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Matt Derbyshire
Matthew Anthony Derbyshire (born 14 April 1986) is an English footballer who last played as a striker for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Matlock Town.
He began his career with non-League side Great Harwood Town before earning himself a move to local Premier League team Blackburn Rovers in 2003. He played for Blackburn for five years, and had loan spells with Plymouth Argyle, Wrexham and Olympiacos, before joining the latter club on a permanent basis in 2009. Whilst at Olympiacos, Derbyshire won the Super League Greece and Greek Cup. He returned to England in 2010 with Birmingham City, and continued with spells at Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Blackpool and Rotherham United. He spent four seasons in Cyprus with Omonia followed by one season with A-League club Macarthur FC before returning to Cyprus with AEK Larnaca. He joined NorthEast United in 2022. He spent two seasons with Bradford City before retiring from football in November 2024.
He won 14 caps for England at under-21 level.
Derbyshire was born in Great Harwood, Lancashire and attended Our Lady and St John R.C. High School in Blackburn. He played football as a youngster for Darwen before joining Great Harwood Town in 2002. He scored his first goal for the club's first team as a 16-year-old, in October 2002, attracting interest from Accrington Stanley and Radcliffe Borough who took him on trial in pre-season 2003. By the time he left Great Harwood in November 2003, he had scored 26, of which 21 had come in the North West Counties League, and 18 in his last nine appearances.
Derbyshire joined Blackburn Rovers in November 2003 for a £20,000 fee, a club record for Great Harwood. He had previously worked in Rovers' community department, coaching young children. He rejected a move to Manchester United in favour of Blackburn, whom he had supported since he was a child. He progressed through the youth and reserve teams, and his performances earned him the Supporters' Young Player of the Year award for the 2004–05 season. Derbyshire made his first-team debut as a late substitute in the Premiership defeat at home to Fulham on 7 May 2005.
He joined Championship club Plymouth Argyle on 30 August 2005 on loan for the season; a few days later, manager Bobby Williamson was sacked. Derbyshire made his debut as a substitute in caretaker Jocky Scott's first match in charge, and started the next three, after which Tony Pulis was appointed manager and Derbyshire made nine more appearances but no more starts. The loan was ended early, and on the advice of Blackburn manager Mark Hughes, he began another loan, an initial month at League Two club Wrexham. He scored five goals in as many games, the loan was extended to three months, and he ended up with ten goals from 16 league matches and a new two-year contract with Blackburn.
Derbyshire opened his senior goal account for Blackburn in a 3–0 win against Wigan Athletic on 1 January 2007 before extending his tally further with the opener away to Everton in a 4–1 FA Cup third-round victory six days later. He made his first Premiership start against Arsenal on 13 January, and scored his third goal in four games against Manchester City. His form continued the following week with two goals and an assist away to Luton Town in the FA Cup fourth round. He also scored against Manchester United, taking advantage of a defensive error to give Blackburn Rovers a 1–0 lead, although they went on to lose the match 4–1. He finished his first Premier League season with 9 goals in all competitions, from 14 starts and 16 substitute appearances.
In the 2007–08 season, Derbyshire scored in the first match of the season, against Middlesbrough, coming on as a substitute to score the winner in a 2–1 victory. On 1 March 2008, he scored a 90th-minute winner against Newcastle United, and again scored a late winner, against Fulham on 20 September, finishing off a move involving Tugay, Carlos Villanueva and Roque Santa Cruz.
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Matt Derbyshire
Matthew Anthony Derbyshire (born 14 April 1986) is an English footballer who last played as a striker for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Matlock Town.
He began his career with non-League side Great Harwood Town before earning himself a move to local Premier League team Blackburn Rovers in 2003. He played for Blackburn for five years, and had loan spells with Plymouth Argyle, Wrexham and Olympiacos, before joining the latter club on a permanent basis in 2009. Whilst at Olympiacos, Derbyshire won the Super League Greece and Greek Cup. He returned to England in 2010 with Birmingham City, and continued with spells at Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Blackpool and Rotherham United. He spent four seasons in Cyprus with Omonia followed by one season with A-League club Macarthur FC before returning to Cyprus with AEK Larnaca. He joined NorthEast United in 2022. He spent two seasons with Bradford City before retiring from football in November 2024.
He won 14 caps for England at under-21 level.
Derbyshire was born in Great Harwood, Lancashire and attended Our Lady and St John R.C. High School in Blackburn. He played football as a youngster for Darwen before joining Great Harwood Town in 2002. He scored his first goal for the club's first team as a 16-year-old, in October 2002, attracting interest from Accrington Stanley and Radcliffe Borough who took him on trial in pre-season 2003. By the time he left Great Harwood in November 2003, he had scored 26, of which 21 had come in the North West Counties League, and 18 in his last nine appearances.
Derbyshire joined Blackburn Rovers in November 2003 for a £20,000 fee, a club record for Great Harwood. He had previously worked in Rovers' community department, coaching young children. He rejected a move to Manchester United in favour of Blackburn, whom he had supported since he was a child. He progressed through the youth and reserve teams, and his performances earned him the Supporters' Young Player of the Year award for the 2004–05 season. Derbyshire made his first-team debut as a late substitute in the Premiership defeat at home to Fulham on 7 May 2005.
He joined Championship club Plymouth Argyle on 30 August 2005 on loan for the season; a few days later, manager Bobby Williamson was sacked. Derbyshire made his debut as a substitute in caretaker Jocky Scott's first match in charge, and started the next three, after which Tony Pulis was appointed manager and Derbyshire made nine more appearances but no more starts. The loan was ended early, and on the advice of Blackburn manager Mark Hughes, he began another loan, an initial month at League Two club Wrexham. He scored five goals in as many games, the loan was extended to three months, and he ended up with ten goals from 16 league matches and a new two-year contract with Blackburn.
Derbyshire opened his senior goal account for Blackburn in a 3–0 win against Wigan Athletic on 1 January 2007 before extending his tally further with the opener away to Everton in a 4–1 FA Cup third-round victory six days later. He made his first Premiership start against Arsenal on 13 January, and scored his third goal in four games against Manchester City. His form continued the following week with two goals and an assist away to Luton Town in the FA Cup fourth round. He also scored against Manchester United, taking advantage of a defensive error to give Blackburn Rovers a 1–0 lead, although they went on to lose the match 4–1. He finished his first Premier League season with 9 goals in all competitions, from 14 starts and 16 substitute appearances.
In the 2007–08 season, Derbyshire scored in the first match of the season, against Middlesbrough, coming on as a substitute to score the winner in a 2–1 victory. On 1 March 2008, he scored a 90th-minute winner against Newcastle United, and again scored a late winner, against Fulham on 20 September, finishing off a move involving Tugay, Carlos Villanueva and Roque Santa Cruz.