Derby County: Louie Sibley and Mendez-Laing react to Max Bird's Bristol City post | OneFootball

Max Bird has left Derby County to join Bristol City.

Max Bird's former Derby County teammates have reacted to the midfielder's social media post after signing for Bristol City.

Bird signed for Bristol City for an undisclosed fee at the end of the January transfer window, but returned to Derby on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

He helped the Rams win promotion back to the Championship after finishing the season as runners-up in League One.

Bird scored the opening goal in a 2-0 win against Carlisle United on the final day to ensure that Derby returned to the second tier in his final appearance for the club.

Bird joins Bristol City

Bird signed for Bristol City after coming through the academy at Pride Park, where he went on to make 200 appearances for Derby in all competitions.

The 23-year-old was a standout player in the third tier last season, scoring six league goals and providing seven assists as he helped Paul Warne's side achieve their goal of promotion.

Derby will have to find a way to win without Bird next season as they look to re-establish themselves in the Championship, a division that Warne never managed to survive in during his time as manager of Rotherham United.

The Robins will be excited about the arrival of the midfielder, as they look to build on their mid-table finish last season and bridge the gap to the play-offs under boss Liam Manning during the 2024/25 campaign.

Bird's teammates have reacted to his departure

Bird uploaded a post to Instagram on Wednesday evening, showing his excitement about moving to Ashton Gate.

Former Derby midfielder Jason Knight, who also left the Rams to join Bristol City, left a comment ahead of linking up again with his ex-teammate next season:

Knight was not the only person who reacted to Bird's post. Derby forward Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who scored 10 goals and assisted 18 last season, also left a comment under the pictures.

Mendez-Laing said: "Can't wait to see you at PP", alongside five crying emojis.

The 32-year-old is evidently sad to see Bird leave, and is looking forward to facing Bristol City at Pride Park.

Rams midfielder Louie Sibley also left a comment for Bird.

Sibley is a similar age to Bird and also came through the academy at Derby, so it is no surprise to see that the 22-year-old is wishing his former teammate well at Ashton Gate.

Bird will face Derby twice next season

Derby will play against Bristol City twice in the Championship next season, meaning Bird is going to face his former club.

Their first encounter will come during the opening month of the season, when Bristol City travel to Pride Park on the 31st of August.

Derby will head to Bristol for the return fixture just after the turn of the year, playing against the Robins at Ashton Gate on the 4th of January.

Most of the Rams' supporters will likely give Bird a good reception when they come up against him next season, after he came through the youth system to become an important player in the first team.

His goal against Carlisle on the final day of last season gave the midfielder a fairy-tale ending to his time at Pride Park, as he helped Derby back to the Championship.