Derby born player and fan Chris Riggott - yesterday signed a one year deal to once again become a DCFC player. With little room for romance in football it seems Nigel Clough is wining and dining it this season.
Chris passed a medical earlier this week which paved the way for him to sign on the dotted line but in true Derby fashion, ironically it was revealed he has an Achilles injury which may keep him out for two weeks. The more things change…..
After being plagued by injury during the latter part of his time at Middlesbrough, Riggott was released earlier this year by Cardiff city after only managing 2 games for the club. A serious back problem made playing more and more difficult for Riggott after at one stage, looking like becoming an elite top flight defender for Boro.
Chris now has his fingers crossed that a recent operation will finally have fixed the ongoing issue and will allow the 30 year old to return to regular action. Wherever Riggott was playing, Rams fans would have wished him all the best but when he attempted a come back most would never have thought it would be at Pride Park.
Nigel Clough spoke to the official site about the return of the Rams prodigal son:
"We're pleased to have Chris on board to give us another option in defence. We have said all along that as long as he proved his fitness to us, we would get him signed up on a year's contract.”
"Chris hasn't played for almost two years so we have to be a bit patient with him in terms of getting back to match sharpness and secondary injuries he may pick up. He needs to get used to training on a regular basis again and playing matches, but that will come.”
"At 30 years of age he still has plenty to offer, which is something he has shown in the short time he has been training with us."
Chris Riggott was one of the most popular players in his time at the Rams and accrued 100 games for the club which included winning the clubs ‘Player Of The Year’ award in the 01/02 season.
A promising career that began at Derby in 1999 featured highlights such as being capped in the England Under-21 squad but after the Rams were relegated - sadly he was forced to split from the team he loved when he was sold to Boro.
Riggott always looked like he would go from strength to strength and went on to become a regular in the Middlesbrough team. 148 appearances and eight goals in just under eight years were marred by injury and the inability to get his body right to deliver the quality he showed on a regular basis.
When Chris originally was offered the opportunity for a second stint at the Rams, Nigel Clough spoke to the DET and was positive he could offer the team something:
"He is ideal not just as defensive cover. If he is fully fit you would hope he would be pushing for a start. All of a sudden, we could have five good centre-halves – Shaun Barker, Jason Shackell, Russell Anderson, Jake Buxton and Chris Riggott – and we know from last season that you cannot have enough of them.”
"There are certain areas on the pitch where you need that strength in depth and centre-half is one of them. If we had to start the season with all five of those we would be more than happy."
"He had an operation around the end of last season and we hope that will cure the problem that has dogged him for the past couple of years. It will all be down to his back – that is what has kept him out and restricted him playing so much.”
"If we can find a solution to that, there is no reason at all why he can't get back to playing at this level. It's not as if he's 34 or 35. He's a couple of weeks behind but has been working over most of the summer, so some of the slog of pre-season, he will be doing. But we will get him involved in games as soon as we can."
"He's been out a long time, so we will have to take our time and be patient but it's a no lose situation for everybody. Chris wants to get back playing again and he's a Derby lad, so it's ideal. He was a popular figure when he was here before and he can be again.”
"He's got great experience at this level and I'm sure if we get him back at Pride Park in a Derby shirt, he will be just as popular as he was – and that's our aim."
As an admirer of Riggott during his early years with the Rams, I find it exciting that Chris has the chance to prove he still has something to offer and even more exciting that it if it does, it could take place at the Rams.
At only 30 years of age, if his back operation solves the problems that have plagued him, a fit again Riggott would be a massive signing who could bring great experience and talent to the squad.
A fit and firing Riggott would cost millions in today’s market and could prove to mirror the Seth Johnson scenario.
Perhaps things won’t work out but the last time this happened with Seth - it sent our pulses racing and we fell in love all over again as the lad played a massive part in the clubs promotion season.
Whatever way this story ends - there is little to lose for the Rams and possibly a lot to gain. For Chris there is an opportunity to renew a romance with his home town team and give his career the final hurrah that he so richly deserves.
Call me an old romantic but I really hope this has a happy ending. There is little room anymore for sentiment in football but frankly there should be as it feels really good to have him back and Nigel has given the fans a second chance with a long lost love.
As the ‘Clough’ romance with Derby reaches crunch time this season, so will Riggott’s chances of successfully playing elite football. Hopefully both will gain positive momentum in 11/12.
Good luck Chris - I doubt there are many Rams fans who won’t be cheering for you every step of the way!