Derby County

Ellington has goals on his mind
Derby County striker Nathan Ellington has said he is desperate to get his career back on track at Pride Park. Ellington, who has joined the Rams on a season-long loan from Watford, was not a regular last term and scored just four goals in a miserable campaign. "Last season was the worst year in my career," the 26-year-old told Radio Derby. "I'm just itching to play again and show people what I can do. "If I play regularly I know I'm going to score goals. I know what I can do." Ellington takes great confidence from being able to renew acquaintances with Jewell - his former boss at Wigan. The powerful frontman scored 24 goals to help Jewell's Wigan side win promotion to the Premier League in 2005 but he left that summer and his career has stalled since then. "It's no secret that I've had the best time of my career under Paul Jewell," Ellington explained. "I didn't get to play as many games as I would have liked last season - it was very disappointing all round. "To give me the best chance to get my career back on track, I thought the best move would be to get back working with him again." Ellington is also convinced his move will become permanent. "I think it will happen and become permanent," he said. "It's just a matter of time really." And Ellington says, despite a troubled spell at Vicarage Road, he has learned a great deal from the experience. "It's tough to go through the hard times but it makes you a stronger player and I'm mentally strong and it's a learning curve," he said.

Bywater's Tottenham move is off
Derby County goalkeeper Stephen Bywater's move to Tottenham has fallen through, BBC Radio Derby has learned. Spurs were interested in signing the 27-year-old as back-up for Heurelho Gomes and Ben Alnwick. Rams boss Paul Jewell said: "I got a phone call to say for whatever reason the deal had fallen through but it was nothing to do with Stephen. "I can't say I'm disappointed because I think he's looked very sharp this season and done well." The former West Ham goalkeeper spent the end of last season on loan at Ipswich Town.

Jewell confident despite defeat
Derby County Paul Jewell says he is confident his side will return to form despite losing their first match back in the Championship. Doncaster Rovers beat the Rams 1-0 at Pride Park with a goal from Lewis Guy in the 59th minute. Jewell told BBC Radio Derby: "We have to do better, I'm fully aware of that and I know we will do. "I've got confidence in mine and my staff's ability to get it right. We've had one game - there are 45 left." He added: "You can afford to almost drop 40 points in this league and still get promoted but I'm aware that we need results." Rams striker Rob Hulse hit the post and missed a sitter that left Jewell still waiting for his first league win with the club. Derby face Lincoln City at home in the first round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Mears faces discipline over trial
Derby County defender Tyrone Mears will be disciplined by the club when he returns from an unauthorised trial with French side Marseille. The 25-year-old flew to France on Thursday believing that a loan deal had been agreed between the two clubs. However, Rams chairman of football Adam Pearson told BBC Radio Derby there was no deal and Mears would be punished. "To take off without being given permission and go on trial beggars belief," he said. "There is little doubt he will be disciplined in the most severe way possible. "We are prepared to sell him but the price will have to be right. He is a proven player with a transfer value." Mears joined Derby for £1m in 2007 from West Ham after an initial loan spell.

Commons may miss third Rams match
Derby manager Paul Jewell says he may be without injured Kris Commons for a third match in a row. The Mansfield-born midfielder has missed both Saturday's 1-1 draw with Cardiff at Pride Park and the trip to Swansea the previous weekend. Jewell told BBC Radio Derby: "We miss Kris because he opens the door for us a little bit. "We'll have to wait and see because his hamstring injury is a bit complicated but hopefully it's not too serious." Derby travel to QPR in the Championship on Saturday.

Brighton to sign Savage on loan
Brighton will sign veteran midfielder Robbie Savage on a one-month loan deal from Derby County later this week. The former Wales international, 33, who had spells with Blackburn and Birmingham City, worked with Seagulls boss Micky Adams at Leicester City. Savage was told last week he would be allowed to leave Pride Park on loan if the right offer came in for him. Seagulls boss Micky Adams told the club website: "He is a terrific character on and off the pitch." He continued: "Having worked with him before, I know the sort of quality he'll add to the team. "It means we have even more competition for places in the side." The combative midfielder had been linked with Port Vale, Crewe and hometown club Wrexham.

Wilson revealed as Derby investor
Canadian entrepreneur W Brett Wilson has been revealed as a major investor in Derby County. He is part of the international consortium that owns the Rams. The 51-year-old is one of Canada's leading business figures and the owner of an American Southern League baseball team, the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. But he has become best known in his home country for his role on the Canadian version of the Dragons' Den television programme. Derby chairman Andy Appleby told the club's website he hoped Wilson would help raise the club's profile overseas. "His role on Dragons' Den, which is one of the most popular programmes in Canada, will give Brett a fantastic platform to promote our club in his home country," he said. Wilson added: "I am very proud to be a part of Derby County and I want to use my profile in Canada to promote the club whenever possible. "As a Saskatchewan boy I know that fan commitment can run pretty deep but I was blown away by the level of community and corporate support that the Rams enjoy."

Zadkovich gets reserve match time
Derby County signing Ruben Zadkovich finally got match action for the Rams in a reserve league cup tie at Walsall. The Australian international, who was unveiled as a Derby player five months ago, scored against the Saddlers to earn the Rams a 2-2 draw on Wednesday. The versatile 22-year-old has been sidelined following a hernia operation. Zadkovich told the club website: "I now want to get as much game time as I can and I want to train hard to get back to full fitness." "It was obviously hard work as it was my first game after being out for a while but it was good to get out there," the former Notts County player said.

Derby's Commons could make return
Derby winger Kris Commons could return from injury on Saturday after being sidelined for a month. The 25-year-old has been out with a knee problem since the Rams' tie with Sheffield United on 13 September. Manager Paul Jewell told the club website: "Kris has trained this week and hopefully he will not have any reaction to his injury." But Jewell said Commons is not guaranteed to walk into side which will face Plymouth at home on Saturday.

FA probe into Norwich-Derby match
The Football Association is looking into match-fixing allegations relating to the Championship match between Norwich City and Derby on 4 October. Betting patterns during the 2-1 victory for Derby County will also be the subject of a parliamentary question in the House of Commons on Thursday. Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, will ask sport secretary Andy Burnham if he has heard from the FA on the matter. "I have to stress this is an allegation," said Lamb. An FA spokesman said: "The FA can confirm that it is investigating an allegation regarding the match between Norwich City and Derby County on 4 October. We are looking into whether there is any substance to this allegation. "There is no fixed time-scale to our inquiries and there will be no further comment at this time." A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: "Ministers take the integrity of sport and gambling very seriously, which is why the Government recently introduced a new offence of cheating at gambling which carries a maximum two-year jail sentence. "We want there to be no hiding place for cheats and it is right the FA investigate these serious allegations thoroughly. "Should evidence that the law has been broken emerge it is for the relevant authorities such as the Gambling Commission or the police to conduct that investigation." Speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk, Lamb added: "When anything like this enters our game the whole thing's destroyed because you lose trust. "It's important the FA investigates this as a matter of extreme urgency." The Sunday Telegraph last week confirmed that unusual betting patterns involving a Championship game had been reported on the Asian markets on Saturday, 4 October, but did not specify the match. "The Sunday Telegraph didn't mention the game but it's since emerged that the game did involve Norwich City and Derby County - a game I was at - but I have to stress this is an allegation," said Lamb. "What surprised me is what I heard last night, that as of yesterday the FA had not approached Norwich City or Derby. "I find that extraordinary given that we were told on Sunday that the game was being investigated," he added. A response from Burnham is expected in the House of Commons at some point in the next week, although Lamb would like to hear something sooner. "Now this is in the public domain the government and, critically, the FA need to make a very clear statement about what's going on," he said.

Barazite to undergo injury scan
On-loan Derby County midfielder Nacer Barazite is to have a scan on Thursday after being stretchered off in the Rams' 3-2 defeat at Blackpool. The Dutch Under-19 international suffered a knee injury in the second half of Tuesday's game. Rams manager Paul Jewell told Radio Derby: "It's medial knee ligament damage at the moment but on Thursday we will know the severity." The 18-year-old is on loan from Arsenal, whom he joined in 2007. Jewell said was not pleased with referee Andy Hall's behaviour when Barazite went down. He said: "I don't think it's right that the referee's smiling and talking to their manager while my player's lying on the floor." Derby face Coventry away on Saturday.

Dons swoop for Derby keeper Price
Milton Keynes Dons have signed Derby County goalkeeper Lewis Price on a one-month loan deal. The 24-year-old Welsh international will cover for Willy Gueret, who is banned for three games after being sent off against Cheltenham on Saturday. Gueret's deputy, Nathan Abbey, finished the same game nursing an ankle injury. Price joined the Rams from Ipswich Town in July 2007 for an undisclosed fee and made six appearances in the Premier League last season. He will initially stay with the Dons until 26 November and has been given permission by Derby to play in their FA Cup first round tie against Bradford City.

Savage may have future at Derby
Derby County manager Paul Jewell has said midfielder Robbie Savage may still have a role to play at Pride Park. The 34-year-old, who has played three league games for the Rams this season, has returned to Pride Park following a month's loan at Brighton. Jewell told Radio Derby: "In football it's important to never say never, Robbie Savage is no different to any other player. "If he comes and does his best he's got a chance of being in the team." Savage's last game for Brighton was due to be against Millwall on Saturday but he has returned to the East Midlands early because of a shin injury.

Lebanese club deny Savage rumours
Lebanese club Al Ansar have denied reports that Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage is about to join them. The 34-year-old was linked to the Beirut-based side after details of a trip to the Middle East emerged. Al Ansar boss Builal Farraj said: "We invited him to come to Beirut and to visit the team just like we previously did with other football stars. "We have asked him to come and visit the team and check the level of Lebanese football." Farraj added: "We have previously invited South Africa's former skipper Pierre Isa and he came to Lebanon and watched one of our matches. "It's only a social activity that we do and it is one of our programmes." Savage spent last month on loan to Brighton but has returned to the East Midlands because of a shin injury.

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