Derby's McEveley: Ex-Blackburn pal Cole saved my career

Derby fullback Jay McEveley has revealed how a dressing down by former Blackburn teammate Andy Cole helped save his career.

He said: "When I first got into the team I thought I should be playing every week.
"Graeme Souness took me out because he was trying to protect me, but I took it the wrong way and lost my head.
"I was young and stupid. I got the hump and started throwing my toys out of the pram.
"I started slackening off in training sometimes.
"It was Andy Cole who pulled me aside after training one day and said, How do you get into this team?', I said, By hard work' - and he said Well, you're not doing it at the moment.
"From that day on I have never ever slacked off in anything I've ever done."