Derby County striker Darren Bent has spoken of his and the team's desire of achieving promotion to the 'promised land' of the Premier League at the end of the upcoming Championship season, after speaking to the club's official website.

Bent wants to get back to the top-flight with the Rams
Bent wants to get back to the top-flight with the Rams

Bent believes the Rams have all the components in place to make another charge for promotion this season, aiming to go right from the off and maintain it until the end of the season - something that cannot be said of the last two campaigns for the Rams.

“I am looking forward to settling down and having a good spell with Derby County now after a few in-and-out years and a few spells out on loan from Aston Villa,” he told the club's official site.

“I hope I can keep the goals flowing and fire the team to promotion.

“I have signed because Derby County has the makings of a Premier League side and I believe that we can get there.

A team who have arguably played some of the best football and have been one of the best teams in the Championship over the past two seasons, have ultimately been unable to cross the finish line when it has duly mattered.

The 2013/14 campaign ended in the most cruel of ways in a play-off final defeat to Harry Redknapp's Queens Park Rangers, thanks to a late strike by Bobby Zamora at Wembley.

Almost more agonising was the fall from grace in the closing stages of last season, winning just 2 in 13 in the final run in to end up finishing in 8th position; finished off in depressing fashion by a 3-0 defeat to Reading on the final day of the season.

If anything positive was to be taken from the second half of the season for the Rams it would be that of Darren Bent's form upon joining on loan from Aston Villa.

The 31-year-old notched 12 times in 17 appearances for Derby, in addition to three assists in what was so close to being at least a campaign with a play-off semi final to compete.

In addition to Bent, Derby have also added Andi Weimann (Aston Villa), Alex Pearce (Reading), Thomas Ince (Hull City), Scott Carson (Wigan Athletic) and Chris Baird (West Brom) to their ranks.

With Steve McClaren departing the club for Newcastle United after much speculation which spread much of the second half of last season, fans of Derby County will be hoping for more luck than the previous two campaigns, under new boss Paul Clement, joining from Carlo Ancelotti's staff at Real Madrid. They will, though, be delighted to have Bent back - now on a permanent basis - in the hope of once again mounting a promotion challenge.