Defender Matt Clarke says Derby County have “embraced” their fight for Championship survival.
The 28-year-old returned to the club for a third spell in January, moving back to Pride Park on a permanent deal from second-tier rivals Middlesbrough.
In the first of his two loan stints with Derby, he won the club’s Jack Stamps Player of the Season award for the 2019-20 season when the club finished 10th in the Championship.
The following season he helped the Rams narrowly avoid relegation.
Clarke spoke to BBC East Midlands Today about how valuable that experience has been now that he and the Rams are again battling to stay in the division.
“Where we found ourselves in the league isn’t ideal, but that’s the challenge of football and you have got to embrace it,” he said.
“Personally it was an experience that I learned from and I take with me forward into this time.
“You just have to keep going and attack every game as it comes. There is disappointment along the way but you have to keep believing and trying to do the right things. If you do that, you give yourselves the best chance.”
Derby are outside the relegation places on goal difference with five matches remaining and next travel to Portsmouth on Saturday.
