Chris Martin is hot stuff and not Coldplay as Rams target Premier return.
Derby boss Steve McClaren has earmarked Chris Martin as the man who can fire the Rams back to the Premier League.
And the former Norwich striker has responded to his manager’s challenge with a crock of goals which are keeping County’s promotion dream alive.
Martin, last season’s leading scorer, was on target against Reading (2), Blackpool and Fulham last month to take his tally for the season to 11.
He added a 12th to his total in the weekend defeat at Brentford, and is the worthy winner of the Fans’ Player of the Month award for October.
Martin leads the line superbly for the Rams and, ably supported by the likes of Johnny Russell and Will Hughes, is already well on course for another 20-goal haul.
The Scottish international compliments the ability of his creative counterparts to perfection – much to the delight of his Derby manager.
"With the talent that Chris has got around him, they'll create for him," McClaren said recently. "He's just got to finish, which he's done.
"He got a lot of goals last season and there's always a question mark as to if he can continue that. But he's doing that. He's really developed over the last year in terms of his professionalism and belief.”
Martin beat off the challenges of the likes of Watford’s Matej Vydra, Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson and Hugo Rodallega of Fulham to take our October award a month after signing a new, four-year deal with the Rams.
Boss McClaren was pleased to secure his number one striker’s services until 2018, and said at the time: “He is the focal point of our attack but there is so much more to his game than goals. "He brings others into play and he is a real presence. He is fast establishing himself as a top Championship striker and we're convinced he can continue to develop too.”
Source: DSG
