Derby County: Curtis Davies to leave Rams, David McGoldrick offered new deal
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Curtis Davies joined Derby County from Hull City in the summer of 2017
Former Derby County captain Curtis Davies is to leave the League One club when his contract expires next month.
The 38-year-old is being released along with fellow defender Richard Stearman and James Chester.
Full-back Craig Forsyth, the club's longest-serving player, has signed a new one-year contract.
Striker David McGoldrick has been offered a new deal after scoring 25 goals in 45 appearances in 2022-23, along with goalkeeper Scott Loach.
The club has also taken up an option for a further 12 months in the contract of midfielder Jason Knight.
Davies made 175 appearances in six years with the Rams, 24 of them this season, and led the side throughout the period of administration which saw them relegated from the Championship and preceded the takeover by David Clowes last summer.
But his final appearance ended with a red card for fouling Marvin Johnson as they lost to Sheffield Wednesday, allowing Peterborough to pip them to the final League One play-off spot.
In a post on Twitter, Davies said: "Whilst it was far from the fairytale ending that we all wanted, I will always look back at the six years with great fondness, and as some of the best years of my life.
"Especially the togetherness of the 2021-22 season where we were on our knees and never gave up despite all the adversity. That sums up for me the fabric of you fans. the community and this club."
A Derby statement said Davies had "displayed his undoubted leadership and commitment to the cause" when the club was in administration and added: "For that, his contribution will always be remembered and appreciated."
Stearman, 35, played 31 games for the club after arriving as a free agent but Wales international Chester, 34, was restricted to just seven this season because of injury.
Forsyth has played 308 matches since joining Derby from Watford and is only the second since in the 1990s to pass that milestone.