Popular former Huddersfield Town player set to miss out for Derby County
But two ex-John Smith's men due to line up for Rams in TV opener
Derby County's Duane Holmes (left) looks like missing out against Town
Popular former Huddersfield Town player Duane Holmes is set to miss out on a return to the John Smith's Stadium.
The 24-year-old midfielder came through the Town academy and made 26 senior appearances for the club before loan spells at Yeovil and Bury and eventually signing for Scunthorpe.
He was a regular part of Frank Lampard's Derby side which went all the way to the play-off final last season.
Holmes made his international debut for the USA this summer against Jamaica, going on as a 66th-minute substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Audi Field in Washington.
Holmes - who played Drakes League cricket for Scholes - made another substitute appearance in a 3-0 defeat by Venezuela in Cincinnati, and was named in the States' final 23-man squad for the Gold Cup tournament.
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Unfortunately, he was forced to withdraw because of a quad-type injury and it's that same problem which seems certain to rule him out of the Championship opener.
Derby's new boss Phillip Cocu did not taken Holmes on the club's pre-season tour to Florida - where ex-Town man Scott Malone and loan player Richard Keogh were both involved.
They are likely to be in the Rams' starting line-up tonight against Jan Siewert's side.