My son has captained Derby County in the FA Cup - and I am so proud

Tobi and his sons Isaac and Jake are well-known in East Sussex for their football careers – but Isaac’s moved up a few notches at the weekend when he was given the skipper’s armband for Derby’s FA Cup third-round tie at Chorley.

The under-23 team - all of whom were making their debuts in one fell swoop - might have gone out to the non-league team who have become the story of this year’s competition, but it was still a proud day for Isaac and his folks.

Tobi, known for a wealth of football playing and coaching roles across Sussex, takes up the story: “I first heard there’d been a Covid outbreak at Derby last Monday. I thought the Cup tie would be cancelled, as other games have been. However Isaac rang me on Tuesday and had just got off a Zoom call with the 23s squad and he said it looked like they wild be playing the fixture as the whole first team squad had to isolate after several Covid cases.

“I didn’t really think it would happen, to be honest. They’d shut the training ground so no-one could train and prepare, but they managed to get together Wednesday at a school and then Thursday and Friday they trained at St George’s Park.

“It was always going to be tough. Isaac was in the middle of negotiations for a January loan move but obviously once this happened he was desperate to be involved – and fortunately Derby insisted to the other clubs involved in the loan that he would play for them Saturday.

“Derby’s 23s are in division one of the Premier League 2, alongside Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, so it’s a strong group who currently sit fourth. But on Friday more trouble hit – during training they were told four more players had tested positive the day before as well as the head coach, so they went into the game weakened even as an U23s side, with several U18s having to play.

“Isaac messaged me Friday night from the hotel to say he’d just been told he’d be captain. It was quite a surreal moment.

“Saturday I was a bag of nerves. It’s so difficult to actually enjoy watching games. The fear of failure, the anticipation of media reaction, especially social media, makes life miserable sometimes.

“The flip side to that is that I received so many messages from so many people wishing him well and congratulating me (him) and saying how proud I must be. It was incredible and it took me to Monday to get round to finish replying to people! It was so nice of so many people.

“I can’t even describe the feeling as he led the team out. It was strange and something you dream of but never imagine will happen and if it happened 100 times you’d still never get used to it! I just paused the TV for a few seconds and just looked at it!

“The game was tough going. Chorley had already knocked out Wigan and Peterborough at their grounds so they weren’t the pub side of part-timers many had them down as. They were full of ex pros and young players who’d fallen out the pro game after Covid decimated finances so they were a big, strong well-organised side.

“The pitch was half frozen and not in the best condition, certainly not compared to what these players are used to. It was a huge learning experience for them. It was played at 100mph with little or no football played at all. Derby were nervous and struggled to get the ball down and play how they’d normally play and Chorley used their strengths really well.

“It wasn’t a shock result. They’d knocked out two full strength League One sides at their hone grounds so playing Derby’s young lads at home on a poor surface, it was always likely to end up that type of game and the result was, if I’m honest, a little inevitable.

“It may have been different if Derby had scored first... and they had a great chance early on when Isaac played the pass of the game to put someone through on goal but the ref changed his mind on a penalty decision. Chorley scored just a few minutes later so that was about as good as it got!

“The biggest frustration was Isaac got injured early in second half and struggled to move properly but as it was only 1-0 they kept him on hoping he may be able to create something, but Chorley scored a second late on. It wasn’t a great game by any means. It was very difficult to shine. Isaac did okay. Nothing spectacular but he did show one or two moments of quality that stood out.

"I’m always very realistic. Had the first team been available he wouldn’t have played. Had a full-strength 23s side been available he’d have played but he wouldn’t have been captain. But just as the history books will just show non-league Chorley in the FA Cup fourth round, it will also show Isaac Hutchinson made his senior debut for Derby County in the FA Cup 3rd round, as Captain, on live TV.”

Isaac left Brighton in 2018 and joined Southend as a pro. He made his debut at 18 and scored within 60 seconds of coming on, and went on to make 40 first team appearances. But in troubled times on and off the pitch at Roots Hall, he played for five different managers.

Derby bought him in October in a transfer with various add-ons but Isaac’s chances have been limited. Tobi said: “Phillip Cocu was sacked soon after he joined

“Following Saturday’s Cup game a loan until end of season was agreed with Forest Green, who are third in League Two, was agreed – so the plan is to get out add to his EFL experience and then go back to Derby pre season for a real crack at breaking through, as he is contracted there until 2022-23.”

Isaac’s brother Jake is also a professional - he is in his first year of a three-year pro deal at Colchester United. Tobi said: “He’s still in the early stages of his career. He’s been at Colchester for three years now. He’s had various non-league loans which did him the power of good and he’s now top scorer for their u23s, who are catagory two and play the majority of the Championship clubs.

“He played all pre season with the first team which was a great experience and he’s travelled with the first team for games but he’s still waiting to make his debut, maybe it’ll be at Forest Green against Isaac!”

Tobi would love to be watching his sons in action but that’s been near impossible this season because of Covid and stadiums closed to all but essential officials.

“It’s a tough time,” he said. “I can’t go and watch games which is frustrating as it’s all I’ve ever known and something I love more than playing coaching or managing. But I keep up to date on social media and most of the games are on streaming services the clubs run. Hopefully we get to see some change in circumstances soon and we can get back to some normality and they can try to further their careers in a healthier environment.”