Dungannon Swift have confirmed on their official website how young talent Darren Robinson has signed for Derby County ahead of Championship rivals Stoke City.
The 16-year-old recently made his Dungannon debut against Glenavon.
Robinson had been impressing for the Irish club’s youth sides and got the chance to go over and train with Fleetwood Town’s first-team squad during the winter.
The young talent was later over at Stoke City before training with Derby.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Dungannon head of youth development Dixie Robinson praised the player while sharing news of his three-year deal at Derby.
“Darren has been excellent ever since he has came in. He got the chance to go over to Fleetwood in the winter and he asked could he train with the first team due to COVID restrictions and to be fair to him he has trained so well he has stayed with the first team since. Robbo has also been over at Stoke and most recently Derby where he has decided to sign for on a three year deal. Darren has a great attitude, works tremendously hard, technically very good and he gets about the pitch and I’ve no doubt, with the mindset that he has, I think he will go a long way in the game,” Robinson explained.
Derby’s flourishing academy:
Derby have one of the best academies in England right now.
Several players have come through the youth teams to feature for Derby’s senior squad, while 16-year-old Kaide Gordon joined Liverpool in the January transfer window.
Derby’s U18s won the Premier League 2 trophy only two years ago.
Players such as Louie Sibley, Max Bird, Jason Knight and Lee Buchanan have all broken through to become regulars for the first-team, while the next group shows similar promise.
Robinson will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Jeff Hendrick and Jason Knight, two players who came through at Moor Farm and became Ireland internationals.
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