The Rams head honcho begrudgingly sanctioned the move to let the Scotland international depart for Fulham on loan.
Derby Chairman Mel Morris
Derby County chairman Mel Morris has stated that he wasn’t at all happy with the decision to let star striker Chris Martin join Fulham on loan at the start of the season, as reports the Derby Telegraph.
The 28-year-old Scotland international was deemed surplus to requirements by former boss Nigel Pearson, despite Martin being the Rams’ top scorer for the previous three years, and Matej Vydra was signed to replace him.
Martin has scored 10 goals in 31 appearances for Fulham, but his time at Craven Cottage hasn’t been without controversy, with Martin refusing to play for the Whites at one point while demanding a return to Derby in January – at which point Steve McClaren was back in charge at Pride Park, as reports the Telegraph.
Speaking at a fans’ forum, Morris claimed he didn’t agree with Pearson’s decision to loan the striker out, and felt that as Vydra wasn’t a like-for-like replacement, he was never going to be able to replicate Martin’s form over the past three seasons.
Chris Martin of Fulham scores their second goal
“The Chris Martin move I was never ever comfortable with,” Morris said, as reported by the Derby Telegraph. “No disrespect to Matej (Vydra) but we hardly replaced like-for-like,” he added.
“Matej was never going to be able to fill in for Chris… and I think that was one of the significant blows to the season.”
Fulham’s Chris Martin celebrates scoring their first goal
Martin himself was subjected to ridicule after what happened after January, with the Scotland international left red faced after signing a new deal at Derby – antagonising Fulham further – only for McClaren, a key reason as to why Martin wanted to return, to be sacked by Morris.
New boss Gary Rowett then insisted that Martin is part of his plans next season, as reports BBC Sport, but Martin could be part of a promotion winning side with Fulham with the Whites in the play-offs, only to have to return to the Championship with the Rams.
Despite having three permanent managers in one season, Derby finished their Championship campaign in ninth position – some 13 points behind sixth placed Fulham.
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