Paul Warne should be commended for turning around Derby County's fortunes in recent games, the Rams manager was previously under pressure in charge of the fallen giants attempting to win promotion out of League One.
Derby have put any lingering disappointment that came from crashing out of the FA Cup against Crewe Alexandra firmly behind them by returning to league action and going unbeaten in five games, a standout result coming away at Leyton Orient in a 3-0 win with the Rams secure in sixth spot currently.
James Collins continues to be a trustworthy source of goals playing in the third tier, the ex-Luton Town striker was deadly at this level for the Hatters and has seven goals next to his name this season for the Rams.
Reserve attackers in the Derby squad such as Martyn Waghorn and Conor Washington do also chip in with goals – Waghorn coming in with six and Washington with three – but there's a striker that used to don the Rams strip that has outscored the duo with his output for the year.
The East Midlands club have been left rueing the decision to offload star man Johnny Russell ever since he upped and left Derby for pastures new in America back in 2018, the Scotsman considered a Rams icon looking back after a memorable spell with the club.
How much Derby signed Johnny Russell for
The Rams would purchase Russell from Dundee United for £750,000 in the summer of 2013, leaving the Scottish Premiership side for the then-Championship outfit after excelling at Tannadice Park.
In his final season playing in Scotland, the 5 foot 10 ace would net 20 goals in all competitions with the forward then wanting to test himself in the EFL after such a potent individual season.
Russell would adjust to the demands of Championship football effortlessly when relocating to Pride Park, the price Derby paid to land the attacker ending up a bargain.
Johnny Russell's statistics at Derby
Russell would end up playing 203 times for the Rams, eventually immortalised into the club's hall-of-fame as a dependable player who would score on the big occasion and unselfishly set up his teammates when needed.
The Scottish forward – who predominantly featured down the wing at Pride Park – would amass nine goals in his debut season in the Championship and never looked back from that point on.
During this first campaign, Russell would even get on the scoresheet in a contest considered a classic now for supporters of Derby to reminiscence about – the energetic forward hitting the back of the net with a venomous strike in Derby's 5-0 win over arch-rivals Nottingham Forest in 2014.
It was a sad severing of the ties when the reliable Derby number seven was moved on to MLS side Sporting Kansas City in 2018, losing their faithful servant for just £250,000 which was another blow in the deal.
But, with Russell's contract running down at the time, it was deemed right to offload the ex-Dundee United man.
The Scottish attacker didn't fade into obscurity moving to America however, still performing at the peak of his powers to this very day.
Johnny Russell's statistics at Sporting Kansas
Russell didn't view this move as an easy stop-over before retirement, eager to kick on and continue scoring goals way into the twilight of his career.
At Sporting Kansas to date, the former Rams star has amassed 62 goals and 34 assists for the MLS side – Russell's total of 62 goals means he's the club's third-highest-ever goalscorer, another fanbase taken aback by the 34-year-old's qualities.
In 2023 for his American employers, Russell accumulated nine goals in total – more than both Washington and Waghorn have achieved this season. The ageing winger even wears the captain's armband for the MLS club, having still proven to be a hit with his current fanbase despite his veteran status
Derby fans will still look back to the days of Russell with fondness, but will hope Warne can mastermind a promotion with the current crop of Rams players this season to add newer highlights to the memory bank.
