Burley: We can't sell our way to success

Derby captain Craig Burley is calling for a period of stability at Pride Park in the wake of sweeping changes at the club since Colin Todd replaced Jim Smith as manager.

Seth Johnson's £9million sale to Leeds has funded the arrival of a number of newcomers - among them Benito Carbone and Francois Grenet - and Estonia goalkeeper Mart Poom and England Under 21 defender Chris Riggott have been linked with big-money departures.

With Derby as cash-conscious as other Premier League sides, it would be no surprise if they followed Johnson out of the door.

But Burley feels that any further sales could be counter-productive as Derby look to continue their climb away from the bottom of the table after Saturday's 1-0 home win over Southampton.

He said: 'We can't afford to lose anyone else - especially Poom. He made some great saves against Southampton.' The same could not be said of the visiting goalkeeper, Paul Jones, who totally misjudged the high ball which allowed Derby defender Youl Mawene to bundle in a bizarre goal in the 23rd minute. Southampton manager Gordon Strachan, already feeling the pressure which was constant during his last days at doomed Coventry, brought on Matt Le Tissier in the 66th minute, doubtless mindful of the veteran playmaker's habit of scoring crucial goals over the years.

But he could not help turn things around this time, and the defeat meant that the sides swapped places in the table, with Southampton dropping to last.

Former Derby midfielder Rory Delap, who played the last 11 minutes for Southampton, said: 'We have been unlucky sometimes but we are at the foot now and you can't get away from that. The table doesn't lie.

'It's not what I expected. Southampton finished 10th last season and we were looking to improve on that. We can still do that but it is going to be difficult. But I am confident things can improve here.'