Danny Batth

Daniel Tanveer Batth (born 21 September 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship club Derby County. He has additionally represented Colchester United, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday on loan. He is of mixed English and Sikh Punjabi descent. He declared he wanted to represent India at international level in July 2017.

Born in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, Batth joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy at the age of 15. He captained the youth team and overcame a dislocated shoulder in his reserve team debut, aged 16. He was one of seven academy graduates to sign a professional deal at the end of the 2008–09 season.

Batth had his first taste of first-team football when he was signed by Aidy Boothroyd for League One club Colchester United on loan on 17 September 2009. He made his Football League and professional debut two days later, starting in central defence alongside Magnus Okuonghae in a 2–0 win over Hartlepool United and earning the man of the match award. After making five starts during his first month with the club, Batth's loan was extended until the end of the season at the Colchester Community Stadium. He scored his first professional goal to secure a 1–0 victory against Oldham Athletic on 20 February 2010, nodding home a David Prutton corner to extend Colchester's run of games undefeated to five. Batth made 17 league starts for Colchester and made on substitute appearance, scoring one goal. Colchester occupied a play-off position during a large part of Batth's spell.

On his return to Molineux, Batth was named "Young Professional of the Year" at the club's end of season dinner. Following this, he made his competitive debut for Wolves in a League Cup extra time home win at the expense of Southend United on 24 August 2010. Three months later, he joined Sheffield United on loan for one month, where he would make just a single substitute league appearance before being recalled to Wolves' Premier League squad for games against Liverpool, West Ham United and Manchester City, where he was a substitute. Batth then went out on loan once again to Sheffield, only this time to arch-rivals Sheffield Wednesday. He joined the Owls on 16 March 2011 until the end of the season. His spell ended having made ten league appearances for the club.

Having impressed at Sheffield Wednesday during his loan stint the previous season, the club moved to re-sign him on loan once again, agreeing another six-month spell on 26 July 2011. In December 2011, the loan was extended to the end of the season, as the Owls challenged for promotion to the Championship. He scored in a 2–0 away win at Preston North End on New Year's Eve 2011, and a second league goal on 10 March 2012 in a 3–0 win against Bournemouth at Hillsborough. Batth finished his second stay at Sheffield Wednesday having totalled 49 appearances in all competitions, and having been part of their promotion as League One runners-up. He was voted runner-up in the club's "Player of the Season" award as a result of his fine season.