Malcolm Christie will ‘never forget’ Paulo Wanchope moment in his first Derby County training session

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Derby County were one of the most iconic and memorable Premier League teams of the late 1990s, as the likes of Paulo Wanchope, Mart Poom and Stefano Eranio starred for the club.

While the Rams have spent just one season in the top flight since relegation in 2002, Jim Smith’s side produced some incredible moments as they ushered in the Pride Park era.

Derby’s record-breaking 2007/08 season tarnished some of their memories from the Premier League, but for fans who grew up in the 90s, they were able to experience some of the best days in the club’s storied history as they became a consistent fixture in the division – something that is a dream of John Eustace’s as he looks to take Derby back to the top flight.

It was an excellent time to be a Rams fan, and heroes were found across the pitch. But one member of that era did not expect to be playing at that level.

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Malcolm Christie had an incredible moment with Paulo Wanchope in training at Derby County

It was October 1998 when Malcolm Christie joined Derby. He had been playing in non-league for Nuneaton Borough, but was given his chance by the Premier League outfit after impressing while on trial. Overnight his fortunes had changed, and in his first training session, he had an unforgettable moment.

The striker revealed all back in 2022 on the Undr The Cosh Podcast, as he told the story of the moment when he first met Wanchope.

He said: “I remember the first training session I ever did was on a Thursday. We did the patterns of play for the Saturday match and I got paired up front with Paulo Wanchope. Like f—— hell, I’m up front with Wanchope here.

“I’ll never forget it as well, because by that stage as well, I was kind of fearless a little bit with my football. Maybe that got kicked out of me a little bit when I got proper professionally trained because you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to hold the ball up, haven’t you? Oh no, you can’t do that, you’re not allowed to do that.

“But I remember the first training session, the ball dropped and I did a rabona through and put Wanchope through clean one-on-one, I did a rabona. I remember he came over to me and gave me a high five. I thought I’ve f—— made it here, I might be up front for Saturday.

“It was strange because Wanchope, for me, he was a bit of a Derby hero, wasn’t he? He was a little bit of a hero for me because the season before in 1997 he announced himself at Old Trafford.”

Christie continued: “I was a big Manchester United fan, so to see Wanchope score that goal at Old Trafford when he dribbled through everybody, and hit it right-footed in the corner past Schmeichel at the Stretford End. I was always a little bit envious.

“I was like, I’m playing with the man who scored at Old Trafford. I was proper grinning at the time. I was just so happy that I was playing and training.”

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Malcolm Christie became a favourite at Pride Park

Christie spent three-and-a-half years with Derby, and he became a player that supporters took to near-instantly.

He scored important goals across his time in black-and-white, and perhaps his most vital came in May 2001.

The Rams headed to Old Trafford threatened by relegation back to the second tier, but Christie found the back of the net in superb fashion – firing the ball into the top corner to secure a 1-0 win over Manchester United.

Following relegation in 2002, Derby found it tough to keep hold of the Lincolnshire-born man, and in the 2003 January transfer window he left for Middlesbrough, where once again he became a fan favourite.