Derby County are currently fighting it out for promotion back to the Championship, hoping to return to the division where they spent the entirety of the 2010s.
During that time, the Rams reached two Championship play-off finals in 2014 and 2019 but lost both times to Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa.
After this time, they were stricken by financial issues, which led to their relegation to League One in 2022.
However, during their Championship years, despite their failed success, they had a number of players of sheer quality across that time period. In particular during the 18/19 campaign, boasting players like Harry Wilson, Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount.
But one man who was there during the majority of the 2010s who was an ever-present for the side was Richard Keogh, who would turn out to be a bargain signing.
Richard Keogh signs for Derby
Keogh was a centre-back, who had previously been playing in the Championship with Coventry City. The Sky Blues were relegated though in 2012, and with Keogh impressing, Championship clubs were interested in signing him.
Cardiff City, Bristol City, Leeds United and Derby were the main teams chasing Keogh. But Derby signed him, and he joined for £1 million, with Cardiff pulling out of a deal as they could not match Derby’s wages.
He would go on to play at Pride Park for the next eight seasons and would become a key figure in the Derby defence for years to come.
Named club captain the day after his arrival, he would retain the title for the entirety of his time at the club. Upon being given the armband, he said: “I thrive on the pressure. I feel it brings out the best in me. It’s something I look forward to and I cannot wait to get out there and play.”
The Irishman would live up to those words. He would go on to make over 40 appearances in each of his seven full campaigns with Derby, becoming an ever-present in the side.
He would win the club’s Player of the Year in his first season and led them to the play-off final the next season. Although he would make a huge error, gifting the ball to striker Bobby Zamora in injury time, who would score and send QPR to the Premier League, breaking Derby’s hearts.
He would go on to pick up many personal accolades. In 2015 he would be named in the Championship PFA Team of the Year. In 2016, he would once again be named the club’s Player of the Year, and also the Players’ Player of the Year.
Winning the Players’ Player of the Year award again in 2019 following another play-off final loss, it would be his last full season with the club.
Despite Keogh’s exit he should be remembered fondly
In September 2019, Keogh was involved in a car crash with teammates Mason Bennett and Tom Lawrence.
He would injure himself, tearing his ACL, leaving him out for 15 months. He would then have his contract terminated in October 2019.
He would revitalise his career afterwards, playing for various teams across the EFL since his return, and he now finds himself in League Two with Forest Green Rovers.
But there is no doubt that at £1 million, for the amount of games Keogh played (over 350) for the club, and how well he did, he was a bargain and should be fondly remembered.
