Former Nottingham Forest defender James Perch has revealed how he turned down a move to Derby County from Newcastle United.
Perch, who was recently released from Scunthorpe United, has told of flatly refusing a Pride Park transfer in the summer of 2011.
The Mansfield-born Nigel Doughty Academy graduate's time at St James' Park looked to be drawing to an end with his relationship with manager Alan Pardew deteriorating.
He would play on for two more years before eventually leaving for Wigan Athletic, but with Perch on the brink in 2011 Newcastle were touting him around.
According to The Athletic, Perch's agent mentioned the idea of moving on loan to a Derby side managed by Reds hero Nigel Clough.
However, Perch was having absolutely none of it.
"I'm a Forest boy so I shut the door on that one," he told The Athletic.
"I wouldn't want to join my bitter rivals."
Perch made 190 appearances for Forest before moving to Newcastle in 2010.
After departing Wigan five years later he joined Queens Park Rangers and spent three years at Loftus Road.
The 34-year-old signed for Scunthorpe in August 2018 on a two-year deal and his former club announced earlier this month that they could not offer new deals to players out of contract because of the coronavirus pandemic.
