We catch up with some of the Derby County youngsters to leave in recent years.
Former Derby County youngster Luke Adams is currently playing his football abroad.
The Rams signed the 18-year-old centre-back from New Zealand club Waitakere United following a brief trial in 2012. Adams only spent a year in English football before joining A-League side Wellington Phoenix, and he is now into his second spell with National Premier Leagues Victoria side South Melbourne.
It was a similar story for 18-year-old Conor Doyle, who caught Nigel Clough’s eye during Derby’s 2013 pre-season.
After making 24 appearances for the Rams without scoring a goal, the striker returned to American football with DC United a year later. Last month, Doyle moved to recently-formed American second tier side Puerto Rico FC, and will be preparing for their season opener against New York Cosmos in March.
He is joined in American football by former Derby wonderkid Giles Barnes. The midfielder spent four years with Houston Dynamo before completing a transfer to MLS rivals Vancouver Whitecaps last year. Barnes came off the bench in their CONCACAF Champions League draw with the NY Red Bulls earlier this week.
Isak Ssewankambo and Ivan Calero were two other youth prospects picked up by County.
Former Chelsea defender Ssewankambo’s only appearance for Derby came in the 2-1 League Cup defeat to Portsmouth in August of 2015. He is now playing under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s management at Norwegian side Molde.
Calero might be best remembered for his winning goal in the Rams’ League Cup win over Charlton in 2014. The Spanish winger currently plays for Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam, and recently scored in their 2-2 draw with FC Groningen.
Miles Addison and Adam Wixted are playing their football closer to home.
Addison, 28, is aiming for a mid-table finish with Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock. The centre-back missed Killy’s December and January fixtures to undergo surgery on his foot. Meanwhile, Wixted helped Irish side Drogheda United win promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division last season.
Kwame Thomas, Josh Lelan and Mark O’Brien are among the ex-Derby youth prospect still playing in English football.
Coventry City will be hoping Thomas, 21, can score the goals to dig them out of trouble at the bottom of League One. Thomas returned this month from five months out of action with groin issue to score goals against Oldham Athletic and Gillingham.
Lelan was part of the Northampton Town side that stormed to the League Two title last season. After spending the first half of the season as a free agent, the defender was picked up by mid-table Crawley Town in January.
O’Brien was also on the move last month, as he signed for League Two’s bottom club Newport County.
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