Derby County supporters are all in agreement about Curtis Nelson following the club’s latest announcement.
Derby County stepped one foot into the Championship with a 1-0 win over Cambridge United last weekend, teeing up a promotion party in waiting on the final day.
The Rams require just a point against relegated Carlisle to seal their return to the second tier, and many players have helped get them there.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who scored the winner on Saturday, is currently enjoying the best season of his career.
Defensive phenomenon Eiran Cashin has shown why Premier League side Brighton came close to signing him last summer with his domineering performances at the back.
Cashin has starred alongside the experienced Curtis Nelson, who arrived at Pride Park on a free transfer from Blackpool last year.
The 30-year-old has proven to be a bargain, forming arguably the best defensive partnership in League One and now earning recognition for his performances.
Curtis Nelson wins Derby County Player of the Season Award
The club announced on social media that Nelson had won the Jack Stamps Player of the Season award.
Ultimately, several players deserved a real shout of winning it, including top scorer James Collins, defensive titan Cashin and the unstoppable Mendez-Laing.
But Nelson – who has been ever-present in the league campaign for Paul Warne – deservedly scooped the award as his solid and assured performances saw him convincingly win the vote.
| Curtis Nelson 23/24 League One statistics | Statistic |
| Games | 45 |
| Clean sheets | 21 |
| Interceptions per game | 1.1 |
| Tackles per game | 1.5 |
| Balls recovered per game | 4 |
| Clearances per game | 4 |
A mark of Derby’s season has stemmed from the defensive solidity of Cashin and Nelson.
The outstanding duo have contributed significantly to their promotion push and if Championship football is achieved on Saturday, Warne shouldn’t break them up in the second tier.
Derby County fans react to Curtis Nelson winning Player of the Season
Following this news, a flood of reactions and adulation towards Nelson came in via X, as the majority agreed that the former Cardiff City defender deserved to win the award.
One supporter said: “I don’t think anybody thought when we signed him he’d be that good.” Another chirped in: “Full deserved. Over the full season been our most consistent player. Well done Nels.”
A third added: “Thoroughly deserved, been consistently very good.” Another said: “Deserved been an absolute rock.”
Surprisingly, there weren’t any discrepancies that Mendez-Laing didn’t win the award – despite delivering a record-breaking campaign – but that just shows how good Nelson has been this term.