Derby County Under-18s midfielder Darren Robinson has been named in the Northern Ireland Under-19s squad for their upcoming international fixtures.

The Rams’ youngster was recently invited to train with the Northern Ireland senior team at a training camp at nearby St George’s Park during May.

He spent four days under the watchful eye of national team boss Ian Baraclough, who elected to look at some of his country’s younger players alongside the senior professionals during the training camp.

Robinson, who signed a two-year scholarship with the Rams at the start of the 2021/22 campaign, made his senior debut for Derby in a 3-1 defeat against Bristol City at Pride Park Stadium in April 2022 as he replaced Louie Watson in the 82nd minute of the game.

He was a regular in Derby’s Under-18s and Under-23s squad during the season, whilst he also stepped up and trained with Wayne Rooney’s first team on a number of occasions throughout the campaign.

The 17-year-old midfielder, who won the club's Scholar of the Season at the recent End of Season awards night in early May, will look to make an impact for Northern Ireland’s Under-19s for their international friendly fixtures in Malta as they prepare for the start of their 2022-23 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifying round campaign in September.


Gerard Lyttle’s team will face Malta on Wednesday 8th June and again on Friday 10th June. Both games are due to be staged at the Malta Football Association training complex in Ta’ Qali, with kick-off at 8:30pm local time (7:30pm UK time).