Defender Curtis Nelson has lauded the ‘best group of players’ and ‘great community’ at Derby County after putting pen-to-paper on a new deal.
Nelson has extended his stay with Derby and committed his future to Paul Warne’s side with a new deal that runs until the summer of 2026.
The centre-back has started in and played every minute in league competition since joining up with the squad at the start of the 2023/24 season.
After winning the Rams’ Player of the Season award in promotion-winning campaign last year he has continued his impressive form in the Sky Bet Championship, making 17 appearances and netting two goals this term.
Nelson spoke with RamsTV after putting pen-to-paper on a new deal.
On signing a new deal with Derby County...
I'm really happy we’ve got it done and I'm looking forward to the future.
You always kind of have an eye on what's coming up, so I'm just really happy to get it done, be able to move forward with the club and get on with the rest of the season and beyond.
It was a pretty simple process as well. I knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be with the club.
On Derby feeling like home...
It didn’t take long to feel like that, not long at all. I reckon after the first pre-season trip to Spain, I was pretty settled. Last year, once we got into the rhythm of the season and we were playing matches, it felt like a home for me.
My family is quite close here, too. It’s also the closest to home I've ever played, as I moved out of Stoke at 16. It's nice having my parents on the doorstep as well.
On Derby meeting the expectations set when he joined...
We’ve probably exceeded the expectations I had when joining, because when you join you obviously know everything that comes with the club, like the history and the size of it from the outside. Once you're engrossed in it and you see it week in, week out, the support that we get at home and away, it's unbelievable to be part of.
On playing every minute in the league since joining the club...
For me, I just keep doing the same things on and off the pitch. Just maintaining high standards off the pitch, train well, do everything right and hopefully the performances and the results keep coming for us and the team.
On the Derby squad and staff at the club...
It's amazing. It's the best group I've been involved with. As you get older as well, you appreciate the people that you're around - including the coaching staff, people at Moor Farm and across the club.
It's a great community club. The feeling you have when you come into work is amazing and everyone that you see is always smiling. Everyone's happy, so it's a great place to work.