Derby County: Newcastle United evidence was red herring for Man City recruit | OneFootball

The right-back made just one appearance during his month on loan at Pride Park in 2010.

The 2009/10 campaign was an extremely important one for Derby County.

It was just their second season back in the Championship following a dismal, record-breaking relegation from the Premier League under Paul Jewell in 2008, and there was a lot of pressure on Nigel Clough to ensure that the Rams kept themselves above the parapet for another year.

Considering they had been in the top flight only 15 months earlier, the Rams were not in great shape heading into the new campaign, and their battle was one against survival yet again.

Throughout the opening months, they maintained a position just below mid-table, and it never looked as though relegation was a true threat despite their lack of success in their first season back in the Championship.

January offered a chance for Clough to bring in new recruits, and that he did. However, one loan move made on deadline day on 1 February 2010 will always confuse supporters.

Javan Vidal made just one appearance for Derby

Javan Vidal was brought in to add cover at right-back for Derby, and while not much was known about the Manchester City youngster, the fact that he was coming from a side pushing for a Champions League place did give some hope that he had a level of quality to provide a boost for the Rams.

Clough was proud of the move and spoke with glee to the club's website after the deal was announced.

He said: "Javan is a very talented young player and we are grateful to City for allowing him to come here.

"It gives us quality cover in a couple of positions and we believe he will fit right in with the mentality and culture we are looking to introduce to our squad."

Vidal made what came to be his one and only appearance for the Rams against Newcastle United just a week after signing on the dotted line.

Derby were the underdogs heading into the clash with the Magpies, but an inspired performance saw them ease past the would-be league winners in a dominant 3-0 win at Pride Park Stadium. It was a result that shocked many, with the 20-year-old coming on in the final 10 minutes to help see out the result.

It was an important showing for Vidal, who looked competent when he came on and helped see out some late pressure from the visitors. It seemed as though afterwards that he was going to continue to play a key role as back-up for the Rams, as he had already started to show signs that he had the ability to play in the Championship.

However, with Nicky Hunt's consistency, it became harder and harder for him to show Clough why he deserved a place in the squad. The clash against Newcastle was deceptive, with Derby already in full control by the time the then 20-year-old had come on to the pitch, and it proved to be a false dawn.

Vidal left Derby as quickly as he arrived

It was not going to plan for the full-back in the East Midlands, and after he was forced to watch on from the bench for the second time in three games against Preston North End, it was clear that the move was not working out.

He missed out on a place in the squad against both Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion, matches that proved to be his last as a Rams player.

Roberto Mancini recalled his youngster in March 2011, two months before he was meant to return without learning what he would have been expected to have, proving his time at Derby to be one that was wasted.

Clough revealed that Vidal picked up a knock and an illness towards the end of his time at Pride Park, but it seemed as though the writing was on the wall and that he was never going to achieve what he had set out to on his arrival.