Chris Riggott

[Leeds Ram]

cheers for that.

[Day]

Funny, I thought that he had played as a premier league defender who is Derby born and a Derby fan who is trying to get himself fit to play for Derby. Don't know why people think he loves the club or that he he has any experience to pass on

Lot's of players have had Premiership experience, doesn't automatically mean they would be good coaches. Also just because he was born in Derby and has come back to Derby doesn't mean he "loves the club", 11 games in 3 seasons we was probably his only option.

[Smalley Ram]

Lot's of players have had Premiership experience, doesn't automatically mean they would be good coaches. Also just because he was born in Derby and has come back to Derby doesn't mean he "loves the club", 11 games in 3 seasons we was probably his only option.

You just being grumpy?

[RotherhamRam]

did he leave straight after our relegation season? I can't remember.

Yes he did, If I remember rightly it was the 3 amigos in charge when sold. see next post answering Daveo (the WUM lol;)) administrator

[p.shilton]

Lot's of players have had Premiership experience, doesn't automatically mean they would be good coaches. Also just because he was born in Derby and has come back to Derby doesn't mean he "loves the club", 11 games in 3 seasons we was probably his only option.

If he is a Derby fan then he loves the club doesn't he? Isn't that what being a fan means?

[RotherhamRam]

Have I missed something, why does he clearly love the club?

Brief bit of history I found

Jim Smith left the club in October 2001 and his assistant manager Colin Todd took over. He kept his job for just 3 months before he was sacked. At the end of January 2002, John Gregory was appointed Derby manager less than a week after walking out on Aston Villa. Derby won their first two games under Gregory's management and also held title chasing Manchester United to a draw, suggesting that Gregory might be able to save Derby from relegation. But seven defeats from their final eight fixtures condemned Derby to relegation from the Premiership after six successive seasons of top division football.

Derby County's relegation back to The Football League saw the club enter a serious financial crisis - which forced them to sell many key players and build a team mostly of home-grown youngsters like Tom Huddlestone, Chris Riggott and Malcolm Christie. Gregory was suspended from his managerial duties over alleged misconduct and former Ipswich Town boss George Burley was drafted in as a temporary manager. An 18th place finish was secured. At the end of the season Gregory's contract was terminated and Burley received the job on a permanent basis.

Again the club were on the front pages of the newspapers after the club's parent company went briefly into liquidation in October 2003 and the majority shareholder Lionel Pickering gave way to a new board of John Sleightholme, Jeremy Keith and Steve Harding, who bought the club for £3. Riggott and Christie were sold to Middlesbrough to help balance the books, as Burley continued his job under great pressure. The police even investigated whether any illegal payments were made at this time, as the club went into free-fall. Derby finished 20th in the 2003-2004 First Division campaign, but improved dramatically in the 2004-2005 season and finished 4th in the Football League Championship (the new name for the Football League First Division) and qualified for a promotion play-off spot, though lost in the semi-finals to Preston North End.

Read more: http://www.derby.vitalfootball.co.uk/site.asp?cat=1412#ixzz1RYSIQn2B

Now Christie wanted to go. Chris Riggott told had to be sold to balance the books. He never wanted to go and never offered a chance to come back till now. He would be third choice behind Barker and Shackell. However if he can prove fitness would love to see the 352 formation brought back with Brayford bombing down the wing on one side and Roberts (can't defend) on the left with Bailey Bryson and Ward across the middle and Maguire and Tyson up front.

[Day]

If he is a Derby fan then he loves the club doesn't he? Isn't that what being a fan means?

Footballs are not fans in the same sense as us, it's a job for them and the majority go where they pay the most.

Savage claimed to "love the club", bet if you asked him now who have we signed in the summer and who do we play first he wouldn't be able to answer.

[p.shilton]

Yep, hates the place and couldn't wait top leave. the difference between him and savage is that he is a derby fan!

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Chris-Pride-Park-return-career-high/story-12913811-detail/story.html

[Day]

Footballers are not fans.

It all sounds very romantic, Derby born defender coming back to his hometown club. Thing is, he has managed 11 games in the last 3 seasons, anyone else and everyone would be ranting over this.

Coming from Derby doesn't and shouldn't make any difference, we've already got crocks as backup in Anderson and Buxton, I don't see the point in bringing back Riggott at all.

[davenportram]

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Chris-Pride-Park-return-career-high/story-12913811-detail/story.html

CHRIS Riggott says to run out at Pride Park Stadium in a Derby County shirt again would be the best day of his career.

Derby-born Riggott will be offered a contract with the Rams this season if he can prove his fitness during pre-season.

​

The 30-year-old defender is without a club at present, having been plagued by injuries in recent years, but he is building his fitness with the Rams following a back operation in April.

Riggott could join in full training with the rest of the squad as early as next week.

He is trying not to get too far ahead of himself but he admits the carrot of a contract and playing in front of the Derby fans again is a massive and exciting incentive.

"To play for the club again would be phenomenal. I am hoping this is a new chapter for me, a new dawn," said Riggott, who progressed through the youth system at Derby, played 100 games and was named player of the year in 2000-01 before he joined Middlesbrough in January 2003.

Riggott spent seven and a half years at Middlesbrough and had a number of highs and lows. He was released last summer and his brief spell at Cardiff City came to end in February after injury restricted him to two games.

Now he has a chance to kick-start his career at the club where it all began.

"It feels brilliant, absolutely brilliant. It feels right. It's fantastic to be around the place and the potential of what could come of it is very exciting," said Riggott.

"I had surgery on my back in April. It was a case of decompressing the nerves around my lower back, which had been causing me a lot of problems with my legs and the back itself," added Riggott.

"Hopefully, that is all behind me now. The idea is to see how I get on in pre-season and play a couple of games.

"I don't want to tempt fate but I feel strong, I feel good and the back feels like it has improved.

"The bottom line is if I am not fit, I am no good anywhere but I really believe the best place for me would be at Derby County.

"I would love to be back at this club. I have always wanted to be here, and if I am fit I'd like to think I can help Derby.

"To get fit and run out at Pride Park in a Derby shirt again one day would probably be the best day of my career.

"I do not want to put a time frame on it because I don't want to put pressure on myself but I have had a torrid few years and so to play in front of the Derby fans again and to enjoy my football again would be brilliant."

Asked if he always felt he would play for Derby again, Riggott said: "In my mind, yes.

"I have been asked that by fans a few times over the years and I have been honest with people and said 'yes, I would love to play here again'.

"I did not know at what stage it would be and I guess in hindsight I would have loved it to have been earlier.

"I have just moved house back to Derby and I feel very settled off the pitch, very happy.

"It feels like the jigsaw has just started to fall back into place for me."

Riggott moved to Middlesbrough in a joint £3m deal with striker Malcolm Christie and made 148 appearances. He also played for Boro in the 2006 UEFA Cup final against Sevilla.

But injuries started to hamper Riggott and Middlesbrough began to struggle. They were relegated from the Premiership in 2009.

"I had highs and lows at Middlesbrough and it was all a bit of a blur, really," said Riggott.

"I think everyone knows that me and Malcolm (Christie) did not ask to leave Derby. It was a case of being told 'we have accepted a bid from Middlesbrough, you are going to have a medical'.

"I think career-wise it was a pretty good move.

"I went there knowing Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu were in my position, and they were a pretty formidable pairing.

"It turned out that one of them would often be out injured, so there was a spot for me in the team and it worked out well.

"I learned a lot from Gareth and Ugo because they were at the top of their game.

"It was fantastic up to the UEFA Cup final but if you look at Middlesbrough, that was really when the wheels came off a little bit.

"Steve McClaren left to take the England job and Gareth Southgate was left with a very tough job. That is when things started to get difficult for the team and for me. That is when I started to pick up the injuries."

Riggott is now fully focused on the challenge ahead for him at Derby.

"I am not here for the money. I am here to get fit, pull on a Rams shirt and play again," he added.

[Day]

None of it changes the fact he has played just 11 games in 3 seasons, if a player comes from Derby then yeah bonus but it shouldn't mask the reality he's a crock.

[Smalley Ram]

Footballers are not fans.

It all sounds very romantic, Derby born defender coming back to his hometown club. Thing is, he has managed 11 games in the last 3 seasons, anyone else and everyone would be ranting over this.

Coming from Derby doesn't and shouldn't make any difference, we've already got crocks as backup in Anderson and Buxton, I don't see the point in bringing back Riggott at all.

I agree that sentiment (although a lovely thing) should not influence dealer signings.

I also agree that footballers are not fans but ... they were once.

As a kid Chris Riggott (for example) would have been like any of us - dreaming of being a footballer (scoring at Wembly and all that) and supporting his chosen team (his home town Rams). The difference between footballers and the fans is that footballers have achieved their dreams and we, instead, grew up.

To say that Chris is not a fan is to forget that he once was and that will still be deep seated in him. What about that defender we had who just left Notts County as Youth Coach (crap with names) - he was a diehard Florist fan and wanted their results as soon as he came off the pitch.

I can see why Chris would want to come back to his hometown club - remember he was sold, he didn't seek a move away (he may have done in time but we'll never know).

The bottom line is Chris wants to play for us, many of the fans want to see "the return of the prodigal son" and if he is fit he is a good player. On this last point I'm sure Nigel wouldn't be offering a contract to a player that cannot prove his fitness (certainly not out of sentiment) - he has had enough problems of this sort since he's been here.

[haywood8]

Michael Johnson.

[dcfcdavecov]

None of it changes the fact he has played just 11 games in 3 seasons, if a player comes from Derby then yeah bonus but it shouldn't mask the reality he's a crock.

If you think Riggott has been signed out of sentiment, then you can't rate Clough very highly then?

[Day]

If you think Riggott has been signed out of sentiment, then you can't rate Clough very highly then?

I don't no, I think he has made mistakes in his time at Derby and I believe this to be another.

He signed Anderson even tho he was a crock, still is a crock. Steve Davies yet to prove he can stay fit for more than half a season, new deal for him.

I believe we missed out on a defender (Billy Jones), Riggott's agent contacted Derby knowing we were in the market for defenders and Riggott being from Derby and all that shizzle, to see if we would be interested and Clough agreed to give him a trial.

11 games in 3 seasons is shocking, if he can stay fit then yeah go for it we need the cover but I don't believe for a second he will stay fit and we'll have another if not worse than Anderson on our hands.

[dcfcdavecov]

I don't no, I think he has made mistakes in his time at Derby and I believe this to be another.

He signed Anderson even tho he was a crock, still is a crock. Steve Davies yet to prove he can stay fit for more than half a season, new deal for him.

I believe we missed out on a defender (Billy Jones), Riggott's agent contacted Derby knowing we were in the market for defenders and Riggott being from Derby and all that shizzle, to see if we would be interested and Clough agreed to give him a trial.

11 games in 3 seasons is shocking, if he can stay fit then yeah go for it we need the cover but I don't believe for a second he will stay fit and we'll have another if not worse than Anderson on our hands.

Wouldn't have thought we would have paid for an expensive operation if we weren't confident he would regain full fitness. Pretty sure the doctor said his injury problems should now be cured aswell.

[Day]

Wouldn't have thought we would have paid for an expensive operation if we weren't confident he would regain full fitness. Pretty sure the doctor said his injury problems should now be cured aswell.

Pretty sure we heard similar things about Porter at the start. Managers make mistakes, even the likes of Sir Alex. I believe this to be one.

Yeah you can say what if we offer him a pay as you play deal, doesn't make a difference. Ok Riggott passes all the medical checks and he's good to go, Clough believes he now has enough defensive cover and sells Leacock. A week before September Riggott pulls up injured, surprise surprise he's going to be out for a few months, don't worry we've got Anderson and Buxton as back up, great how long are they going to last before breaking aswell?

Forget Riggott and bring Ayala back on loan for a season.

[Ambitious]

Pretty sure we heard similar things about Porter at the start. Managers make mistakes, even the likes of Sir Alex. I believe this to be one.

Yeah you can say what if we offer him a pay as you play deal, doesn't make a difference. Ok Riggott passes all the medical checks and he's good to go, Clough believes he now has enough defensive cover and sells Leacock. A week before September Riggott pulls up injured, surprise surprise he's going to be out for a few months, don't worry we've got Anderson and Buxton as back up, great how long are they going to last before breaking aswell?

Forget Riggott and bring Ayala back on loan for a season.

Nothing of the sort was said about Porter, the last thing I heard about porter was 'his hip isn't getting any better or worse, so we've decided to play him'

Buxton never really had injury problems, has he? because he was injured for 1 season doesn't mean much still think he is a pretty solid member of the squad.

I say sign him, obviously small wages and who knows if he is fit and stays fit he could be a big asset, its not like we need him to come in and play 40 games anyway!

[Day]

At the very very start I think we was led to believe that everything would be hunky dory with Porter, previous clubs he didn't have any major injury problems so I remember kinda going along with it.

Buxton hasn't either no, but he's been out for over a season now isn't it with a bad back, he may come back and have no problems but after recent seasons I can't be blamed for having my doubts.

[Srg]

I don't no, I think he has made mistakes in his time at Derby and I believe this to be another.

He signed Anderson even tho he was a crock, still is a crock. Steve Davies yet to prove he can stay fit for more than half a season, new deal for him.

I believe we missed out on a defender (Billy Jones), Riggott's agent contacted Derby knowing we were in the market for defenders and Riggott being from Derby and all that shizzle, to see if we would be interested and Clough agreed to give him a trial.

11 games in 3 seasons is shocking, if he can stay fit then yeah go for it we need the cover but I don't believe for a second he will stay fit and we'll have another if not worse than Anderson on our hands.

Even the wildest optimist could not expect Billy Jones to choose Derby over premier league WBA.