A Chelsea star, five-time Scottish League winner, Football League record holder, Spireites legend, Arsenal keepers and a World Cup winner '“ nine famous Derbyshire footballers

Derbyshire has produced its fair share of footballing talent throughout the years.
Ray Wilson

Ex Huddersfield Town and EvertonRay Wilson

Ex Huddersfield Town and Everton
Ray Wilson Ex Huddersfield Town and Everton

In fact it would be an exhaustive task to produce a comprehensive list of all the Derbyshire players to have made it to the Football League.

So here is a small cross section – in no particular order, including a World Cup winner, a current England star, a player who won five Scottish league titles in a row, a man who scored 10 goals in one Football League game and a Chesterfield legend.

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Who would you say was the finest footballer to come from Derbyshire? Tweet @GrahamSmyth.

Sheffield Wednesday v Tranmere......visitor in the Directors Box,Sheffield's own Gary Cahill,watching his boyhood team the Owls beat Tranmere.Now with bolton Gary as recently won a full England capSheffield Wednesday v Tranmere......visitor in the Directors Box,Sheffield's own Gary Cahill,watching his boyhood team the Owls beat Tranmere.Now with bolton Gary as recently won a full England cap
Sheffield Wednesday v Tranmere......visitor in the Directors Box,Sheffield's own Gary Cahill,watching his boyhood team the Owls beat Tranmere.Now with bolton Gary as recently won a full England cap

1. John Lukic

The 6ft 4ins goalkeeper, of Serbian descent, was born in Chesterfield.

His career was played out at just two clubs, Arsenal and Leeds, making 668 league appearances in two stints with each club.

Lukic played for England at youth and Under 21 level.

Leeds United's Mark Hateley blocks Villa's Andy Townsend and tries a backward kick into the box.Leeds United's Mark Hateley blocks Villa's Andy Townsend and tries a backward kick into the box.
Leeds United's Mark Hateley blocks Villa's Andy Townsend and tries a backward kick into the box.

The highlights of his career were a pair of Football League Division One championships, one with Arsenal in the 1988/98 season, and one with Leeds in 1991/92.

2. Gary Cahill

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This Dronfield centre-half is still in the midst of a successful career.

Cahill, 30, was signedfrom Bolton by Chelsea in 2012, for a fee believed to be around £7million.

Sheffield Wednesday v Tranmere......visitor in the Directors Box,Sheffield's own Gary Cahill,watching his boyhood team the Owls beat Tranmere.Now with bolton Gary as recently won a full England capSheffield Wednesday v Tranmere......visitor in the Directors Box,Sheffield's own Gary Cahill,watching his boyhood team the Owls beat Tranmere.Now with bolton Gary as recently won a full England cap
Sheffield Wednesday v Tranmere......visitor in the Directors Box,Sheffield's own Gary Cahill,watching his boyhood team the Owls beat Tranmere.Now with bolton Gary as recently won a full England cap

His career began at AFC Dronfield, before Aston Villa snapped him up.

England have capped the derfender 40 times, and he has three international goals to his credit.

3. Mark Hateley

Another England internationa, Hateley was born in Derby.

Leeds United's Mark Hateley blocks Villa's Andy Townsend and tries a backward kick into the box.Leeds United's Mark Hateley blocks Villa's Andy Townsend and tries a backward kick into the box.
Leeds United's Mark Hateley blocks Villa's Andy Townsend and tries a backward kick into the box.
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The centre-forward was capped 32 times by his country, scoring nine times for them.

Spells at Coventry and Portsmouth were followed by a move to AC Milan, for whom he hit the net 17 times in 66 games.

Monaco then signed him, and after three years in France he was brought back to the UK by Rangers boss Graeme Souness.

Hateley went on to form a successful partnership with Ally McCoist for the Scottish giants, and won five league titles in a row.

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The 6ft 3ins striker finished his career with spells at Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United, Hull City and Ross County.

4. Bob Wilson

This Scottish international goalkeeper was born in Chesterfield in 1941.

Robert Primrose Wilson OBE, made over 300 appearances for Arsenal, and was capped twice by Scotland.

He was part of the Arsenal side who won the First Division and FA Cup double in 1971.

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Wilson spent 28 years as the Gunners’ goalkeeping coach, and went on to have a successful broadcast career.

5. Kevin Pressman

Another stopper, Pressman may have been born in Fareham in Hampshire, but he grew up in Dronfield.

In a career that spanned over three decades, Pressman was between the sticks for 558 appearances in England and Northern Ireland.

Most of those came as a Sheffield Wednesday player, turning out 478 times in 19 seasons with the Owls.

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He had a short spell with Leicester, spent a season with Mansfield Town and played for Portadown in the Irish League.

Pressman was never capped by the full England national team.

6. Matt Lowton

Burnely’s 26-year-old full-back Matt Lowton was born in Chesterfield, and hails from Clowne.

He started his career with Sheffield United, coming through the youth set up to break into the first team.

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Aston Villa snapped him up for an undisclosed fee – believed to be in the region of £3million – in July 20120.

After more than 70 appearances for Villa, Lowton was signed by Burnley last summer for another undisclosed fee.

7. Ernie Moss

A Chesterfield legend, Moss was born in Hollingwood in 1949.

The striker won the Fourth Division with his home town club Chesterfield in 1970, repeating the feat in 1985, during his second spell with Spireites.

With Mansfield Town he won the Third Division in 1977.

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In three separate spells with Chesterfield, spanning nearly 20 years, he made 539 appearances, scoring 192 times, a club record.

His career also took him to Peterborough, Port Vale, Lincoln City, Doncaster Rovers and Stockport County.

A 15-year management career followed, in non-league, with the likes of Matlock and Gainsborough Trinity.

8. Joe Payne

This Brimington Common man began his career with Bolsover Colliery, before being signed by Luton Town.

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Payne, playing at centre-forward, scored 10 goals for Luton on 13th April 1936 against Bristol Rovers, in what is still a Football League record goalscoring performance.

He bagged 55 goals in the Hatters’ Third Division South title winning season, and scored twice in his only England appearance, an 8-0 rout of Finland.

Chelsea signed him before the Second World War, and he spent time with West Ham United before his retirement from the game.

9. Ray Wilson

Born in Shirebrook, Wilson reached the very pinaccle of the sport, winning the 1966 World Cup with England.

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He made over 250 appearances for Huddersfield before a move to Everton, with whom he won the 1966 FA Cup.

That year was his greatest, playing at left-back in the World Cup winning England side.

A short spell with Oldham and a stint with Bradford City ended his playing career.

Wilson was given an MBE in 2000