Reports On How Derby County’s Loan Players Are Faring

Derby County added 12 players to their squad last summer in a busy window ahead of a return to the Championship following promotion success the season before.

But while there have been plenty of additions, there have been a few departures on loan too, with Tyrese Fornah sealing a move to Salford City.

Striker Tony Weston is also out on loan, this time with National League side Boston United, while Sonny Bradley sealed a departure from Derby to Wycombe Wanderers as he looks to help the Chairboys achieve promotion. Max Bardell is also plying his trade currently with AFC Fylde.

Rams reporter Leigh Curtis has taken a look at how they are getting on…

Sonny Bradley

The centre-back sealed a loan move to Wycombe Wanderers in January and hit the ground running as he looks to help the Chairboys seal promotion to the Championship.

He was immediately involved in a 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield just 24 hours after signing.

Bradley then followed up that game with a goal against Portsmouth in an FA Cup victory. Apart from that defeat to the Terriers, he has not lost a league game since. He was sent off in a 1-1 draw against Cambridge United for violent conduct, but his red card was overturned by the FA.

He was excellent in an FA Cup clash against Championship Preston but Wycombe lost on penalties. However, in the last two games he has been dropped to the substitutes’ bench. Wycombe boss Mike Dodds said after the win over Bristol Rovers recently: “I have got the best job and the worst job as I am going to have to look at some players in the eye and say they’re not playing.

“I had to do that with Sonny [Bradley], who has been terrific in the last two games.

“But, I felt in this game, the pairing of Joe Low and Caleb Taylor was probably the right choice and thankfully, I have been vindicated for it.

“That’s my role and sometimes I get it right, sometimes I get it wrong and if I do, I will have to eat some humble pie.”

However, Bradley did start the game against Birmingham City at the end of the month which the Blues won 1-0.

Tyrese Fornah

The former Nottingham Forest midfielder has impressed since moving north after expressing a desire to leave the club in the summer. He has made 33 appearances so far and has become central to their ambitions.

The fans have given him rave reviews and he is a key man for the Ammies, who are owned by Manchester United legends Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs.

Fornah hit the headlines in a 3-0 victory over Barrow on Boxing Day when he scored but was then sent off six minutes before time.

Salford had looked to be pushing for a place in the top seven but they have dropped off the pace and are currently six points off the final playoff spot.

Tony Weston

Derby have high hopes for the striker who finally bagged his first goal for Boston United this season in an impressive 3-1 win at Gateshead.

That goal came after he had experienced some time on the sidelines due to a broken metatarsal in October and did return to Derby for treatment. But the club were eager for him to complete his loan deal and he made his return for the Boxing Day clash at home to Solihull Moors which the Pilgrims lost 1-0.

He has made 23 appearances so far for Boston this season but they currently sit in the relegation zone. However Boston are putting up a remarkable upturn in fortunes having gone unbeaten in their last four games.

With a games in hand, the Pilgrims are five points from safety. However Weston has had to make do with a place on the subs bench recently.

Max Bardell

The full-back will remain on loan at AFC Fylde until the end of the season having initially joined the National League side on loan in October.

Has played 16 games so far but there has been a change in manager after former Derby coach Kevin Phillips, who brought Bardell to the club, left his position by mutual consent.

Like Weston, Bardell finds himself in the thick of a relegation battle with Fylde who sit just outside the relegation zone.