After suffering relegation to the third tier for the first time in nearly 40 years, Derby County had to plan acutely in the summer of 2022. Without being able to pay for transfer fees, the Rams built a team filled with EFL stalwarts, with one leaving his mark on the club in just one year.
David McGoldrick was a free agent after leaving Sheffield United at the end of the 2021–2022 season. At 34, he was still a valuable asset to Derby, especially in League One.
A few days before the striker moved to Pride Park, David Clowes had purchased the team. The Rams had nearly gone bankrupt the year before, spending most of the previous year in administration.
But with the 2022–23 season starting at the end of July, Derby had less than a month to rebuild after hiring Liam Rosenior as interim manager and welcoming a new local owner.
Nathan Tyson celebrated in front of Rams fans with a Forest corner flag, before making the move down the A52 just two years later.
McGoldrick had a slow start but soon kicked on
On the first day of the new season, Oxford United paid a visit to DE24. With a late goal from Conor Hourihane, the home team won all three points and began a new chapter in their history.
However, the player known by teammates and managers as “Didzy” did not play in the first three games, making his league debut in a 0-0 draw away to Shrewsbury Town.
Derby’s inability to score on the road until their fourth away game of the season proved to be the final factor costing them in 2022–2023.
McGoldrick had already scored his first black-and-white goal by then. winning the match against Peterborough United in the 91st minute, which was the second-to-last victory of Rosenior’s interim leadership.
September 2022 saw Paul Warne leave Rotherham United after Derby defeated Cambridge United in his debut game as manager at the Abbey Stadium. Nevertheless, McGoldrick had only managed one goal.
However, a month later, the 34-year-old scored his first career hat-trick against Bristol Rovers. The former Nottingham Forest striker scored four goals at home in the first half of the match.
He demonstrated that it wasn’t an exception before the year ended by achieving another treble.Derby maintained their unbeaten streak with a 4-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers, moving them up to fifth place.
| David McGoldrick Derby County Stats 2022/23 (TransferMarkt) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| League One | 39 | 22 | 6 |
| FA Cup | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Carabao Cup | 2 | – | – |
| EFL Trophy | 2 | 1 | – |
McGoldrick’s end to the season was inspired
McGoldrick scored one more hat-trick before the end of the season, coming in the last game of Derby’s 15-game unbeaten run, with the Rams putting Morecambe to the sword in a dominant 5-0 win.
Warne’s team had a patchy second half to the season, which ultimately denied them a play-off promotion opportunity, but their number 10 was still producing brilliant plays at crucial times.
In February and April, McGoldrick went on two scoring streaks in four or more straight games, increasing his League One total to 22. His greatest comeback to date.
He scored Derby’s last goal against Burton Albion. The Rams’ 1-0 victory kept them in sixth place, just outside of the play-off spots. However, a loss to Sheffield on the last day of the season meant that they ended up in seventh place, one point below Peterborough.
The Rams faithful will always remember the excitement they felt when they saw “Didzy” light up Pride Park, even if the Hillsborough defeat turned out to be the final game of McGoldrick’s tenure at Derby. He decided to join his childhood team, Notts County, upon their return to the EFL.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply