Tyrone Mears is proudly sponsored by AJC Windows & Conservatories

Tyrone Mears completed a £1m move to Derby in July 2007 having initially been on loan from West Ham since January of that year.

Mears joined Preston North End from Manchester City in 2002 and started his Deepdale career well, before injuries stalled his progress.

He got himself fit again and was an integral part of the team that reached successive play-offs and made a £1m move to West Ham in the summer of 2006.

A difficult environment at Upton Park made it difficult for Mears to settle in London and when the Rams came calling in the January transfer window, he had no hesitation.

Mears scored his first Rams goal in the final-day encounter with Leeds United at Pride Park and it was a case of third time lucky as he tasted play-off promotion success.

Many fans and neutral observers picked out the Manchester-born defender as their man of the match at Wembley.

His performance that afternoon was despite a major matchday superstition of his being broken.

He normally carries just Tye on the back of his shirt, having changed after a series of injuries while at Preston, but the new kit for the day was printed up with Mears.

No matter, as he put in an excellent 90 minutes that showcased all the qualities he has.

Mears made an excellent start to Premier League life and was one of the Rams' most consistent players until he picked up a stress fracture to his shin in January that threatened to rule him out for the rest of the season.

However, the bionic man was back in action sooner than expected with a return as a substitute against Fulham at the end of March, complete with a metal rod in his shin.

And his first-ever Premier League goal arrived on April 19 as part of a barnstorming performance away to West Ham, his first return there since joining Derby.

Mears had already signalled his intent with one powerful run and shot and he found the back of the net in emphatic style during the 2-1 defeat in East London.

LAST UPDATED: April 21 2008.

PHOTO GALLERY