Todd Cantwell and Tyrhys Dolan react to Blackburn Rovers player exit | OneFootball

Todd Cantwell and Tyrhys Dolan have reacted as Ryan Hedges joins Derby County

The wait to find a new club for Ryan Hedges is over, as he's become the latest former Blackburn Rovers man to join John Eustace at Derby County.

The 31-year-old had been a free agent since he departed Ewood Park at the expiry of his contract at the end of June, bringing an end to four and a half years at Blackburn.

Hedges battled injuries during his time in East Lancashire, most notably a hamstring injury during the 2023/24 campaign and a leg break last season, which almost curtailed his time at Blackburn on New Year's Day.

Thankfully, he was able to make a return to the squad in mid-April and could bid farewell to Rovers properly on the field. Evidently, he was well-liked amongst the fanbase, and that reflected in how his teammates felt about him, too.

Ryan Hedges officially bids farewell to Blackburn Rovers

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After Hedges' move to Derby was confirmed on Thursday, Hedges officially bid farewell to Blackburn and wished the club the best for the future.

Taking to Instagram, the 31-year-old wrote, "Thank you to everyone associated with the club for the past 5 seasons. I've spent my time there sharing an amazing dressing room with so many great teammates, with memories that will last a long time.

"From the medical staff to player liaisons, to coaches and managers. Thank you for all you have done for me, all the work that's rarely seen to make me a better player and person every day, that made my time there so enjoyable.

"Lastly, thank you to the fans for all your support during my time here, and it was an honour to represent your club every time I played. I wish Tony and the team all the best of luck for the future💙"

Mowbray was the man to bring Hedges to the club back in January 2022, and those inside Ewood Park will be hoping the popular returning head coach can help orchestrate a similar campaign to the one in 2021/22, where Rovers finished eighth.

Despite now playing for Derby, Hedges will be supporting from afar.

Todd Cantwell and Tyrhys Dolan react to Ryan Hedges' message

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It's been a real rollercoaster these last five seasons at Blackburn, with the club registering three finishes between seventh and eighth, alongside two campaigns battling relegation in 2023/24 and last year.

Those in the dressing room have lived that together, and have offered their support and best wishes to Hedges as he moves on to new pastures.

Tyrhys Dolan, who broke into the Blackburn squad as a teenager, played three full seasons with Hedges before departing last summer at the end of his contract for La Liga side Espanyol, commented, "All the best bro💙." Evidently, despite scoring goals in the top flight in Spain, he still remembers his time with Rovers fondly.

Additionally, current Blackburn captain Todd Cantwell, who enjoyed the highs of the 2024/25 play-off push and the lows of battling against relegation the following year alongside Hedges, commented, "Hedgy 💙."

Ryan Hedges will hope to play a similar role under former boss John Eustace at Derby County as in 2024/25

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Hedges has become the fourth player to transfer directly from Blackburn to Derby in the last three transfer windows, and the fifth to have played for both sides under John Eustace.

The most minutes he received in his four full campaigns at Ewood Park came during the 2024/25 campaign, of which Eustace was in charge for the majority of it, before leaving in February for Pride Park.

Crucially, Hedges was able to remain healthy under his new head coach, and while he didn't light up the stats sheet that year, more often than not he'd start games for a side who were in the top six for the majority of the season.

Derby need recognisable wide men, with the majority of their attacking threat coming through central positions, and while the 31-year-old isn't the sexiest of signings on paper, he'll do a good job back under Eustace and offer a focal point out wide.

And if he can have a similar impact on his teammates as he had at Blackburn, he'll have no issues settling in.