1 year on his contract, yes, but there's also a 1 year option which Derby can unilaterally trigger so, in effect, it's 2 years to go.

Commons? He'd already decided to let his contract run down and go elsewhere. The way I remember it, we didn't speak to KC until the new year. He hadn't signed a new deal and DCFC was perfectly entitled under the rules and regs to speak to him and sign a pre contract with him.

You're comparing apples and pears.