Kris Commons believes he is ready for the challenge of becoming a Derby County player - and wants to produce some of his best football for the club.
The 24-year-old has agreed a three-year contract to join Derby on a free transfer and is the Rams' sixth signing of the summer.
Now he is itching to get his Pride Park career up and running and is looking forward to the 2008/09 Coca-Cola Championship season already.
Commons told www.dcfc.co.uk: "I am at the stage of my career now where I believe I am ready to produce some of my best football and this is a new challenge for me.
"I am aware of the history between the two clubs and apparently I'm the first player to make this move, Nottingham Forest to Derby direct, in 15 years.
"To be honest, that doesn't bother me. I am a footballer and want to be judged on what I have done and will do in the future on the pitch."
Commons was part of the Nottingham Forest squad promoted to the Championship at the end of last season after a starring personal League 1 campaign.
But he had decided his future lay elsewhere and with his contract due to expire the Reds decided to let him go.
Derby moved swiftly to open talks with the left-winger and there were other clubs also interested but Commons ultimately decided on a move along Brian Clough Way.
He said: "I am relieved my future has finally been sorted out and I am looking forward to getting started at Derby when pre-season starts at the end of June.
"I was really impressed with the club and its ambitions when I met Paul Jewell.
"He is a first-class manager and wants Derby to be competing at the highest level and that vision really appealed to me."
Mansfield-born Commons made a total of 159 appearances for Forest, scoring 38 goals, after moving from Stoke City in 2004.
Commons graduated from Stoke's youth ranks and made his debut for the Potters back in October 2001.
He becomes the first player to make a direct move from Forest to Derby since Gary Charles in 1993.
Of his time at the City Ground, Commons said: "I would like to thank everyone at Nottingham Forest for the support they have given me during my time there.
"I have made a lot of friends at Forest."
Commons joins Ruben Zadkovich, Paul Connolly, Nathan Ellington, Jordan Stewart and Paul Green as boss Paul Jewell's new signings so far.
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