3/1 To Win
Craig Forsyth says it is ‘a big thing’ to have accumulated 200 competitive appearances for Derby County.
The 31-year-old defender reached the personal milestone in Derby’s 3-2 victory at Millwall on Saturday afternoon.
Forsyth had been stuck on 199 appearances for the Rams for over three months, following the suspension of the Sky Bet Championship campaign in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Scottish left-back, who can also play in central defence, is one of the longest serving members of the first-team squad after arriving from Watford in 2013.
Forsyth has been unfortunate on the injury front in recent years, sustaining three long-term knee injuries, but he has shown his resilience on each occasion to bounce back and return to action.
After hitting 200 appearances for the club, a number few can say they’ve achieved, Forsyth hopes there are many more to come in the future.
Speaking to RamsTV after the win at The Den, Forsyth said: “I was aware the number was close and it’s brilliant to play that many games for the club.
“I think it could have been a lot more had it not been for the fact I’ve been unlucky with injuries, but I’ve just got to make the most of it now.
“I’ve been here a long time now so it’s a big thing, and hopefully there’s a few more to come.”
Forsyth marked his 200th appearance for the club with an assist for youngster Louie Sibley to complete his hat-trick late on.
A customary burst forward by the full-back saw him latch onto Chris Martin’s pass and square to Sibley, who rolled the ball into the bottom corner to round off a memorable personal display.
The 18-year-old was making only his second-ever league start in the game and Forsyth was quick to praise the performance of the Academy graduate.
He said: “Louie has done really well; he could have had a hat-trick in the first half!
“He was absolutely brilliant. He showed in and around the box he is so dangerous when he dribbles at people.
“He finished three chances off to complete his hat-trick, which is great for him and the team.”
Sibley was one of four Academy graduates to feature in the game alongside Max Bird, Jayden Bogle and Jason Knight.
In addition, fellow youngsters Max Lowe and Morgan Whittaker were unused substitutes at The Den.
“They have brought a willingness to learn,” Forsyth said when asked what the Academy products are bringing to the side.
“With the information from the manager and the coaches, and the older pros as well, they take it in.
“They have shown on the pitch they can handle it at this level and it all looks very good for the club in the future.”
