Who will Wayne sign??

[MadAmster]

It seems the EFL are playing silly buggers with Derby - first they had to be persuaded that the players who played in the FA cup tie weren't players of professional standing and now it seems they ahve adopted a more restrictive rule to that label, by including players that ahve progressed from the academy, or do progress from the academy, which means that the following young players Louie Sibley, Max Bird, Jason Knight, Festy Ebosele, Jack Stretton, Kornell McDonald and Jordan Brown are currently classed as player sof professional standing, when under usual circumstances they wouldnt be.

That is what the ongoing discussion with the EFL is about to remove the definition from these academy players which would free up places for more incomings.

Rumours about a 33 year old polish winger on a free who was released by West Brom and a CB and CM from Man Utd and Delap from city on loan as well.

Disagree with your list Swale. The EFL definition of a player of professional standing is one who has played one or more senior games for the 1st XI. Those players whose only 1st team app was the Chorley cup tie have been given dispensation due to the circumstances surrounding the game (entire 1st team squad in quarantine/self isolation). Prior to the Huddersfield game the players you mentioned had:

Louie Sibley 41 appearances
Max Bird 42
Jason Knight 74 plus 7 full international caps
Festy Ebosele Played the Chorley game. 1 sub app against Norwich
Jack Stretton 4 apps for DCFC and 5 for Stockport on loan
Kornell McDonald debuted as sub against Brentford last December and has 3 apps
Jordan Brown 1 sub app against WBA July 2020

All of the players you mentioned are "players of professional standing" even discounting the Chorley game.

[swaledale]

Disagree with your list Swale. The EFL definition of a player of professional standing is one who has played one or more senior games for the 1st XI. Those players whose only 1st team app was the Chorley cup tie have been given dispensation due to the circumstances surrounding the game (entire 1st team squad in quarantine/self isolation). Prior to the Huddersfield game the players you mentioned had:

Louie Sibley 41 appearances
Max Bird 42
Jason Knight 74 plus 7 full international caps
Festy Ebosele Played the Chorley game. 1 sub app against Norwich
Jack Stretton 4 apps for DCFC and 5 for Stockport on loan
Kornell McDonald debuted as sub against Brentford last December and has 3 apps
Jordan Brown 1 sub app against WBA July 2020

All of the players you mentioned are "players of professional standing" even discounting the Chorley game.

Its not my list MA, it was a reference made by Derby that under the rules of the embargo, players that have been brought through the academy, i.e. haven't been purchased or signed from another club are not usually included in the 23 players of professional standing, irrespective of how many games they have played for the club.

Having looked at the EFL rules it seems to me that this would only apply where an academy player was brought into the first team subsequently, in other words Derby could or should be able to promote an academy player who has yet to play for the first team in an FA Cup or Championship game in addition to the 23 players they have.

Perhaps the club are arguing that their existing academy players who palayed in the first team should be discounted from this rule? We shall no doubt see what transpires.