Norwich City's summer signing Carlo Nash insists there is no reason why the Canaries' can not match his former club Stoke's Premier League longevity.

The Potters' six consecutive seasons in the top flight is the envy of the majority of their rivals, but the experienced keeper believes his new team is also heading along the right path. Nash has detected plenty of positive signals since moving to Carrow Road on a free transfer to provide experienced back-up to City number one John Ruddy and Mark Bunn, with Declan Rudd on a season-long loan at Preston and Jed Steer rejecting a new contract offer to link up with Paul Lambert at Aston Villa.

'Both are ambitious clubs. Both are trying to develop the facilities and that side of it so hopefully Norwich can emulate that and maintain their position as a Premier League club,' he said. 'The first thing is to stay in the division and you ask any team apart from the top five and their aim is consolidation and make sure we are here next year. Then if you go for that and you do achieve that you can kick on from here.

'I think we have to aim as high as we can. It is going to be a tough year. Obviously there are no easy seasons, and the stats prove that. Second and third seasons are just as tough to survive as the first and we need to hit the ground running against Everton and get some points on the board early doors.'

Nash previously spent two years at Goodison Park where he saw the early career development of Ruddy - who returned to the England squad on Thursday for next week's Wembley friendly against Scotland - and the 39-year-old had little hesitation in accepting Chris Hughton's close season offer for a reunion with the England international: 'It is a magnificent move for me. Considering the age I am and where I am in footballing terms it is a great move for me,' he said. 'To go to a Premier club is something I could not have asked any more for and I am looking forward to the new season so much. The manager didn't have to sell it to me. I knew what the gaffer is all about and how professional he is and the club. As soon as I heard about the interest I was hoping it would come off.

'I worked with John at Everton when he was a youngster and I know a couple of the other lads from just being on the circuit and they have all made me feel at home and settle in nicely. The lads here are fantastic.

'They are a great set and it shows in the togetherness on the pitch. I've been brought in as back-up and we are a tight goalkeeping unit so we want to push each other all the way.