' Craig Bryson '

The facts and figures tell the story of the impact Craig Bryson had at Derby County


Derby Telegraph

Monday 4th September 2017



Two hundred and 44 games, 39 goals, a memorable hat trick against Nottingham Forest and one of only four players in Derby County's history to be named player of the year twice.

The facts and figures tell the story of the impact made by Craig Bryson since he arrived from Kilmarnock on 2011.

Little wonder then that Gary Rowett admitted it was a "really difficult" decision to allow the midfielder to leave the club on transfer deadline day and join Championship rivals Cardiff City on loan for the rest of the season.

Little wonder, also, that it is a decision that has not gone down well with many fans.







The following question is open to debate.

Has there been a better signing pound-for-pound made by Derby in the past 10 years than Craig Bryson?

He was snapped up by Nigel Clough for a fee rising to £450,000. To say that was a bargain is selling the signing short. It was a steal.

Clough made some shrewd signings within a tight budge (Chris Martin, Craig Forsyth, John Eustace, Shaun Barker, Jason Shackell, Ruchard Keogh, Jake Buxton, John Brayford, Jamie Ward, Johnny Russell, Lee Grant, Paul Coutts to name others) and it is something for Clough never really received full credit.

Bryson's energy, tenacity, willingness to go box to box, and his eye for a goal made an immediate impression and he was named player of the year at the end of his first season.

His best season in a Derby shirt came in 2013-14 when he scored 16 goals from midfield.

He scored a hat trick in a 5-1 victory at Millwall - the first league treble by a Derby player in 17 years - and he became the first Derby player to score a league hat trick against Forest since Steve Bloomer 116 years earlier.

Derby County v Nottingham Forest 5-0 Picture shows Craig Bryson celebrating with players after his hat-trick goal
The Rams finished third and reached the Championship play offs. Bryson's formed earned him the player of the year prize again and a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Season, alongside team mate Will Hughes.

Bryson played in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Brighton, a game Derby won 2-1, but he sat out the second leg due to a slight injury. Derby won the second leg 4-1 with an excellent display to book a place in the final against Queens Park Rangers.

Bryson was fit for the Wembley showdown but head coach Steve McClaren named the Scot on the substitutes' bench. It was a baffling decision at the time, and remains so to this day.

McClaren might have overlooked Bryson on that day but the player's performances over the season caught the eye of newly-promoted Burnley.

They wanted to sign the Scottish international and activated a clause in his contract. Bryson spoke to Burnley and looked set to move before he decided to stay at Derby and sign a new long-term contract.

The three seasons since have not always gone to plan for Bryson because of injuries, slight switches in position or being in and out of the team.

A knee injury in the first half of the opening fixture of the 2015-16 season at Bolton was a blow. Stop-start seasons are not good for any player, more so for a player like Bryson who can by dynamo-like - the more he starts, the brighter he burns.

His one start for Derby this season came in the Carabao Cup win at Grimsby and questions were being asked over where he fitted into Rowett's team, especially in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Once a nailed on first-choice in Derby's team, that was no longer the case.

"Bryse was desperate to play games and we weren't sure he'd get that opportunity soon," Rowett said when talking about letting Bryson go out on loan.

Was Bryson a victim of circumstance as Derby juggled ins and outs on transfer deadline day?

Rowett said: "I spoke to Bryse and we didn't have some of the offers we felt we'd have for other players, so at that point we needed to generate something. Bryse has not been playing and we felt we could add a different type of player in there. Reluctantly, we've done that deal because we can't have 28, 29 players in the building."

The 30-year-old is now at Cardiff for the season - and Bluebirds' boss Neil Warnock is delighted.

"Of the players I wanted to sign, Craig Bryson has been at the top of my list for some time," confirmed Warnock.

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I've read Gary Rowetts words and I think he said all this to placate the Derby fans a bit like Warnock over Whitts.He clearly wasn't in his plans but when a players serves a club well over a number of years you have to choose your words carefully.

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Instead of ralls

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Instead of ralls

They were my thoughts too Wez but I think he needs time to get to full fitness after a lengthy layoff due to injury.

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Instead of ralls

They were my thoughts too Wez but I think he needs time to get to full fitness after a lengthy layoff due to injury.

I think once fit he will be his replacement ralls has done better this season but I think hes still our weak link

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Instead of ralls

They were my thoughts too Wez but I think he needs time to get to full fitness after a lengthy layoff due to injury.

I think once fit he will be his replacement ralls has done better this season but I think hes still our weak link

This time last year I wouldn't argue with your sentiments regarding Ralls - now however, Ralls cannot be termed a "weak link", there's nothing more he could possibly do that he isn't already doing during a game. Ralls has improved beyond all recognition so far this season ... Warnock won't drop him, at least not on current form.

Bryson needs to see what we are about first, observe a game or two from the sidelines and get a feel for our style of play. He'll get his chance, probably replacing a tiring Damour or Ralls in the last 15/20 minutes of a game or through suspensions/injuries in due course. When he does get his opportunity he's going to have to replicate the kind of form he showed for Derby 2/3 seasons ago in order to keep his place.

All i can say is that it's a healthy situation we find ourselves in now ... oh, and you can throw in Tomlin into the mix too!

Agree Wes, whilst Ralls has improved this season this Guy Scores goals, has pace, I read an article he covered more ground per game last season than anybody else in the Championship, If you play in the centre of the park two key requirements are tackling and heading unfortunately for Me This is where Jo comes up short.

I wouldn't for one minute right Jo off as stated he's started the season ok, but feel he will struggle to keep Bryson out of the team.

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Instead of ralls

They were my thoughts too Wez but I think he needs time to get to full fitness after a lengthy layoff due to injury.

I think once fit he will be his replacement ralls has done better this season but I think hes still our weak link

Are you mad 5 games 5 wins only injuries will see Bryson start.

Be disappointed to see Ralls dropped for me he has been the better of the two in the middle. I think he will Bryson will be on the bench personally.

You can't drop anyone from a winning side, but in future I can see Bryson playing where Damour plays and Damour competing with Ralls and Gunnars. Then you've got Tomlin to consider as well.

I heard from a mate of mine a Derby fan he doesn't fit into the style Rowatt wants at Derby so they're happy to get him off the wage bill.

IMO their loss our gain because he's a fantastic player at this level and when fit will be chomping at the bit to get into the side, imagine him in midfield with Damour, Mendez-Laing, Hoilett and co.

Individually he's like Kante on speed, absoloute workhorse. His timing of the run is impeccable. He's not particularly physical and is diminuitive in size. He's technically sound without being spectacular; he's limited to short passes but they're consistently accurate, he's an excellent finisher for a midfielder and he can make a yard of space for himself.

Stylistically; he's not one to get his foot on the ball and dictate, you'll need somebody next to him to do this (our midfield was better with now League Two James Bailey next to him than now PL Jeff Hendrick). He'll look to play one-twos off of your link-up men. He'll make runs from deep to stretch the play. He'll be the one to instigate the press if things are a bit flat.

He was at his absoloute best when McClaren played him on the left of a three with a freedom to run into the channels and making third-man runs. Most of his assists came from getting to the by-line and crossing. He chased shadows in an energetic 2. Nigel Pearson playing him as holding-midfielder is the worst thing I've ever seen haha!

The main reason we've let him go is that he's barely been fit for the last two seasons. He himself has admitted he needs a run of games to get going but he just keeps getting niggles. Around January he managed five consecutive starts and unsurprisingly he managed either. a goal or an assist in games 3, 4 and 5.

Will he start for us do we think?

And if so, who's place will he take?

Warnock speaking very highly of him so I can't seem him having been signed just to put him on the bench?

Instead of ralls

They were my thoughts too Wez but I think he needs time to get to full fitness after a lengthy layoff due to injury.

I think once fit he will be his replacement ralls has done better this season but I think hes still our weak link

This time last year I wouldn't argue with your sentiments regarding Ralls - now however, Ralls cannot be termed a "weak link", there's nothing more he could possibly do that he isn't already doing during a game. Ralls has improved beyond all recognition so far this season ... Warnock won't drop him, at least not on current form.

Bryson needs to see what we are about first, observe a game or two from the sidelines and get a feel for our style of play. He'll get his chance, probably replacing a tiring Damour or Ralls in the last 15/20 minutes of a game or through suspensions/injuries in due course. When he does get his opportunity he's going to have to replicate the kind of form he showed for Derby 2/3 seasons ago in order to keep his place.

All i can say is that it's a healthy situation we find ourselves in now ... oh, and you can throw in Tomlin into the mix too!

Agree with everything here. Ralls is on fire at the moment and won't be dropped. Bryson will have to work his way into the team. Our squad is looking strong!

Nice to have real strength in depth. What a nice problem for Warnock. If the game is not going as we want it then we have the players to be able to change the game. Looks like a promotion squad.

Individually he's like Kante on speed, absoloute workhorse. His timing of the run is impeccable. He's not particularly physical and is diminuitive in size. He's technically sound without being spectacular; he's limited to short passes but they're consistently accurate, he's an excellent finisher for a midfielder and he can make a yard of space for himself.

Stylistically; he's not one to get his foot on the ball and dictate, you'll need somebody next to him to do this (our midfield was better with now League Two James Bailey next to him than now PL Jeff Hendrick). He'll look to play one-twos off of your link-up men. He'll make runs from deep to stretch the play. He'll be the one to instigate the press if things are a bit flat.

He was at his absoloute best when McClaren played him on the left of a three with a freedom to run into the channels and making third-man runs. Most of his assists came from getting to the by-line and crossing. He chased shadows in an energetic 2. Nigel Pearson playing him as holding-midfielder is the worst thing I've ever seen haha!

The main reason we've let him go is that he's barely been fit for the last two seasons. He himself has admitted he needs a run of games to get going but he just keeps getting niggles. Around January he managed five consecutive starts and unsurprisingly he managed either. a goal or an assist in games 3, 4 and 5.

Cheers, a very insightful post. I can't wait to see him, he looks great on You Tube

You can't drop anyone from a winning side, but in future I can see Bryson playing where Damour plays and Damour competing with Ralls and Gunnars. Then you've got Tomlin to consider as well.

this might have been the way when it was no subs or 1 sub..not anymore.
didnt NW drop Jazz last week.?