Defender Darren Powell admitted the chance to join Derby County was too good to turn down after putting pen to paper on a two-month deal.

The 32-year-old signed for the Rams on Friday having been a free agent since leaving Southampton at the end of last season.

"This is a massive club," he told www.dcfc.co.uk.

"Derby came down from the Premier League last season but it is still a Premier League setup here and when I heard about the opportunity I was thrilled.

"The gaffer wanted me to come up and train with the boys, and that went well so I'm pleased to be here."

Londoner Powell might have remained in the capital after spending much of the season so far training with Charlton Athletic.

Now he has made the move up the M1 but his prime motivation is to be playing first-team football.

"At Charlton I trained and played in reserve games but at the end of the day I just want to play, I want to get back in the thick of things," he said.

"When an opportunity like this comes along you have got to take it, and I feel ready to play in the gaffer wants to put me in."

Powell added: "I have played in this league for some time so I have got plenty of experience of it, and I hope to help the team push on from there.

"We have good players here, Premier League players, so we need to keep our good run going and push on up the league."