Derby County ran into a brick wall after controversial Nottingham Forest deal | OneFootball

Derby County's swoop to steal Nathan Tyson from their bitter rivals Nottingham Forest was one to forget.

Derby County's acquisition of Nathan Tyson from bitter rivals Nottingham Forest was a deal to forget for both the club and the player.

The attacker made a controversial move from the City Ground to Pride Park in 2011, having racked up over 200 appearances for the club, scoring 40 goals, and becoming a cult hero.

In 2009, he was at the center of controversy between the two clubs when he picked up Forest's corner flag and waved it in front of the travelling Derby supporters, causing a melee on the pitch between the two sets of players.

Fast-forward a couple of years, and those fans he once taunted were now his own, as he joined the Rams as a free agent after leaving the Reds, in a move which once again sparked controversy, after the striker rejected a new contract with Forest.

Unfortunately, Tyson wouldn't redeem himself for his earlier antics with the Derby faithful, and his move to Pride Park was ultimately one to forget for both parties involved.

Nathan Tyson's tumultuous time at Derby County

The fierce nature of the rivalry between Nottingham Forest and Derby has meant that over the years, moving from one club to another has become a path walked by few players.

However, the way Tyson's move came about sparked disappointment after six seasons of service to the club based on the banks of the River Trent, as he turned down a new deal with the club in favour of joining the Rams.

Just like that, a cult hero reputation was in tatters, and he now had to try and win over the fans that he'd once waved a Forest flag in front of just two years before his signing.

The attacker's first season didn't go as planned, as he made just 23 appearances, 13 of which were starts, as he continued to be plagued by a groin injury. He failed to score a single goal for the Derbyshire side, notching just one league assist in his first campaign.

Tyson's second season wasn't much better though, as he struggled to maintain consistency after getting back to full fitness, scoring four goals in 16 outings. He was subsequently loaned out to Millwall halfway through the 2012/13 season.

By the time he got back, the writing was on the wall for the forward, and Derby allowed him to complete a permanent move to Blackpool, thus ending his time at Pride Park a year before his contract expired.

Derby hit a brick wall with Nottingham Forest deal

When Tyson first joined the Rams, supporters may have been quick to think they'd got one over on their bitter rivals by poaching their talisman, but it turned out to be a flop of a signing by all accounts.

With a measly four goals in 41 appearances, the striker left Derby a year before his contract expired, after his time at Pride Park was plagued with injuries and inconsistency that ultimately contributed to him never hitting the heights he had at Forest.

The addition of the experienced goalscorer seemed to be an excellent one on paper for Derby, especially considering the manner in which they signed him, but the club ultimately hit a brick wall, not a goldmine.

Tyson's reputation at both clubs is seemingly still fragmented, with the betrayal at Nottingham Forest and his controversial antics against the Rams previously coupled with his poor two years at the club holding rather unfond memories for supporters nearly 15 years later.