turn it up, roll over us and we would lose 1-4. Then we made it 2-0.  

“They made it 2-1 before the break, but we scored to make it 3-1 right after the break. And then something happened at the stadium. I really noticed how people started to believe in the sensation and how a connection was formed between the people in the stands and the players on the pitch. 

"The stadium burned. As a player, you only experience a few of these kinds of games, and that's a very special feeling. Incidentally, I experienced that again here in Darmstadt when we beat Gladbach in the cup this season.”