Bryson: ‘Giving Back To The Community Is A Privilege’

On Tuesday evening, Craig Bryson was named as Derby County’s PFA Community Player of the Year for the season.

A model professional, on and off the field, Bryson takes his role in the community seriously and as a privilege. 
The 30-year-old midfielder, though, does not do it for recognition.
After all, he has been that kid – that aspiring footballer – turning up to community football events and as he approaches the end of his sixth season as a Rams player, he simply just wants to give something back to the people and the city that have been a big part of this period in his life and football career. He told RamsTV: “Derby’s given me so much to my life and my career and if I can give something back to the community then I am more than happy to do so.
“I don’t do it to win awards or to be noticed; I just think it is the right thing to do. Turning up at events and giving kids a lift, turning up to the hospital and giving them a lift, are significant. 
“If I can help and do that then I am going to be more than happy.
“Those sorts of things were always great growing up. When you’re at presentations, attending summer camps or going to an organised event, and a professional footballer turns up, you’re going to be delighted as a young kid. 
“You go home telling your friends and family about meeting your hero or your idol and I was also thinking growing up that if I could ever do that, then it would be great. 
“Luckily for me, it has worked out that way for me with the football career that I have had that I can give something back.”


On the field and just two games remain of the 2016/17 Sky Bet Championship season.
The Rams host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday 29 April (kick-off: 3pm), before their attentions to the campaign’s finale at already relegated Rotherham United on Sunday 7th May.
Like many of his Derby colleagues, Bryson says there is no denying that this season has not been good enough.
With a key summer looming for the club, the Scotland international midfielder insists personal pride for all the players is at stake as they aim to leave a lasting impression on Gary Rowett, the manager, to be part of his plans for the 2017/18 season.
Bryson added: “A few players have, recently, come out in the press and said how disappointing the season has been, how it’s not been good enough and how we shouldn’t be in this position with the squad and facilities we have got. 
“We’ve not had a great season, there’s no denying that.
“It’s up to us this summer to work with the new manager, look back on this season and see where it has gone wrong. 
“The manager is going to put his own stamp on things, he will bring players in that he wants, he will keep some of us and some of us will move on. That’s the way that football is. 
“As professionals, you never like losing any game, whether it is a friendly or even if there’s nothing riding on it. We still want to win, we want to finish the season with a bit of pride and hopefully we can finish it with a couple of victories and get a bit of respect back.”

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Watch: RamsTV's pre-match interviews with Gary Rowett and Craig Bryson

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