Latest Derby County news from DerbyshireLive brings you what the winger has had to say about the Rams as he prepares for a new adventure
14:54, 08 Jul 2025
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing says Derby County's return to the Championship trumped promotion to the Premier League because he was able to share it with his family.
After being reunited with ex-Rams head coach Paul Warne in one of the most eye-catching transfers in the EFL, the winger has been out in Spain for a pre-season camp with his new club.
As part of the preparations for the new season, Mendez-Laing and the rest of the players were requested to give a speech about what makes them tick as people, something Warne insisted upon doing when in charge at Derby.
During the course of his talk to the rest of the dressing room, Mendez-Laing spoke about what he achieved at Pride Park when he played a key role in the club's promotion from League One to the Championship in the 2023-24 season.
Derby finished second as they delivered their first promotion in 17 years, which ended with Mendez-Laing scoring nine goals and delivering a whopping 16 assists.
The former Cardiff winger, who left the Rams this summer, said that experience was unforgettable because of what it meant to the people closest to him and hopes he can do the same at MK Dons.
"My family are everything to me and, like I said when I spoke in there, promotions are great regardless of whatever level," he said.
"I see that we've got quite a few dads in here and promotion to the Premier League, of course, everyone thinks that's like the biggest one and for me, it was great for a day or two or whatever.
"But the Derby promotion and to have my children there and for them to see their dad achieve something, the smile that I've seen and the happiness that we felt as a family, it was something that couldn't be replicated from just being able to say 'look I've got promoted to the Premier League'.
"Still to this day, my son still talks about that moment and all the fans running on the pitch and him getting a bit lost in there at one point.
"It's just special moments and I just wanted these lads to kind of understand for those who maybe haven't had a promotion, with their children or missus or whoever it may be be in there, it's just like a real special moment.
"I hope to be able to help bring the moments to Milton Keynes and to these boys."
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