Pre-Match Thoughts: Knight Looking To Kick On Following Return To Fitness

Derby County midfielder Jason Knight is delighted to be back amongst the first-team squad and is pushing for a start ahead of the trip to Bolton Wanderers in Sky Bet League One in their first festive outing on Tuesday afternoon (3pm kick-off).

The 21-year-old Academy graduate missed around six weeks of action in the Autumn due to injury but is now fully fit and ready to make an impact when called upon.

Speaking to RamsTV ahead of the trip to Bolton, the Republic of Ireland international spoke about his return to fitness and previewed the meeting with the Trotters.

On his return to fitness…

It’s good to be back involved. The injury I had kept me out for around six weeks but I’m back now and hopefully I can be pushing for a start against Bolton.

On his injury…

It was tough, nobody likes to be injured. It’s important you play for yourself and for the club but it’s given me time to work on other things like getting physically stronger in the gym so I’ve taken it as a positive and hopefully I can’t start showing that on the pitch as soon as I can.

On Paul Warne…

He’s been great with me since he came in. I think everyone can see the way he wants to play - it’s really aggressive and really intense and I think we’re starting to show that now.

It was never going to be a perfect picture from the get-go but we’re working on it, and I think there’s a lot of positives to take from it.

On his positive impact off the bench against Forest Green Rovers…

I was happy to get back among the assists. It’s important for me to get my goals and assists tally up, especially as a midfielder, and just try and make the best impact I can to show everyone what I’m capable of once again.

On playing alongside David McGoldrick…

He’s incredible. Everyone can see why he’s played at the top level. He’s a great guy off the pitch but an incredible player on it and to get two hat-tricks before Christmas is something you don’t really see that often. Hopefully he can keep doing the business.

On the Christmas period and the trip to Bolton Wanderers…

It’s an important time for the club. We’re in the play-offs now so it’s important we keep striving for more, keep moving forwards and moving up that table.

Bolton are a space above us and they are the kind of teams we need to beat if we want to get our ultimate goal which is promotion to the Championship. These are the games you want to play in, we want to win and we have to win really.