Gerald Mortimer: Clough will put an end to the revolving door transfer policy

AFTER successfully passing his first test by keeping Derby County clear of a second successive relegation, Nigel Clough is now on trial at Pride Park.

That does not indicate an impending crisis. Far from it, as the Rams appear settled, although experienced observers of affairs at the Baseball Ground and Pride Park tend to regard tranquillity with a certain unease.

Like any other manager, Clough will be judged on his recruitment as well as by the results. The two are, of course, closely linked.

Under the two previous managers, Billy Davies and Paul Jewell, the Rams underwent sweeping changes of personnel. There appeared to be a revolving door at Pride Park.

It is often the fate of managers to be remembered more for their bad signings than the successful deals but although Davies flopped in the Premier League, it should not be forgotten that he took the Rams to promotion through an emotional play-off victory at Wembley.

Steve Howard, Matt Oakley, Dean Leacock and Stephen Bywater were among the early arrivals and were significant figures in the Championship season.

More signings followed in the January window and although they initially upset the balance, had enough about them to keep Derby in the promotion frame.

Once in the Premier League, the recruitment started to go haywire. It is not possible to say if Robert Earnshaw was a bad signing as, curiously after costing £3.5m, he was never given a sustained chance to prove his worth, either by Davies or Jewell.

Kenny Miller arrived with a bang, scoring a superb goal on his debut against Newcastle United. It was not a sign of better things to come.

Miller never seemed part of the club and no tears were shed when he joined Glasgow Rangers.

The spectre at the feast is Claude Davis. He played well for Davies at Preston North End but has never remotely justified his £3m fee, four-year contract and, presumably, wages to match.

He is physically equipped to be a central defender but has never filled the bill.

Jewell adopted a scatter-gun approach in the market, apparently pursuing a theory that if enough players were signed, some would be successful.

And some were. Rob Hulse, Paul Green, Kris Commons and Paul Connolly earned ticks. So, in the end, did Robbie Savage, although a new manager was needed to make proper use of him.

But it was hard to understand how anybody could imagine Laurent Robert would be of any advantage to a struggling side. Nathan Ellington played well for Jewell at Wigan but not at Derby.

Although Ellington was on loan, there was still a hefty fee to pay Watford for his services. Then there are the unseen strikers, Liam Dickinson and Aleksander Prijovic.

The only one of Clough's permanent signings to be glimpsed is Chris Porter, a striker from Motherwell, and there was promise evident before he was injured.

Clough juggled the available resources well and with several key players to return from injury, does not need another massive overhaul.

He also knows there are bargains available at all levels, just as well because he has limited funds.

Look, for instance, at Michael Kightly. Wolverhampton Wanderers signed him from Grays Athletic and it is safe to say that scouts from other clubs were asked why there had been no recommendation dropping on the manager's desk.