Derby County hero has left John Eustace with a huge decision to make - is it too risky? | OneFootball

The 36-year-old was exceptional on Saturday afternoon, and with his contract expiring, there will be questions over his future.

Derby County's hopes of staying in the Championship were boosted greatly on Saturday afternoon as John Eustace guided his new side to a 2-1 victory over his former club, Blackburn Rovers, at Pride Park.

The Rams had not won since Boxing Day, and they had failed to find the back of the net at home during that time, but any fears of that run continuing were eradicated almost immediately as Craig Forsyth fired in to hand his team the lead after just three minutes.

Captain Ebou Adams doubled their lead just moments later as the visitors were shocked by an incredibly fast start by the hosts.

Makhtar Gueye was able to pull one back just before the break, but Derby held strong to secure three vital points, closing the gap to Stoke City and Cardiff City in the process. While they remain in the bottom three, hope has been reinstilled by Eustace, but he has some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks and months with plenty of contracts to be sorted - including one of a stalwart.

Forsyth has given Eustace a huge headache as his contract runs down

At 36, it's perhaps hard to believe that Forsyth is still playing as a big role as he currently is for the Rams, having joined the club in 2013 on loan from Watford FC.

His deal was made permanent that summer, and he has been a key cog for every manager since then, but his current contract is coming to an end following the conclusion of this season and there will be a huge debate over whether it should be extended for another year or not.

Against Blackburn on Saturday he proved why Eustace continues to start him, putting in an excellent performance on the left-side of a back three. He was superb defensively, heading away just about everything that came towards him, while also starting up attacks for the team with cross-field passes that the Rams have lacked since Eiran Cashin's departure.

He looked comfortable alongside Nat Phillips and Sondre Langas, and with Matt Clarke returning to full fitness, he can be the perfect stop-gap until the 28-year-old is ready to return to a full 90 minutes.

Forsyth's versatility makes him crucial to Derby's defence in the final weeks of the season, and if he continues to perform consistently, then Eustace may have to hand the Rams hero another year.

Forsyth may choose to retire at the end of the season

While he has still shown signs of his former self at times this season, there is no denying that Forsyth is showing his age and he has found it more difficult to compete at left-back with the pace of opposition wingers a threat to him.

He will be 37 next February, and playing in the Championship will only get more and more difficult as he gets older and therefore he may decide to retire when this campaign comes to an end.

Helping Derby to stay in the second tier could be the perfect way for the defender to end his Rams career, and he will want to go out on a high with the club that he has spent the vast majority of his time as a professional footballer at.

Nevertheless, if his body feels right, there should be nothing stopping Forsyth from extending his Pride Park stay for another year.