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Forest job forces Dyche out of community hub event

Alex PopeNorthamptonshire
Getty Images Sean Dyche standing on the Nottingham Forest pitch with his arms folded. He is wearing a blue, short-sleeved football shirt. The empty stand, which is out of focus, can be seen g=behind himGetty Images
Sean Dyche was appointed manager of Nottingham Forest on 21 October

A community group had to find a replacement guest of honour after Sean Dyche pulled out of an opening ceremony.

Poppies Community Centre in Kettering had booked the Premier League manager for its grand opening on Sunday, but he texted to say he would unfortunately be elsewhere.

The message came after Dyche - born in Kettering - had been appointed the new boss of Nottingham Forest, succeeding Ange Postecoglou, who lasted just 39 days at the club.

Paula Conde-Sharpe, from the community group, said she still loved him as he had "never forgotten his roots".

Paula Conde-Sharpe A Grand Opening poster, with an image of Sean Dyche, to the left, four football to the right, on a metal frame. Paula Conde-Sharpe
Sean Dyche was the poster boy for the grand opening of the Poppies Community Centre

The centre was ready to open after volunteers spent 16 years transforming the old Maplefields school.

Ms Conde-Sharpe, said: "It's been a long, long time to get this over the line.

"The school was very sad, tired - there were even trees growing inside, it had been neglected for so long."

She said it had now been "lovingly restored" complete with basketball court, renovated kitchen and toilets.

Paula Conde-Sharpe Paula Conde-Sharpe, Jason Sharpe and Anne Ahktar, in a room, looking at the camera. Paula has a beige cap on, and white top, Jason, a paint splattered top and Anne has long dark hair with glasses on her head. Paula Conde-Sharpe
Paula Conde-Sharpe (left), Jason Sharpe and Anne Ahktar spent hours getting the centre ready for Sunday's grand opening

The renovation became possible after George Akhtar, owner of Kettering Town Football Club, helped secure a 17-year lease and offered help and support.

Posters for Sunday's ceremony, at 13:00 GMT, said it featured "special guest Sean Dyche".

"He really selfishly got the Nottingham job, so he's not available," Ms Conde-Sharpe told BBC Radio Northampton.

She said she held no grudges and had hoped Dyche would get the job.

"He's a great Kettering lad.

"He never forgets his roots. He's done so much for Kettering Football Club, he never charges the club for appearances."

Paula Conde-Sharpe A community centre, that looks like a sports hall, complete with a temporary stage, two tables with red clothes on them, some bunting up, some signs, two basket ball hoops on the wall and red metal frames in the roof. Paula Conde-Sharpe
Groups who have already booked the community centre's hall include a choir, a scout group and a karate team

It was not the only event Dyche had to pull out of.

He announced on BBC Nottingham he had to cancel a commitment with a credit card company to attend his first press conference.

Ms Conde-Sharpe said she was not worried about the last-minute changes to Sunday's opening as "plenty of exciting guests are coming", including Kettering Town "legend" Brett Solkhon.

Getty Images Sean Dyche at Nottingham Forest, wearing a blue football top, standing by a wall, smiling and looking at the camera. He has a red bear and bald head. Getty Images
Dyche was on the books of Forest as a youth team player in the late 1980s

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