Rams hit by Doyle blow

Derby's Conor Doyle is set for an extended spell on the sidelines following an emergency operation to remove his appendix.

The striker was diagnosed with appendicitis while training with the American Under-23 squad last week and was rushed to hospital for surgery. He will now need at least a month off before flying back to the UK and Rams boss Nigel Clough admits he's unsure when the player will return to training. "Conor was in a lot of pain and we were all shocked when we realised just how serious things had got and that he required an operation," Clough said. "It's a blow for him because he's one of the young players we have on the books that are progressing nicely below the first-team."