Thursday 16 November 2017 20:53, UK
David Nugent is no stranger to promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.
At Leicester City in 2013/14 and Middlesbrough two seasons later, the striker played a key role in firing them to the Premier League.
With Derby, however, things might be a little less straightforward. The club have become the archetypal also-rans in the second tier. Always among the favourites to go up at the start of the season, but never succeeding. Under Gary Rowett, however, Nugent believes it's time for that to change.
"We've got the players here to easily push for promotion," he told Sky Sports. "This league is really tough to get out of but consistency is the key.
"We've got the experience in the squad with myself, Curtis Davies, Tom Huddlestone, Darren Bent, Scott Carson and Richard Keogh. There's a few of us in our thirties who know we haven't got long left in the game! But hopefully that experience will see us through this season and help get us into the Premier League."
As an experienced Championship campaigner, Nugent is familiar with Derby's regular tales of woe as regular play-off defeats have coincided with nailed-on promotion campaigns that somehow drifted away.
At times the club have not helped themselves, with managers being dispensed with at an alarming rate. But Nugent believes that progress is being made under Rowett.
"When I've played against Derby they've always had a decent team and been around the play-offs, but then just pull up towards the end of the season," said the 32-year-old. "It seems to have happened on three or four occasions, and [there was also] the final when they got beaten by QPR.
"Last year we had a good run towards the end but we knew if we lost one we'd be out of the play-off chase, and we failed at the end.
"This season [Rowett] has brought his own style of play and he's got us ticking in the right way. We want to play forward and attack teams and hopefully this year will be our year. We don't always want to be the Derby that fails at the last, we've got a great chance to get into the play-offs and get the promotion this club deserves."
If they do manage to get promoted, Nugent hopes that Rowett will give him his chance in the top flight. At Leicester he lasted a season before dropping back down, at Middlesbrough it was just a few months. The striker didn't mind, though. He's not bothered about what league he plays in, he just wants to be playing.
"At Leicester Claudio (Ranieri) told me I wasn't going to play, so why stay there and not play?" he said. "Then I had the chance to go to Middlesbrough and get another promotion, which I did, but then in the Premier League they brought in Alvaro Negredo, so again my chances were limited.
"But I'm not just going to sit there on the bench because I want to play football as much as I can and score as many goals as I can and Derby gave me that chance. Hopefully I'll get promoted and stay this time!"
Whether he does end up staying at Derby for the long-term or not, one thing is for sure, wherever he plays, he'll be playing with a smile on his face.
"I think you've got to," he said. "If you're playing football and not enjoying it it's not a nice place to be, so why not smile? Even when you're losing! I sometimes get in trouble for it but I'm just a happy person doing the job I love, and I'm lucky to be in this position.
"I'm getting on a bit, but I'm still enjoying my football and still running around like a headless chicken sometimes. I play every game as if it's my last and hopefully I can play a couple more seasons, score a few more goals and get a few more promotions."
Next up for Nugent and Derby is a trip to Fulham on Saturday, which is live on Sky Sports Football. Slavisa Jokanovic's side were among the favourites for promotion at the start of the season, but head into the weekend in the bottom half of the table and a long way off the play-offs.
"It just shows the Championship for you," said Nugent. "One season you can be one of the best teams in the league and the next season you struggle. You can't quite put your finger on it but I'm sure the manager is trying to figure out what it is.
"But we're in in good form and we'll go there to put them under pressure, get the fans on their back and hopefully come away with a victory."
Don't miss the Sky Bet Championship clash between Fulham and Derby on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Football from 5.15pm
