Back in my first RamZone article of the New Year, I included this paragraph; “…I have decided this new year to reverse, if only for the time being, a long-held belief of mine.”

“In the first half hour of our opening day fixture at Bolton, as we all remember, Will Hughes and Craig Bryson were removed from the action with serious injuries. That had a massive impact both on these young men’s’ careers and on the Rams’ season. That being the case, I have decided that when Bolton Wanderers’ relegation is finally confirmed, I will permit myself a small smile.”

What a delicious irony that Bolton’s relegation was confirmed against the Rams, and that Will Hughes made his return in the same match. I permitted myself a small smile on Saturday, just as promised.

With Saturday’s win against Bolton, it looks to me as though a playoff place for the Rams — while not assured — is looking highly likely. So it is time, for the moment, to put league form aside and look at the other big issue facing supporters at this time of year; which Rams players will be leaving the club at the end of the season?

The first and easiest category of players to look at is those who are out of contract this summer with anyone out of contract at the end of the season, who has not renewed by now, surely must be gone by now.

There are only two Rams players with significant first team experience who are out of contract this summer, Stephen Warnock and Conor Sammon. Yes, you read that correctly; Sammon’s seemingly never-ending contract is almost over, and as of the 1st July there will be nobody named Conor Sammon on Derby County’s books.

It seems to me as though there should be some official recognition of this long-awaited event; perhaps the club chairman could break a bottle of champagne over the head of the manager responsible for the signing, Nigel Clough.

Another group of players who might see some movement, although it is by no means certain, are those who are still under contract but look to have no future with the Rams and are currently out on loan. Raul Albentosa (contract expires in 2017), Alex Pearce (2018), Chris Baird (2017) and Ryan Shotton (2017), all could return next season but I predict the club will be making strenuous efforts to find clubs for them.

Another player who remains under contract until 2017 is Darren Bent. He also seems to have a very limited future with the Rams and may well decide to further his career elsewhere. If so, the club is unlikely to stand in his way.

If the Rams win promotion at the end of this season, I would think Lee Grant will stay. He is under contract until 2017 and we usually reckon that Premier League clubs require three goalkeepers. But if the Rams do not go up this season, I think Lee may well look to leave; again, and I think the club would be unlikely to stand in his way.

A more controversial group of players that could see some movement is those whose signings we may label “Big Mistakes”. These are players who were brought into the club at significant expense with long term contracts but who have not so far looked like contributing much. For me, these players are Andreas Weimann (under contract until 2019), Nick Blackman (also 2019) and Abdoul Camara (yes, you guessed: 2019).

This group will be tough ones to move; all will be making good money and are unlikely to attract a better offer than the one they currently have. All are talented players but Weimann and Blackman have not really looked like succeeding at Derby, while Camara has not yet been given a chance.

Could they still succeed at Derby? Well, even Chris Martin was not an immediate success for the Rams and time is certainly on their side; but I could see all three spending next season on loan somewhere if permanent moves cannot be arranged.

My final category of those likely to leave is midfielders. With the return to fitness of Craig Bryson and Will Hughes, the Rams have six experienced central midfielders in Hughes, Bryson, Jeff Hendrick, Jacob Butterfield, Bradley Johnson and George Thorne, in addition to youngster Jamie Hanson. It is simply too many, and I expect at least two to be moving on this summer; my best guess would be Hendrick and Johnson though Butterfield would also be a possibility.

Looking back over these names, I am struck by an odd thought; for all of the Rams’ busy transfer market activity over the last year or so, the team is becoming more and more filled by those who have been around for a while.

Keogh and Martin have been regulars for the season, Russell is returning to form, Hughes and Bryson are back from injury, even Christie and Thorne can no longer be classed as newcomers.

So many of the players signed last summer and in the January window have yet to make any impact with the Rams and several of them do not look as though they will be staying long.

I have said it before, and it deserves repeating: the transfer market is a dangerous place for the uninitiated. Whichever division the Rams are playing in next season, I hope that any incoming transfer activity will be handled by someone other than the person responsible for these recent failures.

Whether we remain in the Championship or complete our return to form with promotion, quite a few players will be leaving DCFC.

It looks like being an interesting summer down at the iPro and next week I will give some consideration to those positions that the club may look to strengthen in 2016/17.

Till then — COYR!!

Photo: Action Images

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