Derby County

Gadsby ready for Derby takeover
Former Derby director and property developer Peter Gadsby hopes to take over at the Championship club. The current board revealed last week that it has held discussions with venture capitalists Sisu about a new investment plan for the club. But Gadsby claims he has a consortium ready to table a takeover offer. "We feel that now is a critical time for the club as there are some key decisions being taken, such as a new manager and finance," said Gadsby. "The fans have shown the club a lot of support and we felt they needed some support from us - that we were showing some serious interest in taking the club over." Gadsby was a director at Pride Park under then-chairman Lionel Pickering and was a key figure in the move to Pride Park in 1997. Derby are an estimated £44m in debt, while current chairman John Sleightholme and his board have been heavily criticised by supporters. Phil Brown was sacked as manager at the club on 30 January and coach Terry Westley has been in charge on a temporary basis.

Nyatanga to build on Wales debut
Lewin Nyatanga says his display in a record-breaking Wales debut has given him the confidence to believe he has a future on the international stage. Nyatanga, 17, hardly put a foot wrong as he became Wales' youngest player in a 0-0 draw with Paraguay on Wednesday. "It was a good evening for me. I really enjoyed it," the Derby defender told Sir Stanley. "But this is the first step. I've got to keep working hard - hopefully there will be more performances like this." A toe infection had threatened to scupper Nyatanga's hopes of breaking Ryan Green's record as the youngest Wales international. But once he proved his fitness in Tuesday's training session, manager John Toshack had no hesitation in putting him into a near full-strength side for the St David's Day match at the Millennium Stadium. Nyatanga slotted in seamlessly to Wales' defence on the left-hand side of a three-man backline alongside Danny Gabbidon and James Collins. He said he was unfazed at the prospect of re-writing the record books, stressing that keeping his place in the side will be his biggest challenge. "Getting my debut doesn't take any of the pressure off," said Nyatanga, who qualifies for Wales through his Welsh-born mother and is the youngest player to captain the Under-21 side. "I still want to become a better player, so I'll keep putting that pressure on myself to keep improving." Goalkeeper Paul Jones was given a surprise start in ahead of 21-year-old Lewis Price, but Toshack said he felt Nyatanga needed the experience of the 38-year-old QPR stopper to guide him through. And Jones said: "I was a bit surprised to get the nod, but I still enjoy playing and want to go on as long as I can. "As for Lewin he looked confident and it was a great debut. I'm 38 and he's 17 so there is a big gap between us and seeing kids like that playing does make me feel my age a bit. "But I want to continue playing as long as I can." Ryan Giggs once held the record a Wales' youngest player, and the captain said Nyatanga's solid defending and intelligent distribution proved he will become a key part of the Welsh squad. "It was a very good debut; he didn't put a foot wrong," said 32-year-old Giggs. "His passing was good, but he's been good in training all week and he'll keep on improving. "If he does that he'll have a place in the Wales team for years to come."

Watford 2-2 Derby
Substitute Al Bangura grabbed a late goal to rescue a point for Watford. Kevin Lisbie gave Derby the lead against the run of play when he raced onto Adam Bolder's pass and trickled a low shot into the far corner. Marlon King fired the Hornets level with a smart finish from 18 yards and later hit the post as the home side poured forward. But Giles Barnes slid in to put the Rams ahead before Bangura made it 2-2 with a fine shot deep in injury-time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd: "If we win our next nine matches between now and the end of the season I think we'll do it. "I believe we'll get an automatic promotion spot. "There are a lot more twists and turns to be taken between now and the end of the season and all I'm doing now is focusing on the next game." Derby manager Terry Westley: "If you had said to me before the game we would go to a team chasing automatic promotion, and get a draw we would have settled for that. "Their equaliser was controversial as the ball hit his arm and then rebounded into his path for the shot. "If you're at home and everyone screams 'handball', maybe you get that decision." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Watford: Foster, Doyley, Mackay, Carlisle, Stewart, Eagles (McNamee 80), Mahon, Spring, Bouazza (Bangura 45), King, Young. Subs Not Used: Chamberlain, Chambers, DeMerit. Booked: Mackay, Bangura. Goals: King 35, Bangura 90. Derby: Camp, Edworthy, Moore, Wright, Barnes, Nyatanga, Holmes, Bolder, Idiakez, Smith, Lisbie (Peschisolido 67). Subs Not Used: Poole, Kenna, Bisgaard, Thirlwell. Booked: Camp. Goals: Lisbie 19, Barnes 86. Att: 16,769. Ref: A Leake (Lancashire).

Derby 3-0 Burnley
Derby's first-half onslaught against Burnley helped them ease to victory. The home side attacked in waves and took the lead when Michael McIndoe's cross was headed across goal by Kevin Lisbie and Tommy Smith tapped in. Inigo Idiakez added a second for the Rams when his low free-kick went through a Burnley wall and past unsighted keeper Brian Jensen. Another Idiakez set-piece struck the crossbar and left Darren Moore to head in to complete the home side's win. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby boss Terry Westley: "That's as good as I've seen us in my time in charge, and in my four years at the club. "Our attacking flair, the movement of the players when they don't have the ball, it was the best I've seen. "We didn't sit back and we finished the game off. I thought the second half was as good for our defensive shape and our determination to keep a clean sheet." Burnley boss Steve Cotterill: "I thought we had as much if not more possession but we've not actually hurt them. "The second goal, it's not a foul for me, but they've got a free-kick right on the edge of the box. "It's difficult when the referee has given them a cheap free-kick. I thought the crowd did a good job today of intimidating the referee." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby: Camp, Edworthy, Nyatanga, Moore, Wright, Smith, Bolder, Idiakez, Barnes (Thirlwell 80), McIndoe (Holmes 85), Lisbie (Peschisolido 88). Subs Not Used: Poole, Jackson. Goals: Smith 19, Idiakez 29, Moore 34. Burnley: Jensen, Thomas, McGreal, Sinclair (Duff 70), Harley, Elliott, McCann, Hyde (Branch 57), James O'Connor (Spicer 45), Garreth O'Connor, Ricketts. Subs Not Used: Noel-Williams, Lafferty. Booked: Sinclair, McGreal, Hyde. Att: 23,292. Ref: P Joslin (Nottinghamshire).

Luton v Derby
Luton midfielder Steve Robinson is set to return to action for the first time in two months following a knee injury. Skipper Kevin Nicholls is now out with a similar ligament injury and in attack Warren Feeney could replace Rowan Vine. On-loan striker Kevin Lisbie has shaken off a hamstring injury and will be included in the Derby County squad. Defender Richard Jackson is also likely to be in the travelling party having proved his fitness from a hamstring injury in a midweek reserves outing.

Luton 1-0 Derby
Steve Howard's second-half strike was enough to give Luton victory. Carlos Edwards volleyed wide for the Hatters who also threatened when Chris Coyne met a Sol Davis free-kick and headed just wide from close range. Derby's best two efforts came from Darren Moore who headed wide from Inigo Idiakez's free-kick and then nodded over the bar minutes later. Coyne set up Howard for the winner and only a good save by Lee Camp stopped Rowan Vine adding a second for Luton. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luton manager Mike Newell: "It's a result we wanted and I think we deserved it over the 90 minutes. "We played some decent football, created a lot of chances and kept a clean sheet so it was pretty pleasing all round. "We tried to pick as experienced a team as possible because we've struggled in the past few games to get a result. "We wanted our experienced players to help get us a result and that's what they've done." Derby caretaker manager Terry Westley: "It was very disappointing, especially after the way we played last week. "We thought that with that momentum we might be able to have a go at Luton, but that didn't happen and in the end we were left with exactly what we deserved from the game - nothing. "It was a dour game, but it's not a Terry Westley problem that has happened to us over the past eight weeks. "Giles Barnes was leading the way for us at the age of just 18 and there were some harsh words said at half-time." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luton: Beresford, Foley, Perrett, Coyne, Davis, Edwards, Brkovic (Bell 71), Robinson, Underwood, Howard, Feeney (Vine 77). Subs Not Used: Showunmi, Brill, Barnett. Booked: Robinson. Goals: Howard 72. Derby: Camp, Edworthy, Moore, Nyatanga, Wright, Smith, Bolder, Idiakez (Peschisolido 77), Barnes, McIndoe (Holmes 60), Lisbie. Subs Not Used: Thirlwell, Jackson, Poole. Att: 9,163 Ref: N Miller (Co Durham).

MacKay leaves post at Pride Park
Derby County director of football Murdo MacKay has left Pride Park. MacKay's future at the club has been in doubt for most of the season and he had been due to leave in February after offering to resign in December. A club statement said: "He joined the Rams two years ago and the board would like to thank him for his hard work and commitment at the club. "He made a valuable contribution during his time at Derby County," the board stated on the club's website. MacKay said events behind the scenes, including the sale of striker Grzegorz Rasiak to Tottenham, led to his departure. "It's a sad day for me, emotional, and at times I've struggled to hold it together," he said. "It's been a privilege to have been here but I can leave with my head held high and be proud of what I've achieved. "But things have gone on. For instance, the Rasiak transfer killed us. "No matter what anyone says, it was a heavy blow for this football club. "And the board have also changed my job description. "I haven't changed as a person but they changed the way they wanted me to do the job. "On the whole I leave with positive memories though."

Derby 2-1 Crystal Palace
Derby belied their low league position to seal a last-gasp victory against promotion-chasing Crystal Palace. Inigo Idiakez gave the Rams victory when he converted the rebound from his own saved penalty after Darren Ward had tripped Kevin Lisbie inside the box. A superb, curling 25-yard effort from Idiakez on 27 minutes had cancelled out Clinton Morrison's tap-in opener for the Eagles. Jobi McAnuff earlier rattled the Derby crossbar from the edge of the box. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby manager Terry Westley: "The performance had courage, desire, energy and, above all, ability. "We showed we had real ability and we should be a lot higher than we are in the table (18th). "The only thing missing is mentality. Away from home we have only won twice and that shows something needs to be done about it." Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie: "I don't want to talk about him (referee Alan Wiley) but what he did out there has made it impossible. "He wants to be the centre of attention and he's spoiled a very good game right at the death. "I didn't think it was a penalty, no way. We've had two at the other end that haven't been given." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby: Camp, Jackson, Nyatanga, Moore, Wright, Smith, Bolder, Idiakez, Barnes, McIndoe, Lisbie. Subs Not Used: Poole, Bisgaard, Peschisolido, Thirlwell, Edworthy. Booked: Wright, Idiakez. Goals: Idiakez 28, 90 pen. Crystal Palace: Kiraly, Boyce, Ward, Fitz Hall, Leigertwood, McAnuff (Soares 90), Watson, Riihilahti (Reich 77), Hughes, Johnson, Morrison (Freedman 89). Subs Not Used: Speroni, Popovic. Booked: Leigertwood, Boyce. Goals: Morrison 18. Att: 24,857 Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

Reading 5-0 Derby
Reading ran riot with five second half goals to clinch the Championship title. James Harper put them ahead after 58 minutes, evading several tackles to score and Kevin Doyle nodded in Bobby Convey's corner six minutes later. Substitute Jon Oster added a third after 69 minutes and Shane Long quickly headed home captain Graeme Murty's cross as Derby crumbled. Long crowned a brilliant move with the fifth to spark off scenes of wild celebrations at the Madejski Stadium. Reading's supporters chanted "That's Why We're Champions" as Steve Coppell's Premiership-bound side turned on the style to destroy Derby. Chairman John Madejsk applauded all sides of the stadium before kick-off as Reading celebrated top-flight football for the first time in their 135-year history. But there was little sign of the carnage to come in a tight first-half when Derby gave as good as they got. Derby did not enter the party spirit and a swift break saw Giles Barnes carry the ball 50 yards before firing a low strike too close to Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann. And Paul Peschisolido was denied the opening goal by the linesman's flag. Every Royals attack was greeted by shouts of "ole" and "shoot" but the hosts resisted the temptation until top scorer Dave Kitson's speculative turn and half-volley sailed over. Another Derby break ended with Hahnemann grasping Michael McIndoe's drive, the policy appearing to be shoot on sight, with Barnes scuffing his second long-range effort wide. Convey was too slow reacting to Kitson's through ball but almost made up for it with a stinging volley which unfortunately deflected behind off the striker. A clear-cut opportunity was finally created when Steve Sidwell exchanged passes with Kitson but blazed over with the goal at his mercy, before Derby survived a penalty shout when the ball appeared to strike Adam Bolder on the arm. But there was no respite for Derby after the break as Reading stepped up the tempo to win the title with a flourish. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reading manager Steve Coppell: "I think it was fitting we went up as champions. "We have led the pack for an awfully long time and the second half performance reflected what we've been about all season. "The final result was the right way to do it and confirm us as champions." Derby manager Terry Westley: "All congratulations and the plaudits should go to Reading. "They are an outstanding team who have secured promotion, and the championship as well, and have done it so soon. "Reading is a well-organised club with an outstanding manager and the players have shown they want to go places." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Sidwell, Little (Oster 69), Harper, Convey (Hunt 68), Kitson, Doyle (Long 72). Subs Not Used: Stack, Gunnarsson. Goals: Harper 59, Doyle 65, Oster 70, Long 74, 83. Derby: Camp, Jackson, Nyatanga, Moore, Wright, Bolder (Bisgaard 72), Idiakez, Barnes, McIndoe, Smith, Peschisolido (Ainsworth 72). Subs Not Used: Poole, Thirlwell, Hanson. Att: 22,981 Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).

Idiakez claims Championship award
Derby County midfielder Inigo Idiakez has been named as the Championship's player of the month for March. The 32-year-old Spaniard scored three goals in four games during the month, including a brace in the Rams' 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. He is Derby's leading scorer this season with 11 goals from 40 games. The other contenders for the award were two strikers - Leicester's Iain Hume and Deon Burton of Sheffield Wednesday - and Plymouth keeper Romain Larrieu.

Keeper keen to commit to Oldham
On-loan Oldham goalkeeper Lee Grant has confirmed a permanent move from Derby in the summer would appeal to him. Grant, 23, has played 10 games for the Latics to help them into the play-offs since arriving from Pride Park, where he was third-choice keeper. "I've made it clear I'm enjoying myself and would be more than happy to stay," Grant told the Oldham Chronicle. "There's a lot of water to go under the bridge first, but it would be great if the parties could sort something out."

El Hamdaoui discusses Rams future
Tottenham striker Mounir El Hamdaoui has returned to Derby for talks over a potential comeback at Pride Park. The 21-year-old joined Derby on loan for the rest of the season at the end of January - but has been sidelined with a hernia problem since February. "Under the terms of his contract, we are paying his wages," Rams boss Terry Westley told his club's website. "But he's obviously a bit dubious about returning, as he has played here twice and picked up two major injuries." El Hamdaoui first moved to Derby on loan in September, scoring twice in six appearances before he was injured. However, after his return in January, he only managed two starts before picking up a groin problem which required surgery. "There are are only four games left, but we are going to look at his mental condition," Westley added. "If he is in the right frame of mind, he will train on Thursday and be available for selection if I want him."

Derby v Millwall
Striker Mounir El Hamdaoui is expected to make a surprise return on loan from Spurs having been ruled out for the season with a hernia. Striker Kevin Lisbie is only rated 50-50 with a hamstring problem while Adam Bolder has a foot injury. Millwall midfielder Jody Morris is likely to make his first appearance since fracturing a cheekbone seven games ago. Defender Paul Robinson is banned after 10 bookings.

Derby 1-0 Millwall
Tommy Smith's winner put Derby within touching distance of Championship safety and pushed Millwall further toward the relegation trapdoor. Smith notched his sixth goal of the season with a low drive from the edge of the box which beat Lions' keeper Colin Doyle's dive. Millwall dominated the first half, but lacked ideas in the last third of the pitch to trouble Derby's defence. On-loan Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie spurned two chances to seal the game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby caretaker boss Terry Westley: "Crewe are 11 points behind us with four to play so mathematically they can catch us, but we're nearly safe. "I'd like to be able to sort out the problems we have when we play away. "But we've won four on the trot at home, and at this stage of the season, that's the most important thing." Millwall boss David Tuttle: "We're staring it in the face. We have to win our next four games, we've only won five all season. "So you would say we are getting relegated. Our problem all season has been scoring goals and we've not been good enough. "We had 75% of the play, created lots of chances, but not had a shot at goal which is disappointing." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Derby: Camp, Edworthy, Moore, Nyatanga, Wright (Jackson 70), Barnes, Idiakez, Seth Johnson (Bolder 63), Smith, Lisbie, El Hamdaoui (McIndoe 64). Subs Not Used: Poole, Peschisolido. Goals: Smith 31. Millwall: Doyle, Phillips, Lawrence, Whitbread, Dunne, Livermore, Elliott, Morris (Vincent 29), Craig, Asaba (Powel 79), May, Vincent (Cogan 72). Subs Not Used: Braniff, Brooks. Booked: Phillips. Att: 24,415. Ref: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).

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