Derby County midfielder Graeme Shinnie has admitted that he came close to leaving the club this summer following a tough start to life at Pride Park.

The 28-year-old, who signed a pre-contract with the Rams in May whilst Frank Lampard was in charge, was forced to adjust after the former England international decided to join Chelsea.

With Derby opting to hand over the reins to Phillip Cocu in July, Shinnie initially struggled to make an impression for his new side.

Having been left out of the Rams' starting eleven for their first 10 league fixtures of the season, the midfielder was given a chance to prove himself against Luton Town last month.

After excelling in this particular clash, Shinnie has since made five further appearances in the Championship for Derby.

Whilst he powerless to prevent the Rams from suffering a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend, the former Aberdeen man will be determined to help his side get back on track against Preston North End later this month.

Speaking to The Press and Journal about his move to Derby, Shinnie said: "It was not so much a mistake, because I could never foresee what would happen with Frank Lampard leaving and everything else.

"But there was a stage when I thought if I'm not going to play here then I'll go and play somewhere else.

"It's football.

"It's what happens.

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"If one manager doesn't want you, someone else will.

"It was frustrating.

"Going down to a new club was always going to be difficult, with a new manager coming in and a good squad of players.

"I wasn't getting any chances.

"I wasn't even coming off the bench and some games I was watching from the stands.

"It was tough."

The Verdict

Whilst Shinnie did initially find it difficult to adapt to life in the Championship, it seems as if he has now turned a corner under the guidance of Cocu.

Providing that he can maintain his consistency over the coming months, he may end up playing a key role in helping the Rams achieve a relative amount of success in the second-tier.

With Derby knowing that they will have to be on top-form to secure a positive result against Preston next weekend, Shinnie will be hoping to produce an eye-catching performance at Pride Park.