Derby County star can feel unlucky after Rams supporters reveal: View | OneFootball

Derby County head into the final game of the league season knowing a single point will be enough to secure a return to the Championship.

This 2023/24 season turned out to be very successful for the club, as midway through it looked very sour, as fans were calling for manager Paul Warne to be sacked.

But the Rams stuck with the former Rotherham United manager, and they are now benefiting from that, as they sit in second place on 89 points, three clear of third place Bolton Wanderers with one game left.

So, it seems certain that Derby are going to end up in the second tier, as they face bottom side Carlisle United at home on Saturday, knowing a point is enough for promotion. Leading up to this game, the club has held their annual awards evening, which is an opportunity to look back on the season and reward individuals who have been outstanding.

There were probably a number of players that could have been in line to win the fans' Player of the Season award, but it was defender Curtis Nelson who ran out the winner after having an excellent campaign.

It has been an excellent first season at Derby County for Curtis Nelson, as he only joined the club last summer on a free transfer from Blackpool.

The centre-back has been vital for the Rams, as he’s played in all 45 league games, starting every single one.

In that time, Nelson has also chipped in with two goals, one in the draw with Cheltenham Town earlier in the season and then a winner in the 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic.

Overall, the 30-year-old has played 50 games for Derby in all competitions, and his availability plus his assured performances saw him not only pick up the club’s Jack Stamps Player of the Season award, but the defender also claimed the Players' Player of the Season award as well.

Nelson has had an excellent campaign with Derby, and he will be looking to round that up with promotion on the weekend, but one Derby player could feel a little unlucky not to win the Supporters Player of the Season, and that is Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing can feel unlucky he didn’t win Derby supporters’ Player of the Season award

While Curtis Nelson has had a very good season and there are no arguments that he doesn’t deserve the award, fellow Derby County player Nathaniel Mendez-Laing can also feel a little unlucky that he was a winner.

The 32-year-old has been with the Rams for two seasons now after joining the club in 2022 on a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday.

Since joining the Rams, Mendez-Laing has been a good addition to the club, as he netted seven goals and grabbed eight assists in 44 League One games last season.

But in this campaign, the winger has taken his game up a level, with him being a key contributor to Derby’s attack.

Mendez-Laing has so far got nine goals and an impressive 15 assists in 45 league games, with the winger failing to start just one of those matches.

It was a bit of a slow start for the attacker, but midway through the campaign, he soon started to find his feet again and was showing why he is arguably too good for League One. But his form in the new year really helped to kickstart Derby’s attack on to the top two, as he was scoring goals but was creating several chances for his teammates, therefore picking up lots of assists.

Mendez-Laing’s all-round attacking display has made him one of the best performers in the league, as he’s averaging two shots per game, and he could have easily added to his nine goals, as he’s missed 10 big chances.

But his creative ability is clear to see, as the winger has created an impressive 19 big chances for his teammates, as well as two key passes per game. Mendez-Laing has also done his work in defence, as he’s recovered the ball 4.2 times per game, as per Sofascore.com.

Both Nelson and Mendez-Laing have been excellent for Derby this season and have both in their way deserved the award, and while not many will argue with the decision for the defender to win, it may just be said that Mendez-Laing might feel a little hard done by, as he has also had a very impressive season for the League One side.

But the winger will know that he has contributed enormously this season, and he will likely swap any personal recognition for promotion and playing back in the Championship next season.