Pre-Match Thoughts: Roberts Looks Ahead To Bristol Rovers Trip

Derby County's on-loan Brighton & Hove Albion defender Haydon Roberts says it was 'great to give back to supporters' during the club's Open Training Session at Pride Park Stadium on Thursday morning.

Almost 2,500 fans attended the session to see Paul Warne's side put through their paces ahead of the all-important Sky Bet League One run-in.

Roberts spoke to RamsTV after he'd finished up signing autographs to discuss the day and reflect on his season with the Rams in the lead-up to Saturday's trip to Bristol Rovers (3pm kick-off).

On the opening training session...

It was nice. These are the people that support us at every single game so it's good to have them here. There were a lot of young supporters so it's nice to give back to them, sign a few shirts and take photos with them. We try and train at a high intensity every day but having them here, we wanted to set a good example to them because they look up to us.

On whether signing autographs ever stops feeling surreal...

For me it's quite weird. It's the first year I've had that sort of attention but it's nice to have kids look up to you. It's nice to have that pressure to be a role model on and off the pitch but for me it's a nice pressure.

On how everyone is feeling abut the run-in...

We're all positive. We've had a bit of a bump in recent weeks and we would have liked to have done better against MK Dons on Monday (the game finished in a 1-1 draw). We know we should have done better but we can't change it.

We've got five games left to put it right. We're all positive and are backing what we're doing.

On the MK Dons performance on Monday...

When we perform like that, that should be the standard for every game. Anything less and we are letting ourselves down.

We feel that this club deserves, at minimum, to be in the play-offs. We had objectives to be higher but the situation we are in now, we can't change it. We've got to be at that level to try and get this club promoted.

On his time at Derby County...

It's been a quick season. I've loved every minute of it. It's been challenging and there's been enjoyable times and times it's been hard. As a young footballer it's something that I will remember for the rest of my career because I've learned a lot from it.

There was times that I was out the team and times where I played six or seven games in a row. There's two sides to football and you can't let yourself get too high or low. I've certainly learned a lot about myself this year.